Arrrgh!!! My Battery Curse

FBPirate95

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 15, 2009
Messages
840
Every time I screw/unscrew the wing nuts on my battery posts I wind up dropping 1 or both of them into the battery box. Am I the only one with this stupid curse???:eek:
 

Barnacle_Bill

Admiral
Joined
Feb 8, 2004
Messages
6,469
Re: Arrrgh!!! My Battery Curse

Throw those wing nuts away (they don't stay tight) and install regular hex nuts.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,758
Re: Arrrgh!!! My Battery Curse

A always stuff a shop rag or paper towels around the battery before removing the wing nuts, keeps them from falling into the abyss.
 

MRS

Commander
Joined
Jul 10, 2005
Messages
2,579
Re: Arrrgh!!! My Battery Curse

Every time I screw/unscrew the wing nuts on my battery posts I wind up dropping 1 or both of them into the battery box. Am I the only one with this stupid curse???:eek:

My motorhome is like a dryer with sox's you put ten in and only nine come out:confused: if you drop a wing nut you will never know where it went......
 

Pascal

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 9, 2002
Messages
252
Re: Arrrgh!!! My Battery Curse

Wingnut's fly.......
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: Arrrgh!!! My Battery Curse

Throw those wing nuts away (they don't stay tight) and install regular hex nuts.

I think he means locking hex nuts, and torque them to about 7ft-lb.
 

seabob4

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
1,603
Re: Arrrgh!!! My Battery Curse

I think he means locking hex nuts, and torque them to about 7ft-lb.

JB,
In theory I agree with you, however older batt terminals can be weaker, and the torque required to tighten the locknuts can crack the terminal.

New Vrods are supplied with hex nuts and lock washers from Merc....
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,590
Re: Arrrgh!!! My Battery Curse

I use stainless steel locknuts
 

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
Re: Arrrgh!!! My Battery Curse

I use shop towels or rags underneath everything I'm working on because I'm always dropping nuts, bolts, carb drain plugs, etc., etc....saves a lot of grief!
 

Expidia

Commander
Joined
Aug 26, 2006
Messages
2,368
Re: Arrrgh!!! My Battery Curse

Nuts or wings you can still drop either when swapping wires around. I swap wires around sometimes and have dropped the nuts or wings into the cutouts in the floor where they of course bounce right into the cutout where the wire loom goes through.

I carry a small wrench and a few spare nuts and wings in my tool kit in a ziplock snack size bag.
 

stylesabu

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
849
Re: Arrrgh!!! My Battery Curse

just magnitize your finger tips. just kidding. if useing wing nuts just drill small hole in there and attach a little fishing line, tie it off close and you'll never loose them
 

4JawChuck

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 7, 2009
Messages
504
Re: Arrrgh!!! My Battery Curse

I removed the first three threads of the stud on the bench grinder and filed everything smooth so there is a short stud protruding that keeps the wingnut from falling off when it comes off the thread.

I thought I was the only guy with this problem, mine used to end up in the bilge out of sight. I also use SS lockwashers to keep everything tight and prevent vibration from loosening them off.
 
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