# new Battery woes



## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

People,

2010 Chevy Cobalt LT, new battery from AZ, supposed to be a T5 group. Old battery was fitting nicely on the cable end, but new batery terminal was too narrow such that the cable end woudnt stay on tightly.

So AZ said buy terminal shims. I did. Now with cable ends tight on shim one can pull off the cable right off the post. Huh?? What the heck is going on? Is this normal with shims? Should I remove shims and wrap with aluminum foil instead? 

Thanks, people.


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

papereater said:


> People,
> 
> 2010 Chevy Cobalt LT, new battery from AZ, supposed to be a T5 group. Old battery was fitting nicely on the cable end, but new batery terminal was too narrow such that the cable end woudnt stay on tightly.
> 
> ...


Take it back and by the right battery with the right post.
Or change the battery terminal and or cables or both.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

papereater said:


> People,
> 
> 2010 Chevy Cobalt LT, new battery from AZ, supposed to be a T5 group. Old battery was fitting nicely on the cable end, but new batery terminal was too narrow such that the cable end woudnt stay on tightly.
> 
> ...


Isn't this a crock. What they want you to do is buy 2 sets of shims and stack.


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

You have 2 problems. 1. You went to auto zone. Their parts are junk. 2. Auto zone batteries are junk. Buy the right part that fits instead of 'shimming' to make their junk crap to fit.:vs_cool:


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

So now i guess we must take the caliper along to buy a battery. What's next, every china manufacturer has a different size tire valve stem.


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## Joeywhat (Apr 18, 2020)

There are a wide variety of battery post sizes. Not sure why you think this is china's fault... Many different vehicles and devices use similar batteries in different mount configurations and locations, all requiring different post sizes and locations. Run into this a lot trying to find batteries for my old bikes. Often times the posts are off by only a few tenths of an inch.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Joeywhat said:


> There are a wide variety of battery post sizes. Not sure why you think this is china's fault... Many different vehicles and devices use similar batteries in different mount configurations and locations, all requiring different post sizes and locations. Run into this a lot trying to find batteries for my old bikes. Often times the posts are off by only a few tenths of an inch.


I thought we were talking automotive batteries. I suspect you didn't have the honor of living back in the good ole days when battery posts size didn't need questioning.


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## dj3 (Apr 27, 2020)

AZ will take the battery back with a restocking fee.
I'd keep the battery and buy new cables.
Or buy a new car


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## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

So good to know, people. AZ did offer to take back, I assume with no restyoc fee since their shim idea didnt work. Who want to shim a new battery!! Sheesh. Anyway, I will try to take it back but whats the alternative? Go to another parts store and cross my fingers?


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## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

dj3 said:


> AZ will take the battery back with a restocking fee.
> I'd keep the battery and buy new cables.
> Or buy a new car


Cut off my cables?? Isnt that a very last desperate resort? They are factory cables.


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## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

Oh- AZ did confirm it was a T5 battery. And other stores can do the same, but one will never know unless you pop it in your car and check it, I guess.......


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## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

I would not have much trouble inserting a small finish nail in between my cables ends and post to tighten. Any concerns, members?


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## dj3 (Apr 27, 2020)

I wouldn't insert a nail. Don't ask me why. Doesn't feel safe.
Do you have a trusted and knowledgeable mechanic? ask him.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

You possibly have a red neck caliper in your tool assortment. The common name is Crescent Wrench. Adjust it to the mid section of the taper of the negative batt. post. Now with that piece of duck tape you forgot, go get it and place it across the wrench worm screw so it stays adjusted while you go shopping for the correct battery with the correct terminal size.








Edit: Edit:


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

I do not have an answer, but have to say this has to be near the top of the list as far as dumb threads. Not you Papaereater, but the subject matter. I am not a mechanic by trade, but have done a fair amount of work on vehicles and equipment for over 50 years, lawn mowers, cars, pickups, tractors, combines, a few semi's, and the list goes on, and a lot has changed, but I have never heard of a battery cable not fitting the prescribed replacement battery, nor of shimming one. Is this a top post battery? If so, make sure that the open ends of the clamp are not tight to each other to start with because I have seen them sort of melded together, and have used a hacksaw blade to separate them, and check that the threads on the bolt are clean all the way up and that the shoulder is not stopping the nut too soon. The only problem I have in suggesting these things is that I have seen past post of yours and believe that you know this, so I'm stymied at how a battery manufacturer can't build a battery correctly.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

And to the best of my knowledge this is the first time in our lives we have been forced to accept most any foreign manufacturers goods as we are having to do today so this battery conundrum shouldn't be a surprise. 



Try mailing a camera to china if you want to see how really out of balance the scales are.






Edit: Edit:


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## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

Yes, I agree, Dex. This is a "what the heck" moment in auto history....LOL. I will take another look at these cable ends, and decide what's best. I really hate to have to return an otherwise decent battery. Wish I had a Sams club nearby. Never had a problem with those. A Walmart battery lasted me 8 years.


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## gthomson (Nov 13, 2016)

I used the finish nail option to get me back to the store to get the shims, and the shims then worked for me. I'd be wary of using the nail long term, though - might work its way loose and probably at the worst possible time - one lane road with no shoulder.


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## papereater (Sep 16, 2016)

So far, shim has not popped off. I am keeping an eye on it. Have not much choice.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

Well, it's still one of the most ridiculous things I've heard of in a long time, but glad that it's working for you. :thumbup:


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

LOL... in all my years of working on cars I have never heard of this before. Something just ain't right.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

50 years ago, you had a lot DIY and/or shade tree mechanics working on batteries. They would beat up the cable ends or clean the cable ends or posts by trimming them with a pocket knife. Repeated over tightening can also stretch the cable end clamp. 
A lot of people were too cheap to buy the replacement cables. 

So you shimmed them to restore a tight connection and fix their "charging problem".

They still sell the battery post shims at the parts store.

The big problem with nails or screws is they are steel. If you have a vented battery, the corrosion build up (acid) on the post will eat that steel in a very short time.


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