Maybe some one could help, my battery cables corroded and broke off the battery clamps on my Jeep, lots of green corrosion around the cable clamps (terminals) and cables. 2 things 1 I installed a wench on the front of my jeep and hooked the cables to the end of the bolts that go through the clamps that go around the battery posts. 2 nd I tow my Jeep behind my dodge pick up with the camper on and the jeep steering column will only unlock the steering wheel if the ignition is in the run position so I can tow the Jeep.

Corrosion is always caused by battery acid. Whether by direct contact or by battery off gassing. IF you have that much damage, then your battery is discharging really heavy amp loads. In other words boiling the liquid as it is discharging. To help prevent damage in the future, apply a liberal amount of grease when you put things together.

Adding on to what Donn offered, acid corrosion is almost always related to outgassing while charging due to micro-fissures around the cell caps and battery posts caused by vibration over time or, in the usual case with a Jeep, due to excessive vibrations due to off road use. You can reduce it by rubbing some grease on the post, and around the post, but in the long run rough use, or time, will eventually result in microfissures leading to an accumulation of corrosion. This is why older batteries corrode more than newer batteries. To me the presence of excessive corrosion is a tell-tale sign the battery is nearing end-of-life.

I would cleanbthe terminals well. I use wire plumbing brush they use for copper pipe. Then use electrical grease on connectors.

A old school trick that works good with mild cases of corrosion is to silicone pennies to the top of the battery. Corrosion will take the path of least resistance. I had success with this method on my old 99 F250 that had corrosion eating the battery hold downs.

On the towing issue, when I flat tow my Ranger on the tow bar, I disconnect the battery, since it also needs the key in the run position to keep the steering column from locking. I use a seperate, portable towing light system that connects directly to the truck I tow the Ranger with, so the Ranger does not need any battery power going to it's own lights while being towed.

Help with Battery Terminal corrosion and why | Good Sam Community

Sheriffdoug
Explorer
Nov 22, 2013
Once you get past your first 100 or so, load & unloads, you know what your doing, but your still cautious and take your time.

It's easy & HARD, all in the same time!

Never over extend your Jacks.

Allways have 4 Tie Downs on Truck to Camper.

Put piece of timber between front of truck camper basement and back of truck bed. Truck
These days are much thinner metal.

Never unload on uneven or soft ground/earth.

Keep Cabover 2 inches higher than rear of camper when Jacking up or down.

Happy Camping

Must have the wrong forum some how, will leave it there any way! Doug
SoCalDesertRid1
Explorer
Nov 22, 2013
billtex wrote:
Blueboat wrote:
Bill Tex you are to funny.
I actually have one Winch on the front of the jeep and one Wench that rides next to me. They both do a good job.

The best of both worlds!
I think you're going to need that winch to pull yourself out of the hole you're digging for yourself with that wench! :E
billtex
Explorer II
Nov 21, 2013
Blueboat wrote:
Bill Tex you are to funny.
I actually have one Winch on the front of the jeep and one Wench that rides next to me. They both do a good job.

The best of both worlds!
Blueboat
Explorer
Nov 21, 2013
Bill Tex you are to funny.
I actually have one Winch on the front of the jeep and one Wench that rides next to me. They both do a good job.
Jeepers92
Explorer
Nov 21, 2013
Make sure your cables and cable ends are large enough to handle the winch. It pulls a lot of current when operating, which dissipates a lot of heat, which causes more gassing. Make sure there is no grease between the battery post and the battery clamp unless it is conductive grease, even then it can cause the connection to be loose. Grease is ok used on the outside of the connection.
billtex
Explorer II
Nov 21, 2013
Blueboat wrote:
I installed a wench on the front of my jeep and

If she is a Salty Wench, that would explain the corrosion...

Next time try mounting a winch on the front of your Jeep...they are much more useful at extricating stuck vehicles...not as much fun as the wench...but more useful.
portscanner
Explorer
Nov 21, 2013
JoeChiOhki wrote:
Clean and fix everything, assemble it all, then slather it all in big scoops of Vasoline, the grease will keep the acid from corroding the terminals.

X2

I had an electric golf cart. Vasoline on the terminals made a huge difference. That and occasionally just hosing the batteries down with plain water.
AITG
Explorer
Nov 21, 2013
I have had excellent success with the felt washers and then spraying the whole terminal with Permatex High Tack gasket cement. The High Tack stays soft enough to 'heal' after connecting jumper cables or test leads.

I re-coat every year ... or two if I forget. I should add that I only do this on top post style systems. The truck in my sig line has side terminals and I do nothing to them.
JoeChiOhki
Explorer II
Nov 20, 2013
Clean and fix everything, assemble it all, then slather it all in big scoops of Vasoline, the grease will keep the acid from corroding the terminals.
bob_nestor
Explorer III
Nov 19, 2013
I also have a Jeep Wrangler that has a battery terminal corrosion issue. This is a stock Wrangler with no additional electrical load and the original factory battery. The Jeep is a 2011 so the battery is about two years old and may be ready for replacement - Texas heat is rough on car batteries! First time I had a problem was when I went to start the Jeep only to be greeted with the dreaded click-click-click. I've never had battery corrosion issues like this on any other vehicle and I wonder it there's something in the Jeep electrical system that might be a contributing factor. Anyway, to deal with the issue I do regular maintenance on the terminals, have added the felt washers and have coated the terminals with a spray coating material I got at Pep Boys specifically for this issue.