Anybody have this problem - my negative battery terminal keeps coming loose. Would it be ok to put the weaker lock tight on it?

 

if you put anything on it . id put copper shield on it. lock tight isn't ment for electrical connections. the copper shield should give the bolt something to hold on to and wont short anything out.

 

Had same problem. Make sure the little spacer is on battery so terminal is level. And yes, i use blue loctite.

 

Let me guess, aftermarket battery? Terminals are slightly offset so they don't aline to the face of the battery? If so you need a spacer so the cable is flush with the battery terminal.

Locktite should not be needed.

 

I use thin star washers between the cable & posts on the batteries and loctite shouldn't be used it can cause resistance issues. Star washers look like this , any auto or hardware store has them.

 

I bought a Duracell battery from Batteries Plus for my FXD...double the warranty and 25 bucks cheaper...most cost a lot to stamp a bar and shield on the side of a battery... And yes the terminals are set in slightly but the battery came with the spacers so no issues.

 

This is a good answer, or the OP can use a thin lock washer on a slightly longer bolt (if necessary). Either one is far superior to using a liquid to hold a bolt tight in a battery terminal because, as others have already said, it will do nothing but add to the resistance (that means it's *not* a Good Thing). Just head down to your local Fastenal and get what you need, no need to order something like these parts online.

 

I wasn't trying to be a dick, but I see this all the time with no spacers by people installing their own batteries, If they're tight I don't see why they would come loose, star washer can't hurt

 

The terminal posts on the batteries are soft lead and they will deform due to vibration over time allowing the cables to loosen. Can't say why the star washers work over the OEM setup but it's a time & miles proven fix for that little annoyance the old bikes are terrible about grounding cables probably half of the electrical issues I've dealt with over the years have been bad grounds somewhere.

 

Dielectric spread thinly on the battery terminal to prevent corrosion, washer, and lock washer with a tad of Loctite where bolt threads the nut.