Hi all,

I have an issue where every once in a while my motorcycle will not start due to loose battery cables. Last year I had to buy a new battery because the battery post melted and the battery screw just kept screwing until the inner threaded piece came out of the battery post. At the HD dealership they told me this was most likely caused by the cable being lose, the resistance rising, thus the amperage also rising. The higher amperage means more heat.

Since then I have keeping a close look at my battery terminals and keeping them tight. I first tried Blue Loctite, which did not help very much. Next I tried a split washer along with drawing a line with a sharpie on the screw head back to the battery post to see if/when the screw loosened.

About 70 miles later my bike once again did not start. This time I checked on the screws and neither had twisted. Then I figured I would just try tightening my positive screw and see what happens. I was able to tighten it more. Now I'm questioning whether I didn't tighten it enough before. If I had tightened it before and the screw didn't turn, how would it be able to tighten more later, is my battery post melting again, thus the connection is loosening?

Anyone have any thoughts on what might be going on? Any good ideas on making sure my screws don't loosen? I am planning on riding my bike as much as possible in the near future to continue watching my sharpie lines. For the record I have this battery https://www.harley-davidson.com/stor...12-6599182b--1.

Thanks,
Jake

 

Tighten then as per manual then put a small zip tie around the bolt and post. Problem solved

 

Do you have the spacers installed between the wire terminals and the battery posts? That's the only reason I could think they would loosen. A loose wire should only happen once (hopefully), unless there is an underlying issue.

John

 

I tried to do zip ties, but they kept slipping off the battery screw heads. Do you have a photos of how the zip tie stays on?

My cables go like this, battery terminal > starter cable > ignition wire (14ga with ring terminal) > split lock washer > washer (cannot be removed from battery screw. Is that what you're asking?

 

Sounds very odd to me. In over 50 years of riding a multitude of bikes I haven't had any such problems. It is just possible that you have a charging problem and the posts are heating up, hence causing the screws to come loose. I suggest you check your charging circuit, using the Stickies available in the Tech Electrical section.

 

Is the battery secured? Either with the strap or if it's a lithium the filler blocks. They won't come loose if they can't move.

 

With the battery you now have do the screws do up tight with no wires? I just wonder if the post is a little smaller and the screw is not doing up fully.

 

Put a lock washer on it. End of problem.

 

But where in the order?

The tag for the cable acts like a washer.

Will you actually need 2 locking washers?

 

How bout a pic of what you are doing? That would make it easier to help you out.