Battery Time

Last winter my battery started to give up. It was mainly only when it got real cold, so I did my best limp it through the rest of the year. Now, with winter knocking on our door, I figured I better not chance it any longer. 

I'm pretty convinced you get what you pay for in life. That last battery only lasted four years. This time, I figured I'd go for the gusto. Interstate Batteries are hard to beat. Beside being a cool shade of green, they also have good longevity. But, they come with a price. 

Changing batteries on newer vehicles isn't like it used to be. It's pretty clean and easy these days. 

Most things are metric anymore. 

At first glance, it looks pretty tucked away. But by removing a simple bracket we had easy access. 

A good rule of thumb is to remove the negative terminal first. That way it kills the power. If it is still grounded and you're working on the positive side and hit your wrench on the fender, sparks will fly. With the ground unhooked, everything is neutralized. 

Back in the day, battery terminals were always corroded. So cleaning them before reinstalling was necessary. Even though corrosion isn't as common, I still feel the need to scratch the clamps before putting them on a new battery. This also puts a little seasoning on your pocket knife. 

Same rules go for reinstalling. But this time, hook the ground up last. 

Back in business. 

A vehicle is helpless without a battery. Makes sense to run a good one then. Tires, batteries, windshield wipers... they don't last forever. So a guy better just plan on replacing them every so often. I feel better going into winter now. In Wyoming you can't always count on the snow. But you can always count on the cold. Best be ready.