[Spridgets] Battery clamp bolts - J style in stainless

[Rick Fisk]

Hi Daniel,

I did a little searching and was unable to come up with a source for stainless J-bolts of the right size.  Zinc plated steel is easy to find, but not stainless.  

Threading stainless steel that size might be tough.  One trick I use when working with stainless steel is to use liquid dishwashing detergent as a cutting oil.  It works amazingly well for drilling holes in stainless, much better than standard cutting oils.  My brand of choice is Dawn.  Not sure if the same stuff is available in the UK.

Rick

> On Apr 21, 2021, at 12:21 PM, Weslake1330 via Spridgets <spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi list,
> 
> Just fitted a new battery to my Sprite (only took twenty minutes).  The old battery was 7 years old on a 5-year guarantee and was less than willing to start my Sprite's engine at the weekend, though did manage it.  So, I figured it was time to fit a new one.
> 
> I noticed the clamps are scruffy and I thought I'd like to replace them with something similar in stainless steel (I'm assuming they would be strong enough not to fail in tension).  The clamps may or may not be the original 1969 ones but are about 4.5 inches end to end (could be shortened slightly) and 5/16 UNCoarse thread.
> 
> Ebay and google reveal that this side of the pond you only get what I want in Metric thread and I try not to have anything metric on the car if I can help it.  So has anyone bought something similar in 5/16 stainless for their Sprite/Midget and wouldn't mind buying a couple more and posting them to me (I can pay by paypal?)  Alternatively any views on how easy it would be to heat and bend stainless rod/bar with a soldering blow lamp (because that's all I have!)?  I have threaded stainless rod/bar before but only in a smaller diameter when I made handbrake rods so figure I manage it with a single die (new and of good quality).
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> Daniel
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