a friend called me today she had broken down in her freelander.
it was totally dead no lights nothing.
So out I went.tow ropes and bridal attachment all loaded up.
I got to where she was and it was dead.
1st point of call battery. Both connections were loose. now these as still factory standard batt connectors and could i loosen the nuts on them.
to look at them they seem a little strange not your normal bolt though and tighten up and it grips. it looks more like a terminal post take off point. but nothing to adjust the grip on batt post

so out with the big hammer and a socket.
I slid off the Neg terminal lined up the positive and gave it a tap down on to the post to make it a tight fit. socket on clamp hammer the socket to get it to sit evenly. once thats was done same with the neg.
once all done. if fired up and ran normally. but i do not like the connections. so they will be getting replaced with the more conventional ones

I like easy fixes - nice one

I haven't a clue what you're talking about.

More 'normal' ones - with a bolt right through???

I've got nothing like that and my 2004 TD4s terminals are 100% original.

I've never had any bother with them at all.

I'm an ex-rally driver and the last time I had anything to do with 'bolt through' terminals was on the original Ford Mexico when I took them off and threw them away. Bloody dangerous they were as you have to completely remove the bolt before you could disconnect the battery.

Someone might have badly fitted the terminals on your friend's battery.

It would be better to fix them or replace them with the original type.

normal connector


the ones on this freelander dont have the horizontal bolt to grip. more like a nut on top like a terminal post

more like this except without the horizontal nut/bolt to tighten the grip just a round ring and the main cable fixed into it.

I stand corrected - I thought you were talking about those old fashioned Ford style ones that were basically a lead square sticking up that had a hole in the middle.

I think they were called 'L' posts




You may well have a point - but so far I've not found my FL's terminals a bother.

yes the taper slides on the post to lock them vertically, which is naff because the post tapers and offers no resistance.