Swapping out a car battery is something most people can do in their garage or drive way. With the right tools, it can be done in about 20 minutes. Preparation is always the key to any project, automotive or otherwise. Here is a check list of tools you will need to swap out your car battery.
Protective Eye Wear
Protective goggle or eyeglasses should be one of the first things to put on before you start working on your car. Chances are, if you can't see, you won't be doing much driving. Car batteries contain acid, and the last thing you want is the possibility of acid making contact with your eyeballs. Most protective eye wear on the market offers enough protection for your eyes.
Gloves
Professionals wear gloves for a reason, they offer protection and better grip(especially for those who get the sweaty palms). As mentioned above, batteries contain acid, and acid does nasty things to unprotected skin. In most cases, there shouldn't be a leak, but just in case there is a leak, you don't want to be unprepared. Latex gloves offer protection against acid. If you are allergic to latex, a pair of heavy duty work gloves also gets the job done.
Hand Towel
Not so much for safety, but it's very handy to have around. Working under the hood is a dirty job. You can use it to clean the battery cage, terminals, cage, or just for wiping yourself off after your project is completed.
Tools:
Wrench and a screw driver (usually a 10mm wrench is enough) are needed to loosen the two connections for the positive and negative wires and to loosen the battery mounting bracket. A note on disconnecting the wires: Always disconnect the negative wire first, and always connect the negative wire last when you change a battery.
Wire Brush and petroleum Jelly
Often times you will find gunk build up on the battery terminals, and the wires. You won't have to worry about the replacement battery as it will probably be brand new, but the wires that connect to the new batter might need some cleaning. Use the wire brush to clean off the gunk as best as you can. After you've connected the wires to the battery, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to help prevent future build up.
Replacing your car battery is a simple job you can do in your own garage. It doesn't require extensive automotive repair knowledge, and it will save you a trip to your local mechanics. It can be done safely and easily with the right tools and safety equipment.
About this Author
Check out http://usautotoolshop.com for all your automotive repair and autobody care needs.
Josh likes Transformers and tools. Josh tries his best to emulate his hero. When not setting his garage on fire, he runs his online store http://usautotoolshop.com
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