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Hi. I'm carrying around a small pliers in case the car won't start. I go to the positive battery connection and try and tighten up on the little bolt thingy that connects the cable to the battery (sidepost).
Has anybody got a mod idea to get around the lousy connections that side post batteries have?
The battery bolt may be stripped out and won't tighten. New ones can be found at any auto parts store. You can bend the plastic terminal insulator and remove the old bolt, then replace it with the new one. It helps to heat up the insulator a little. Torque is 11 ft lbs I think. Or there are round posts that screw into the battery where the terminal bolts go into the battery. Then attach the terminal bolts and cables to top terminal type clamps. I'm not sure if there would be room to do that though.
Trying to tightening terminal bolts with pliers will not work well. Battery cables bolts should be tightened with a box wrench and torqued to 11 ft lbs which is pretty tight using a wrench.
Make sure the contact surface is cleaned well, that bolt actually comes out of the cable so you can clean it or if your bolt is worn (which it may be since using pliers) they sell replacements cheap at any auto stores. I replaced mine being 19 years and it showed its age and had a rounded hex bolt.
They use larger size wrenches to tighten down, and are great for attaching accessory wires for trickle chargers, stereo amp, etc. The smaller bolt on the end will come off without the need to disconnect the main terminal bolt from the battery. (Just be careful not to drop it. I've done that twice and never found them.)
You just have to be careful not to overtighten them, which is a lot easier to do with the larger wrenches. Remember, your screwing them into lead.
Last edited by lewislgZ06; Aug 20, 2018 at 02:42 AM.
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I think I would try a different bolt first and see if it tightens down OK. Cheap and easy to do. If it doesn’t tighten down, it may be the threads on the battery itself are stripped.
I will say that I have not had any problems with the side post connections. Once tightened, I just leave them alone and they stay nice and tight.
When you have it apart, make sure both mating surfaces are free from any corrosion, which builds up rapidly if any sparking takes place. Emory them smooth, then daub with Vaseline and re-assemble to prevent further corrosion. Remember that the thread into the battery is into very soft material, so any over tightening will leave you without a thread in there.
Last edited by jackthelad; Aug 20, 2018 at 10:56 AM.
Battery posts, particularly the side ones, "wear" with use. By design the posts and seats are a little malleable and over time they lose ability to fully torque. If you're removing them constantly for whatever reason or trying to constantly tighten them down it's not going to help matters.
When I first got my C5 I had to replace the side post bolt for the negative battery cable as I'm assuming that the prior owner likely removed the negative cable often rather than put the batter on a tender. It's very easy to remove. The sleeve over the cable will pull back enough to where you can slip it away from the bolt. If you're having issues doing this you can make a few small slits on the mount side of the cable so the sleeve pulls out. As mentioned you can buy replacement bolts for roughly $2-$3 at your local parts store (usually come in a pack of two).
I too would recommend that if you're removing or tightening the battery cable you REALLY need to use a box end wrench; a good six wall wrench. Pliers are not going to be able to get the necessary torque needed to hold the bolt on and you have a really high chance of rounding both the bolt head and threaded portion out.
Isn't the threaded socket on the battery made of lead? It's more likely that threaded portion got stripped by over-tightening the bolt. The bolt is not the problem, it's the socket it threads into. Either retap it and thread in a larger diameter bolt, or try and repair or beef up the thread you have.
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You can use a stud, and replace the side terminal bolt with a nut instead. The stud will go deeper into the battery to give you fresher and more threads, until it comes time to replace the battery again, at which point you can return it to oem if you so desire.
Last edited by 'Shifter; Aug 21, 2018 at 11:43 AM.
You can use a stud, and replace the side terminal bolt with a nut instead. The stud will go deeper into the battery to give you fresher and more threads, until it comes time to replace the battery again, at which point you can return it to oem if you so desire.
Bingo! - I think.
I bought the above positive terminal replacement bolt. It's a nice idea but the threads are too short.
The root of the problem was the original Delco battery that inconspicuously leaked (like 14 years ago). I had to replace the positive wire terminal with a Pep-Boys model. It's a little thicker I guess.
After realizing that the replacement bolt was still too short I went to my Pig Pile of Bolts ...and after much searching found a good length and the right thread size. I had to use a couple of washers to take up a little space but it secured nicely. (and there was much celebration) It's working well now.
As far as the battery threads being lead, I don't think so. (at least not on this Walmart battery that I'm currently using) I think there's actually a metal receptacle that I'm screwing into.
Isn't the threaded socket on the battery made of lead? It's more likely that threaded portion got stripped by over-tightening the bolt. The bolt is not the problem, it's the socket it threads into. Either retap it and thread in a larger diameter bolt, or try and repair or beef up the thread you have.
The battery has stainless steel thread inserts. The bolt/stud is the issue.
I just got a new battery today and every single one of them on the shelf has lead terminals , both top and side connection type. NONE of them are stainless steel. And if you ask the battery guys, they are all lead.
There are a few manufacturers of AGMs that use zinc instead ,but they are few and far between.
So the solution for a stripped out bolt is either to thread in a larger bolt, or I have seen a repair of lying the battery on its' side and dripping in molten lead into the threads and retapping it. Easier to use a larger bolt.
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Originally Posted by mrlmd
I just got a new battery today and every single one of them on the shelf has lead terminals , both top and side connection type. NONE of them are stainless steel. And if you ask the battery guys, they are all lead.
There are a few manufacturers of AGMs that use zinc instead ,but they are few and far between.
So the solution for a stripped out bolt is either to thread in a larger bolt, or I have seen a repair of lying the battery on its' side and dripping in molten lead into the threads and retapping it. Easier to use a larger bolt.
Yep...I sell three different brands, AC Delco, Deka and Optima...they are all lead, no inserts.
Battery Connection Problem
...and after much searching found a good length and the right thread size. I had to use a couple of washers to take up a little space but it secured nicely. (and there was much celebration) It's working well now.
They are lead.