Broken positive terminal oval lug


Super Start brass marine terminals with ss washer nuts

OEM terminal cut down & attached to marine battery terminal

Both + and - battery terminals replaced

While getting ready for a trip I checked my battery cables on my 2009 vert to find that the positive battery cable terminal was loose. I observed that the oval clamp down lug was broken. After reading about the OEM battery terminal design and multiple complaints about this condition I was not going to pay the $165.00 GM retail price to replace the cable only to have the potential of the terminal breaking again. The new OEM GM cables would have to be removed and reinstalled to the starter and other locations on the underside of the vehicle.

I purchased a set of Super Start brass marine battery terminals from a local O'Reilly Auto Parts for $5.99. I removed the two wing nuts and used 5/16" stainless steel hex nuts with attached star washers.

I cut off the ends of the OEM terminals just behind the battery post holes with a Dremel tool with an abrasive cutting wheel. You need to leave enough of the terminal to drill a 5/16" hole and form it into a large electrical spade.

The formed spade on the cable end can now be attached to the brass marine terminal 5/16" threaded stud with the SS hex nut with star washer and tightened.

The battery cable terminals can be attached to the battery posts and clamped tight.

This takes approximately 1/2 hour and works best if you remove the battery while cutting the OEM battery cable terminals down.

The advantage of using the brass is for better corrosion control. The cables are not shortened which would happen if you completely cut the cables and crimped new terminals on. The red protective positive cable cover will cover the new clamp terminal. If you need to add any additional wires for accessories now you have a stud to attach them to. The new clamps can now be removed multiple times without the possibility of them breaking like the OEM terminals. This is a quick, inexpensive and easy fix and IMO better then the OEM terminals. I spent $8.19 total for this fix.

 

Nice work! I'll probably do the same now.

 

Just found this same problem on my c6 Z. No way to tighten the battery cable ends down and not getting a good enough connection. Going to do this same mod👍🏻

 

Nice repair

 

^+1, also the red and black GM terminal covers are easily torn and this repair provides easy replacemnt.

 

I've found these work quite well, very solid connections. Available in various sizes.

https://www.remybattery.com/cable-co...onnectors.html

 

Wow, those are nice. I'll be doing this real soon.

 

Those terminals look nice do you know what gauge wire the 05 C6 has?

 

I believe the wire is 4 gauge, should be written on the wire somewhere.

 

I ordered a set of these made by Detrit Speed. They're solid brass w/ nickel plating.$21.00 plus shipping from Amazon. Not Elgible for Amazon Prime, unfortunately.

 

That's a GREAT find! I wish I had seen this before I replaced the lug connector on my John Deere tractor last week. I don't have large crimpers so I used a small butane torch to solder the lug in place.

 

Link if anyone is interested:

 

Nice! I just took my car in for the battery draining, and they wanted to replace the entire battery cable and charge like $550!
I spoke directly with the mechanic and he was like... nah, you just need to replace the terminal, the connection is loose and not making a good connection so it's draining.

So it's just a bad design on the OEM terminals, huh? I'm looking at those Detroit Speed ones.

 

$21 for the part and $10 for shipping? Screw that...

 

Those Remys look great. What gauge size did you use? And did you get straight terminals or use left and rights?

 

I had weird electrical issues now and then. Absolutely amazing what a new battery and new Tight cable ends will do for ya!

 

I'm super late in here but yes unbelievable how brand new terminals and cables change everything in vettes ... C6 s need a special electric attention ... Good battery...clean grounds ...strong cables and good to go

 

Welp after installing the 170mechman, new accessories belt, new battery was getting really low valtage still.

ordered the sac city corvette big 3 upgrade and some tightening of a few things and the car now maintaining 14.4~14.6 after heat soaked with A/C blasting, radio up, lights and whatever other load I can put on it.

I was skeptical about the big 3 but it surely helped, when cool the car starts and idles at 14.7 so if you’re having low voltage issues then get big 3 upgrade from saccitycorvette, so easy a caveman can do it

 

I found that the stock battery terminals actually work ok for me if I to push down hard on them while tightening the nut. Otherwise, because the battery posts and terminals have a tapered (conical) shape, their tendency is to move away from each other when tightened, causing a loose condition.
I do agree the design is half baked

 

I am in the same boat and looking for a good alternative. If anyone have done other solutions, I would like to see them.