Anyone cut battery terminal bolts off?

[The motor guy]

My battery terminal bolts aren't tightening anymore due to corrosion and rust. It's those molded terminals with the slot in the middle, so it kind of clamps onto the post when you tighten the bolt up. If I remove both batteries (diesel) any sparks from the grinder should be okay, correct?

 

[dishdude]

Just use a battery terminal puller, no grinder.

 

[The motor guy]

Just use a battery terminal puller, no grinder.

I have one of those. The issue is removing the terminal bolts, to replace with new ones.

 

[oldhp]

Sparks around a battery is a No-No. I've seen two batteries blow up. Not pretty. No eyes were harmed in the making of a acid bomb.

 

[The motor guy]

Sparks around a battery is a No-No. I've seen two batteries blow up. Not pretty. No eyes were harmed in the making of a acid bomb.

That's why I'm going to remove them and se them aside away from the sparks

 

[Kira]

So you want to cut the rusted/seized bolts from your terminal clamps? All 4 are rusted solid?

If you remove the batteries from the vehicle and place them in a 'far away' location (outside)- any produced hydrogen gas will be far away from your work. If the batteries were inside the vehicle (in the trunk/under the seats) the H2 will dissipate fast on its own....or blow a fan on it.

How old are the cables? FYI: Sometimes swagged terminals can corrode inside the swag so you don't see it. Just be aware of that.

 

[The motor guy]

So you want to cut the rusted/seized bolts from your terminal clamps? All 4 are rusted solid?

If you remove the batteries from the vehicle and place them in a 'far away' location (outside)- any produced hydrogen gas will be far away from your work. If the batteries were inside the vehicle (in the trunk/under the seats) the H2 will dissipate fast on its own....or blow a fan on it.

How old are the cables? FYI: Sometimes swagged terminals can corrode inside the swag so you don't see it. Just be aware of that.

Yeah, I don't even understand how the terminals are attached to the cable themselves.

 

[Kira]

You'd like to think the conductor's strands are separated and fluxed before being carefully set into a mold where piping hot lead is poured in for a 100% air-free connection.
The truth is only some of that care is taken and there's room for corrosion to form.

A pal was driven bats**t because his truck was running so very badly. It turned out an additional wire was included in the positive cable's swag to power the "computer". The corrosion severely interrupted current flow.
That cable was 24 years old.

It might pay to cut the old clamp off and add your own. We've all seen tired lead clamps just break with time and stress too.
Do you have enough slack?

 

[The motor guy]

You'd like to think the conductor's strands are separated and fluxed before being carefully set into a mold where piping hot lead is poured in for a 100% air-free connection.
The truth is only some of that care is taken and there's room for corrosion to form.

A pal was driven bats**t because his truck was running so very badly. It turned out an additional wire was included in the positive cable's swag to power the "computer". The corrosion severely interrupted current flow.
That cable was 24 years old.

It might pay to cut the old clamp off and add your own. We've all seen tired lead clamps just break with time and stress too.
Do you have enough slack?

I had this issue with my other dodge. Those clamp terminals from tye auto parts stores cause problems as well. The truck starts fine as long as the terminal is on the post good enough.