Can I use marine terminals on side post battery with posts?

[ziggy]

98 Buick lesabre. My battery is side posts,but they use the small cheap bolts GM style. I want too convert it too posts. I bought a set of posts too replace those small autobolts.
Now, I like the look of marine terminals. The set has wing nuts,looks like the positive,negative wires,both ring holes, will it work...put those over the wingnut bolt of terminals and install on threw posts ide screw inplace of the small bolts? I know they make a silver side post conversion ...but will the marine terminals work? Asking so I don't do this,n it fries everything

 

[Lubener]

If your present OEM battery connections are not damaged, I would leave them alone. I scratch my head why you continue to look for problems which are not there. Having wing nuts for a battery connection on an automobile application is not the way to go. The more mechanical connections you have at the battery equals an increased chance for corrosion and future problems.

 

[eljefino]

If you don't like the little GM bolts, go to the hardware store and get 1-inch-long, 3/8-16 bolts, nuts, and lock washers. Run the nuts all the way up/ down the bolts, stick the lock washers on. Wiggle the cheezy OE ones out of your terminal ends, gently run the bolts down until they bottom in the battery, then run the nuts down gently so they compress the lock washers and hold the cables to the battery. Don't go nuts, lead strips easily.

 

[Cujet]

You can use conventional copper terminal ends, and studs with nuts. I understand, the side terminals really are awful.

 

[brianl703]

I use these on side-terminal batteries:

GM Better Battery Bolt side post battery terminal Chevy motor trend | Better Battery Bolt

side post battery terminal GM 8917444 DELCO 19115561 & 19115586 DORMAN 392-004, 844-004, 60307 NAPA 728031, 829216, 728097

www.betterbatterybolt.com

 

[thastinger]

Do you have the hood clearance for a top post battery? In all of the side post battery cars I have ever had, they were that design for a reason and it was usually interference with something.

 

[zzyzzx]

I'm seriously considering replacing my group 75DT battery with a group 86 (top post style) and just extending my existing battery cables with short extensions that I can bolt onto the end of the side post cables.

 

[ziggy]

I have hood clearance. 2 years ago did my oil change like cal stop and shop. Wanted too clean up the side battery bolts ,type you buy at Walmart,AutoZone ect .it stripped the terminal holes Thier only like 10mm heads. Could t put the cables back on .so took the battery and walked hot humid day, about 1.5-2 miles too AutoZone.$100 plus new battery. So been wanting too put screw in posts instead .
But instead of using those universal terminal connectors, saw marine terminals. So wondered could I slip the cables over marine terminals posts,wing nuts them down and do that? Or will this cause all kinds of shortages and electrical problems?

 

[eljefino]

It won't be a good connection. The hidden "outside" of the cables should have a 360 degree connection to whatever fastener is holding it down. Use a washer underneath. You also can't hand-torque a wing nut appropriately... you can get close, maybe 5-10 in-lbs, but you want around 5-10 foot lbs. And the underside of the cable has these little "bitey teeth" that are supposed to dig into the female terminal that's about 7/8" acrosss, not a male terminal that's about 9/16" across.

 

[ziggy]

Just too pics these are what ide like too install using the side terminal cables. Would it work?

 

[ziggy]

These are what I want too replace with previous pics. Can it work?

 

[eljefino]

You would have not one but two adapters in there. Super janky. Don't do it.

If you split that insulating red cover off you'll find a solid metal connection underneath. Maybe clean it up a little but put it back the way it was.

 

[ziggy]

I see the majoritu here at f not all are saying don't convert it. When we get rst got this car September 2017 craigslist special :/ it needed ton of work. The battery came with my purchase of this Buick, had those screw in posts.and universal I think tjuer called, looks like tuning fork kinda look,terminal ends. The small termibal bolts tighten the battery cables too thread homes in universal terminals .
I replaced the battery because it was old looking and the universal terminals were beat up like someone was beating on them with pliers or something .
That's how I learned..twice already,once I removed the small terminal bolts, they destroy the inside of the battery threads for them . Twice already just unscrewing them with a small ratchet, literally half hand sized and the ratchet head .
Incase I made this conversion ...park outside napa or advance. I like the look of the marine terminals. But understand the wing nut might loosen or time. I wanted too at least replace the small terminal bolts now,winter...they could use a clean up. But don't wanna be unscrew them because as I've learned twice already....they mess the threading up in the battery so you have to buy a new one .think I'll just use old toothbrush and battery post cleaner . I park my car outside so the terminal bolts get beat up from hot summers n 10 degree nights winter. It's better too replace them,but ... The damage they do unscrewing them...

 

[TheLawnRanger]

I would let it ride on the side. It's a 25 year old car and it's made it this far.