Side terminal battery adaption?

[NapaBavarian]

My batteries are toast and I was offered for the price of "come pick 'em up!" a pair of diesel batteries, trouble is that they are side terminal! I thought I could change the connections and have new fangeled side terminals in the '85, but I've heard horror stories about these things! I'm debating just snaging bolts and making something temporary since I just need to be able to moove it out of the way on the property, it will need arround $4000 at best (least) before I can drive it again

 

[icanfixall]

Any good battery or electrical shop should be able to sell you the lugs needed to convert your cables the the side mount style lugs. They can be soldiered or crimped on the cables. I prefer the soldier on type.

 

[tonkadoctor]

I've never had trouble with side terminal batteries, much easier to remove cables than top post. Biggest PITA is if you need to hook up jumper cables that never want to stay put on the lugs.

Personnaly if the batteries weren't so new in my trucks I would go to the stud type like they have in big trucks with stainless steel nuts on them.

 

[OkieGringo]

My Exide AGMs have both types of terminals. I ran the drivers side to the side terminal on the pax batt and ran from top terminal pax to the starter. Works fine. OkieGringo

 

[Agnem]

Personally, I really dislike side terminal batteries. Hard to swing a wrench on, hard to jump with, fall off if the bolt comes loose, can't just lay the cables on for a test, or whatever.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Go to your parts store or Wal mart and buy 2 pairs of "Charging terminals" for your batteries, they are basically shaped like top terminas and they thread into a side terminal case. They are made to make it easier to jump start GM cars. Your factory cables will connect to the "charging terminals".

 

[NapaBavarian]

I do believe the screw in side studs are the answer I was looking for, I don't want to chop my cables unless I find some very nice looking and well built terminals, everything I have seen so far looks like junk