Battery Cables

Hi i am having problems with my cable ends coming loose on battery, and car not starting . You can tighten them down as much as possible and still come loose piss poor design.I"m tempted to put different cables on almost afraid to go anywhere .Would appreciate a solution to this predicament, or anyone else with the same problem.  

you are talking about side post terminals.. right...

some batteries have shallower holes for the side post bolts...   does not give you enough room to tighten it down ...   take the side post bolt out... examine the threads... it they are bent over.. time to replace the bolt...   i have had to grind the end off several side post bolts to get them to pinch down on the ring terminal tight enough to make good contact...

i have also replaced the side post bolts with a 3/8-16 X 1/2" long bolt with a nut threaded on... but not all the way up...  this give me close to the correct length to tighten it ...      i usually put the new nut and bolt in without the cable terminal to adjust the position of the nut on the bolt... so i know that i am not going to bottom it out and that i have room to tighten it down..

try not to bottom the original bolt out or the new bolt out as i have also had people pull the cast in threaded nut out of the battery post...    no repair or warrantee from the battery manufacturer if that happens..


if you have top posts...    new original duplicates are available.. if you don't need original...  stop by a truck electric repair shop... where they rebuild and install alternators and starters on big rigs...  they have really great quality top post terminals and cables...  they usually dip the carefully stripped end of the cable in solder... slide on some shrink tubing.. slide a new terminal on.. lightly crimp it.. then solder it to the end of the cable... seal it with something and shrink the cover over it..   strong enough i bet you could tow a car with it..