That's possible. But drilling out the connector or filing it out a little is not a big deal. I would still take this path over the helicoil because the helicoil will be a dissimilar metal and will have galvanic corrosion issues. As others have pointed out jb weld is out cause this has to be a metal to conduct.
The hole and the screw are already dissimilar metals. Since this is a kludge, anyway, I don't see that as a serious deal killer. If they have galvanized helicoils, then the helicoil and the cable bolt would be the same material. I don't think it's that important anyway. Stainless will work just fine. A $50-$75 replacement battery would be the "good" fix.
snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca wrote the following:
Where did he 'clearly state' that?
Most garden-variety Helicoils are stainless. I would probably insert the Helicoil dry and then use anti-seize paste on the bolt threads.
nate
Agreed.
My bad - I thought he stated it had only the one type of connector - must have been a different thread on a different group.
Easy. Just use a self tapping bolt the next size larger.
Just had another idea. The original battery bolt is only a short little thing. Try threading a standard bolt into the hole. If that works, just get a stud to fit in (satainless steel is best) and a brass nut to fit to fasten the cable with.. Might need a tubular spacer to fit between the cable end and the nut - like a real thick washer - so the nut does not jam in the cable end.
Probably used a torque wrench, or impact wrench on it.
Throw the Mickey Mouse battery in the trash and get a REAL battery with posts on the top.
Hmm, that gets my vote for best response so far! You're right, it is a short bolt, and the battery has a bolt depth almost twice the length of the threaded bolt! And, I even have the bolts handy: they're what I used to connect to the batteries outside the car for charging, topping off, etc..
If I can figure how to get the old bolt out of the cable end (it's captive somehow), I'll be all set. If this works, prepare for a reward!
HTH,
Twayne
Nope; just a standard, short wrench; 3/8 or 1/4, whatever size the head is. It's pretty easy to stip a steel bolt in a lead receptor. Especially if he started it cross-threaded before he got it right, and then tried to horse it down. I told him to tighten if "firmly" and to not over-tighten but guess I should have defined the terms.
HTH,
Twayne
Now that's interesting: Top posts vs side bolts makes for a better battery, eh? Well this must be a really REAL battery since it has both the side bolts and top posts. Care to explain how I connect side entry bolts on the cables to posts on the battery? The top posts also have a plastic protector to prevent accidental contact; how would I do that for the side holes?
Speaking of Mickey Mouse (tm), thanks for the demo of what m.m. advice looks like.
HTH,
Twayne
Hey, I've been a mechanic since I was just a kid - and that's a LONG time ago!!!
There is also an adapter you can buy that bolts to the side terminal cable connector and clamps to the top post - and the plastic cover just pulls off.. A plastic plug sticks into the side terminal when the top post is used - so that IS a possibility.
At any autoparts store, they sell adapters to convert side cables to top cables, and top cables to side cables.
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