A screw battery terminal, also known as a side-post terminal, attaches to the battery via a mounting bolt. You can remove this type of battery terminal, commonly used on vehicles made by General Motors, and replace it with a similar terminal or for conversion to a top-post battery terminal. The most common reasons for replacing a screw battery terminal include buildup of corrosive acid and sporadic connection due to worn contacts.
Disconnect the negative terminal cable, then the positive terminal cable, from the battery. Remove the battery from the engine bay.
Cut the terminals from the cable with a heavy-duty cable cutter. If the terminal attaches to the cable with a clamp, remove the clamp with a ratchet and socket. Discard the old terminals.
Flatten the cable with a pair of pliers, and slide it through the new terminal's clamp. Tighten the clamp down with a ratchet and socket, taking care to tighten both sides of the clamp equally.
Place the battery into the engine bay. Attach the positive terminal cable and the negative terminal cable to the battery. Test the battery by cranking the car and letting it run for a minute.
