72 Blazer: Side or Top Terminals?

[truckster]

My truck had a battery with top terminals in it when I bought it. I believe the stock battery was side terminals. Does it matter?

[kwmech]

Not really, personally I like the side terminals for the normal truck stuff. Top terminals for the heavy load stuff like jumper cables, winch control etc. You could pick up a dual terminal battery like I do.

[In The Ten Ring]

I would think top terminals would be easier to reach for servicing (cleaning, jumper cables, shocking yourself by accident, shocking a friend, etc).

[mike16]

stock were side termials

[Mike C]

Like Mike16 says, stock was side terminals. But top terminals are my choice. I make my own cables using welding wire (4ga is sufficient for most, but 2ga is just as easy) crimp and shrink copper ring terminals and use marine type top battery terminals.

Top terminal battery can output more current usually than a side terminal for things like winches as well if that is important.

[mike16]

x2. if my truck wern't so origonal I would go with top terminals. dont know why they went that way. over in corvette world they say it was to allow a lower hood clearance. top post is much more durable and versitile.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by mike16

x2. if my truck wern't so origonal I would go with top terminals. dont know why they went that way. over in corvette world they say it was to allow a lower hood clearance. top post is much more durable and versitile.

If I correctly recall the hype at the time, the claim was that the side terminals are less likely to corrode. Based on personal observation, I think there's some truth to that. 1971 was the first year for side terminals.