i am in the middle of replacing the factory battery cables with my own that i am making. i've seen the "charing posts" that screw into the side post batteries. is it possible to get a top post clamp to attach to these "posts". also can i just install top post batteries in my truck? i'm curious about hood clearances. i am tired of breaking the wimpy looking "100% lead" universal side post connectors. they are terrible as i can bend them with no effort and i don't trust them under my hood at all. thanks everyone.

Check this post: http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2127946#post2127946

on our work truck we have top mount battery posts that we made they work good if you going to add more electrical stuff but om my personal truck i replaced all wires and both batterys and got new ends and new bolts and they work a heck of alot better than the factory ones

When i replaced both batteries in Feb this year i put top posts on. No problem with clearance on mine.
Don

Ive never had much trouble with the side posts...kinda like em actually...But I did replace the bolts with gold plated studs on the left side for adding accessories.

In my gasser I replaced the battery with a top AND side post battery. That way I can use the regular cables but have the top posts for jumping or adding accessories (like the valves for the airbags)....I plan on doing the same when its time to replace the bats in the 6.5.

i have tops on mine..no problems at all

I'm using one with the side mount and the other battery has side and top mount.
Top mount works good for giving a boost. Soon I'm gonna switch the cables to the top mount only. Crappy GM sidemounts suck. What were they thinking?

no problem using a top post battery in these trucks.

ok so my next batteries will be top posts. but for now the ones in the truck will have to do. i have seen those "charging posts" that screw into the side terminals. does anyone think its possible to get top post terminals to fit on these so i can upgrade my cables before it gets any colder outside? i'm not sure if those charging posts would be too small for the top post terminals or not.

...I didn't know about the post here on DP on changing the side posts bolts, but some years ago I started changing all side posts batteries bolts out to 3/8xcoarse thread bolts, tighten them with a nut on the threads then cut off the heads...back off the nut and attach the cable ends and replace the nuts, I use a lock nut sometimes and always put a flat washer on first... work great costs about 60 cents the last time I did it...