Which side is not coming off? positive or negative?
never mind I noticed you said left hand.
Is the head of the bolt shredded? is that why it won't come off, or is it corroded on?

^^^ Well, you give good advice. The problem is just getting that bolt out in the first place. I'll do what I can, in the meantime I may just have to quit riding for a day or two. I'm wondering if the threading inside the battery has been hammered with cross threading. But I would think if that were the case the bolt would be stuck inside. I'll give it a look.

SavageWahine wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:08:


The head of the bolt is fine. That's the weird thing. I can use a socket or a wrench and turn it just fine but it will neither tighten nor loosen anymore than it already is. It's pretty loose, so it seems as though the bolt isn't catching on anything inside the hole. A friend suggested that after I'm able to get it out, to put some teflon (sp?) tape on it. I'll give that a shot if I can ever get it out.

Threads are not in the battery terminal on any I've run across as it is soft lead material, but there is always a first time. However if you cannot pull the bolt all the way out then the nut or whatever is on the bottom threads and is just spinning in the terminal on the battery. I know the space you are working in is limited, but you need to try to get the nut up to the top of the terminal inisde part,  to see if will stop turning so you can disassemble it and replace the damaged bolt and nut. A pair of small needle nose vice grips maye be able to hold the nut enough by slightly deforming the terminal to get it loose. Use care or you may damage the battery terminal beyind use and get to buy a new one.  Running with it arcing can make the electronics in the ignition and voltage regulator system let the smoke out and when the smoke gets out it is broken! Ask Paladian how to get the smoke back in. Max

Ok here you go:

1) The positive wire goes from Batt to starter solenoid where is meets up with the wire from the generator.    Disconnect it at solenoid.  Tape up the connecter so it can touch a ground point ((and light up your life)).

2) then do as Max said above.  I would first try regular needle nose pliers and applying lifting pressue while turning the bolt to see if you can get it out.

3) once wires are disconnected, take battery out and get a new battery.  Don't try to fix it unless you can buy the very expensive electro-conductive glues.  Most glues are insulative (don't conduct electricty) and there is a strong possibility you won't get a good charge or a connection for good starter cranking AMP's.  Bad connections cause heat and could melt things.

So, what happened to the battery.?..?..?......My guess is someone over thightened the bolts and stripped them slightly.   Then the vibrations of driving loosened up the bolt.  Then, as the generator tried to charge the battery, it started to arc inside the hole and really messed up the threads.