Got my truck used and I think the connectors had been replaced prior to me gaining ownership. One of the connectors is in bad shape and I have to constantly shift it around for the truck to start.

I would just remove the connector but it looks like the wire is soldered to the connector. There is a bit of exposed wire between the connector and where the wire is covered by rubber. Can I just cut the wire to remove the connector, strip the rubber to expose a little more of the wire, and then attach it to a brand new connector?

Thanks!

 

You can do that if there is enough cable.If the cable is corroded I would change it.
You can buy ready made cables at most autoparts stores.
At the very least clean the wires before installing the new connector.
If it is the positive cable install the rubber boot post protector from the old one
Good luck

And welcome to the forum!

 

If you mean the connector is not tight such that you move it to make a good enough contact to start, you know very well this in not correct.
You must remember that starting requires a current of 200 amps +/-.
There cannot be any resistance at the cable connections.
Here is a representation of why.
At 12 volts with 200 amps flowing,
R= E/I such that 12/200 = .06 ohm is 'total' circuit resistance.
If the poor cable connection even has 1/2 of this very low resistance the voltage dropped would be 12/2 or 6 volts accross .06/2 or .03 ohm the bad connection offers.
There is no where near enough voltage for the starter to even begin to turn the menchanical load over.
In addition to this, the power dissapated in the poor connection would be
Pwr = I-squared x R = 200 x 200 = 40,000 x .03 ohm or 1200 watts making the poor connection heat up and melt the lead between the connector and the post.
Bottom line is the post lead has to be clean and shinney.
The connector has to be clean and shinney.
The two have to be tight making the resistance very very low to prevent voltage drop as illistrated above.
Moral of story is clean the posts, clean or replace the cables or ends, clean and tighten the ground connections and all positive cable connections at the start relay and the starter.
These are all maintaince items that are left go until the motor won't crank, then people come and ask what's wrong.
Hope you don't take this to poorly but it not a big mistery.
My reply is based on what I read in your first post.
Good luck.