The previous owner of my truck for some reason had put deadman switches on both batteries in my truck and the cables going to them were getting nasty. So I built my own today at work. the switches were on the negative side so I didnt have to deal with the big ass positive cable and I didnt want the dumb things under the hood anyway. I was going to use 2/0 but all we had left was 3/0, so thats what I used, its over kill but I can for sure tell a difference in the cranking speed!
Built some new battery cables today
- Thread starter dave186
- Start date
LCAM-01XA
Full Access Member
3/0 is nice, me and a buddy built some cables for his '86 and it made a big difference too
gatorman21218
Registered User
Pictures! Also how did you attach the ends on them? When I bought my truck the jacketing was peeling off so instead of paying 300 bucks to the local big rig shop to make me some I just got that really thick wide electrical tape they use on power lines and taped em up really good. That being said i am curious as to how you did yours
FX4 Level2
NEEDS A DIESEL
Ive found that the larger lug connectors get mud and dirt and road crap in them when you crimp em ive started filling em with silver solder...
just a thought.. atleast solder the terminals on the starter?
FWIW I coated my wire ends in Noalox and put heat shrink tubing around the crimp...I used marine-grade stuff with glue on the inside. I don't think mud, dirt, etc could easily get into the connections I have, even though I didn't solder them...
gonecrazyi
Full Access Member
Gatorman, if you ever make it down this way to get the cruise control stuff, there is a place in Orlando that I get my battery cable. I think I paid 20 bucks for 8 ft of ground and another 5 for the connectors. I used a bolt cutter to crimp everything.
Gotta love surplus stores.
Gotta love surplus stores.
BigRigTech
Diesel junky
I just made some for my 92, I used 1/0 - 22ft and the lugs cost me $138.....I soldered every lug. I'm doing the same thing with the cables for the hydraulic power pack on the dump deck I'm working on next.
Good quality cables are pricey.
I use to be able to go to a local tractor place that made custom cables. Was nice and fast and reasonable prices too. Now, if I go to the local "battery" place, man, they wan WAY too much.
I use to be able to go to a local tractor place that made custom cables. Was nice and fast and reasonable prices too. Now, if I go to the local "battery" place, man, they wan WAY too much.
gatorman21218
Registered User
Billy i think for my african engineering job they have held up pretty good. I wish I had known that though I probably spend 25 bucks in electrical tape. Probably couldnt hurt to throw on a new pair though. Ill Let you know when im in town
The double wall adhesive lined shrink tube is pretty tough stuff, just as tough as the insulation on the cable. I have soldered cables before but with a good crimper I see no need for it. even with solder you still need to heat shrink. The crimper we have is a hex style, kinda crimps like a hydraulic hose.
Nothing wrong with that. As long as the copper cable is clean and not corroded, it'll still carry the power.
On my van, I ended up being lazy and where the jacket was cracked/peeling, I put wiring loom and held it in place w/ tape and/or zip ties. I didn't want to pull that long cross cable that connects both (+) terminals & only the exposed ends looked like they were bad- though I shoved the loom into that funny plastic holder it runs in as far as I could.
starmilt
Full Access Member
The last time I heard Ed the parts guy had OEM positive cables for something like 93 bucks.
fury9
Full Access Member
Where's the pics of the kit?
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