Hey all,

need new cables or better yet just new end clamps, the factory origional are just SHOT...the lead is sooooooo beat up from opening closing, pushing on and pulling off that they are CONSTANTLY LOOSE....loose to the point that i am starting to get hard cranking, dim lights or no lights, and no radio or intermintint (sp)

so if you think you know of a good place for battery cables...or if AUTOZONE, NAPA, JOE SCHMO's carries good ones thats fine too.

THanks

NCA

 

There's a few ways to go , if your have an extra inch or two , you can put some of the several bolt on ends , for these I would prefer the ones that the cable goes through a nut that screws into the clamp end , a little harder to find , but Napa should have .
Then the cheapies anywhere , just clamp on .
Next , crimp on , I have a 3 ft. long crimper , this is one of the best ways , I would never solder battery cables , they tend to break , right at the solder .
If you have to start new , upgrade , get welding cable , and have the ends put on .

 

John,

on that welding cable...what guage and where the heck to you get welding cable...I have a few electrical supply stores near, but they dont carry welding cable to the best of my knowledge..I wouldnt think an autoparts store has it either...is there such a place as a WELDING store????

and as for the replacement of the ends...

your saying get the one's that screw on..... or screw on and crimp...

thanks

 

Use the yellow pages , welding supply .
I like crimp the best , but there are some quality screw on .
But with the lack of knowledge , you may want to find a shop that can do it for you , but it is getting harder to find a really good shop , looks like you have put a lot into your truck , do not short your self with the easiest / cheapest fix here .
Also try a shop where they do only semi trucks , more likely to find the better options there .

 

John, thanks

I spoke to soon....I did find an area welding store and they do have the cable..#1-6 cable avaiable....

I wouldnt say a lack of knowledge, I just like to question things to the Nth degree before I do it so that way it is DONE RIGHT...you know!

I just know from previous discussions with people who know more than me that the types of ends that your local auto parts stores carry are CRAP...ie Autozone, Napa, Walmart etc... so i wanted to be sure you ment CRIMP becasue the majority of auto parts stores carry the SCREW on kind and somehow that screw always seems to back itself out or strip over time...

As well...I phoned my local guy who does the work on my truck and he said he just got in a Parts turck 01, and he said the cables are good...so I am gonna run over there and check them out...FACTORY is always BEST!!!!!!!

thanks

NCA

 

While your at it, get a small can of dielectric grease. Liberally coat every bit of the terminal, post, and cable end (make sure you clean them well before doing this) Then put the terminals on. it will stop the corrosion. Also, if you have to keep taking terminals off......why? Those aren't usually anything you mess with too often.

 

Thanks for the suggestions....

Problem Solved!!!!!

My buddy and diesel mechanic (nice to have a friend that is a preformance mechanic) hooked me up.

we shaved down the Positive battery terminal ends (the part that has the bolt running through) and used a "re-round" tool for the holes...cleaned them up and with the shaving off the little bit to make them flush I can now tighten the bolts down nice and tight!!!!

next off the salvage "parts" truck we grabed a Neg. driverside battery cable because the end piece was just too jacked up to "re-round" without splitting the lead...easy swap out and you know what!!!!!!!

THREAD COMPLETE!!!!!!!

thanks for the ideas....if it does come to it I am going to go WELDING cables my guy does agree they are the best and he says go the solder route...complete connection with less corroision problems...crimped ends allow for corroision in his opinion.

NCA

 

I got mine here. I little on the expensive side, but they are direct replacements with all the matching plug ends.

https://www.dodgeparts.com/oe_parts_catalog.html