• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

 

Anyone Know the Length: Negative Battery Cable for Front Battery??

jplace1011

Well-known member
458
481
63
Location
Santa Ana, CA


My Front Negative Battery Cable, the end that goes on the battery is stripped out. I’d like to just replace the entire negative cable. Does anyone know the length or have a link to one?

I wasn’t able to find one via Hilly Billy Wizard. They have many different ones at O’Reilys, but I don’t know the specs or which one to get exactly. I’d prefer to just leave it in there and not have to measure it. Hopefully someone knows.

Thank you for any help. I appreciate you!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ssdvc

Well-known member
971
639
93
Location
CT
OK, needed to get up and walk around, so I went out and checked. I think the negative cable is between 42 and 48 inches. Due to surgery, I couldn't take anything apart to get an exact measurement, but I think that should be good for the cable.
 

jplace1011

Well-known member
458
481
63
Location
Santa Ana, CA
OK, needed to get up and walk around, so I went out and checked. I think the negative cable is between 42 and 48 inches. Due to surgery, I couldn't take anything apart to get an exact measurement, but I think that should be good for the cable.
Thank you for that! Be careful, I’d hate for you to get hurt doing something so simple. I don’t have the right measuring tape myself. I don’t know where my wife keeps the non metal one. Doh!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

WWRD99

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
898
1,375
93
Location
York Pa
My batteries are out of my blazer right now...from the best I can do with them still bolted down is 44 inches...that should be a good starting point...I got bulk cable ends and a press crimper to install the heavy round ends on them with some shrink wrap...could go a smidge longer and make them exact for how yours are run...mine do have the 2 mounts on the fender liner as well...oh and I have the 6TM batteries if that matters.
 

jplace1011

Well-known member
458
481
63
Location
Santa Ana, CA
My batteries are out of my blazer right now...from the best I can do with them still bolted down is 44 inches...that should be a good starting point...I got bulk cable ends and a press crimper to install the heavy round ends on them with some shrink wrap...could go a smidge longer and make them exact for how yours are run...mine do have the 2 mounts on the fender liner as well...oh and I have the 6TM batteries if that matters.

You guys called it right. I found this 48” 2 Gauge Cable at Auto Zone. Just have to finish it up in the morning. One of the nuts is stripped on the opposite end of the battery end.

Thanks again for the help, I deeply appreciate the input. I’ll post a photos once I’m done for anyone who might have the same issue ahead.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

WWRD99

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
898
1,375
93
Location
York Pa


My Front Negative Battery Cable, the end that goes on the battery is stripped out. I’d like to just replace the entire negative cable. Does anyone know the length or have a link to one?

I wasn’t able to find one via Hilly Billy Wizard. They have many different ones at O’Reilys, but I don’t know the specs or which one to get exactly. I’d prefer to just leave it in there and not have to measure it. Hopefully someone knows.

Thank you for any help. I appreciate you!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Looking at this pic again it seems like the ground wire was going over top of the rear battery side mount...now that you're replacing it you can run it under it so it won't chaffe on that again...48 might be a little long but that's not a big deal since there's plenty of room to tuck it around the battery up front and up to the rear hook up...might want to unhook the other batteries when you go to hook it up just so you don't wrench ground the terminal.
 

ezgn

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
650
1,039
93
Location
Lake Elsinore Ca.

You guys called it right. I found this 48” 2 Gauge Cable at Auto Zone. Just have to finish it up in the morning. One of the nuts is stripped on the opposite end of the battery end.

Thanks again for the help, I deeply appreciate the input. I’ll post a photos once I’m done for anyone who might have the same issue ahead.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I would personally recommend the military-style battery connectors. So when you have to remove your battery connections, you don't have to take it off the battery post every time. Much better.
 

98G

Former SSG
Steel Soldiers Supporter
5,892
4,012
113
Location
AZ/KS/MO/OK/NM/NE, varies by the day...
I would personally recommend the military-style battery connectors. So when you have to remove your battery connections, you don't have to take it off the battery post every time. Much better.
Agreed. The military posts and then a cable with a 3/8" lug.

Also, there's no reason not to make your cables out of something bigger and meaner than #2AWG.

The only counter argument is that the one the OP picked out is already crimped and doesn't require any special tools.
 

ezgn

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
650
1,039
93
Location
Lake Elsinore Ca.
Agreed. The military posts and then a cable with a 3/8" lug.

Also, there's no reason not to make your cables out of something bigger and meaner than #2AWG.

The only counterargument is that the one the OP picked out is already crimped and doesn't require any special tools.
I would take it back and start from scratch.
 

Mullaney

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
Supporting Vendor
7,376
19,088
113
Location
Charlotte NC

You guys called it right. I found this 48” 2 Gauge Cable at Auto Zone. Just have to finish it up in the morning. One of the nuts is stripped on the opposite end of the battery end.

Thanks again for the help, I deeply appreciate the input. I’ll post a photos once I’m done for anyone who might have the same issue ahead.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
.
What you have is better than nothing, but that cable is a smaller diameter than the "factory" cable that belongs on that truck. I had a reliability (not charging very well) problem with one of my LMTV trucks and smaller cables. Replacing that smaller "parts house" cable with big fat juicy cables solved that charging problem...
 

98G

Former SSG
Steel Soldiers Supporter
5,892
4,012
113
Location
AZ/KS/MO/OK/NM/NE, varies by the day...
.
What you have is better than nothing, but that cable is a smaller diameter than the "factory" cable that belongs on that truck. I had a reliability (not charging very well) problem with one of my LMTV trucks and smaller cables. Replacing that smaller "parts house" cable with big fat juicy cables solved that charging problem...
I just did a similar thing on my pickup truck. I added the military type post connectors and replaced the cables with the 3/0 ungodly heavy cable. The goal is this is the last time I ever have to tamper with it.

I play with cables regularly. If I were going to replace battery cables on a CUCV, I'd use 2/0 or 3/0 copper cable and replace every cable that touches a battery and use the milspec post connectors. Everything would terminate in 3/8" lugs, and heatshrink would be applied to prevent cable corrosion.

The thing is, to do it right you need a heat gun and a hydraulic crimping tool with the appropriate dies. The #2 awg "parts house" cable with the factory terminal clamp properly connected may be better than a big mean cable with a milspec terminal clamp improperly connected.

"Good enough" is frequently good enough. The parts house cable is readily available and easily installed with no special tools. The demands of the CUCV are relatively modest in the scheme of things. The original CUCV cables were spec to be able to slave start vehicles with much higher amperage draw than anything on board the CUCV.
 

ezgn

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
650
1,039
93
Location
Lake Elsinore Ca.
.
View attachment 863140

The "see also" part is the positive terminal. These terminals will carry more amperage. This picture doesn't really show how much more "beefy" than the standard commercial part is...
Buy a Temco Hammer Battery Crimping Tool on Amazon For $20 bucks. It crimps from 8 AWG up to 4/0 AWG. Buy the 3/8'' copper lug rings and the right size lugs for the size wire your using, it is a very basic job that you will enjoy doing.
 

chucky

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
6,536
18,746
113
Location
TN .
.
View attachment 863140

The "see also" part is the positive terminal. These terminals will carry more amperage. This picture doesn't really show how much more "beefy" than the standard commercial part is...
On these type here beware there are some that look like these on amazon and ebay but have to much aloy or something in them they dont rap around the post when tighting them the ear that has the N or P on it just snaps off /breaks rite in the ear they dont have enough lead in them to bend and for those that dont know your positive post and neg post are 2 different sises so pay attention to the lug and the post when putting new lugs on your batteries .
 

WWRD99

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
898
1,375
93
Location
York Pa
.
View attachment 863140

The "see also" part is the positive terminal. These terminals will carry more amperage. This picture doesn't really show how much more "beefy" than the standard commercial part is...
I found those at a surplus store north of Harrisburg Pa a few months ago...they had the positive and negative sizes and got 8...I think the were under 5$ each too...fit perfect.
 

MarcusOReallyus

Well-known member
4,524
811
113
Location
Virginia
I wasn’t able to find one via Hilly Billy Wizard. They have many different ones at O’Reilys, but I don’t know the specs or which one to get exactly.
Have one made by BestBoatWire.com. Excellent quality made to spec. Choose your length, gauge, and ends. I like to get it with the clear heat shrink so I can monitor what's going on under there. Use military terminals and you are good to go.
 

98G

Former SSG
Steel Soldiers Supporter
5,892
4,012
113
Location
AZ/KS/MO/OK/NM/NE, varies by the day...
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks