LT Texan

Got tired of messing with the alternator, so I thought I'd bite the bullet and replace the battery cable like I knew I needed too.

I have had 1AWG ( a bit bigger than stock) and battery lugs for ages, but after I bought them I soon realized that these are not for soldering, but for crimping.

My birthday present this year was a crimper!

Looking at the positive cable, I don't know why I thought it needed replacing?


The negative cable didn't look so bad.


Here's most of the gear I bought. It's from Genuinedealz on ebay. Except the crimper, that was from KL Jack


Here's a close up of the 360 degree crimp.


I barely got the 1AWG through the grommet. I actually crimped the closed end lug on after I threaded it through. It wouldn't fit through the hole.


Which positive cable would you rather have? Used a butane torch on the adhesive lined shrink tube. Great airtight seal.


It was a pain threading the positive cable through the '78 style battery box. I didn't crimp the starter lug so I could cut to length after trial assembly.


Up and over the rear sway bar. I cut the old cable after deciding it was too much work threading it through the rear end.


Really snug fit in the old holders. But it will fit. (Yes, I bent the ears back properly after everything fit.)


I used some channel locks to gently bend back the metal sleeve just in front of the rear wheel. Again, a tight fit.


Here's the starter lug bolted down. The other wires are from my 928 Motor Sports wiring harness. I bought 4AWG and more lugs to rewire the harness, but not going ot happen today.


And, no I didn't forget the engine ground strap.


As said, I want to rewire the Starter to Alternator and Alternator to Jump Post with 4AWG and heavy lugs. And I'd like to run 4AWG to the CE Panel and get rid of those 3 wires (on left). The connectors don't look so good. The yellow connector is the (soon to be replaced and rewired) power to the dual fans.


Another day to finish the engine harness and wiring to the CE Panel. The stock fitting will have to be reworked.


Also, I found this article on making your own battery cables very helpful.

Alan

I suspect many positive cables look that way at the battery end... what eats the copper ground straps in the battery box doesn't distinguish much between ground and positive wires...

Now for sure the positive cable is much harder and more expensive to replace...

Alan

LT Texan

Well, I hope a good crimp and the adhesive lined heat shrink will do a better job.

Maybe I'll post a picture in 35 years.

Alan

I think that HD adhesive heat shrink is your best protection.

Alan