battery cables

[myothercarisamustang]

SHO battery cables are outrageously expensive. My positive cable's clamp is quite worn, and barely held on. Would it be possible for me to just cut the cable at the clamp, solder on a lug, then use marine a marine style battery clamp?

 

[Ishodu]

I think you could but there is not much slack. I did for a while. (watch you hood clearance there is not much there) I just got a cable at wallmart that was only 4 buck and was 36" long it had the wrong end on so I just got one the same as the factory ones and soldered it on the end. It is a bit of a pain to get the old harness out and install one wire but its worth it.

 

[projectSHO89]

I just put on one of the screw-on replacement terminals from Sears Hardware Store. Cost a couple of bucks.

Not the best long term solution by any means, but when the wife says you can't spend any more money on that "moneypit".....

Steve

 

[Marccus]

I rebuilt my complete battery cable system using 2/0 welding wire which is much more flexible than battery cable and offers 4 times the current flow than the stock 4ga wire. I used Magna clamps from Quick Cable which are huge *****' clamps used in the solar power industry. I just soldered them on with a torch.

I used quick release connection terminals on the battery which are used in Volvos and other European cars. They can handle up to 800 amps. They are wonderful to use and easier to clean to eliminate corrosion. They snap on and off in "snap" and don't "collapse" on themselves like lead terminals.

2/0 Welding wire is about $2.50/ft. If you build your own cables you'll spend 1/4 of the cost on new stock, smaller cables and never have problems starting.