About 2 years ago I replaced my battery. A couple days after I replaced it my truck wouldnt start and I discovered that my negative cable was loose despite it being tightened all the way down, my positive one was not far behind, it wasnt totally loose but could be turned by hand. In a pinch I cut the clamps off and put some of the replaceable type ones and pretty much forgot about it. Last week I had to take the clamps off to get that plastic POS cover off of the battery to check the water in the battery and ended up replacing the battery for free even though it was low on water (thanks Wally World. Anyway, one of the clamps broke when I apparently overtightened it, so I put another replaceable one on for now. When I took off the old one I noticed the wire was a dirty brown looking color, no corrosion but didnt have that shiny copper look either. Longer story short, I want to change out the cables as I dont believe these replaceable clamps will last too long. I cant find the cables at any auto parts store for this truck. The Ford house want dang near $45 for a new positive and dont even list the negative. Why is this? Is their any kind of cable I can put on there that is readily available, or any better cable ends to make them good as new? I know soldering them would be better but I have zero experiance soldering and would have to buy the equipment anyhow. Thanks for any advice or input.
Battery Cables on 1997 F-150?
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The clamp on type replacements you used are garbage. You need soldered repacements. You may be able to find a generic that will work at any parts store. I have used the type of replacement clamps you are talking about in the distant past, and would not mess with them again.
I have never used them until I replaced the battery 2 years ago, and that was in a pinch at work on Christmas eve. Recently I ran the battery out of water (stupid plastic cover over battery, out of sight out of mind right?) and when I pulled the battery cover off (its staying off BTW) I discovered that it was out of water and being that I killed it 5-6 times already without water in it I exchanged it, to my surprise Wally World never asked a question about it or tested it, just told me to get another one and gave me new warrenty paperwork. After I cracked the positive post and replaced it and saw what it was doing to the wires I decided that it indeed would give me trouble in the near future. The cables for this truck must be made partway of gold or something because the only place I could find one is at the Ford house for 4X the price I can get a regular replacement at the parts store. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas, or has a truck like this who ran into this problem so that I could maybe mimick what they did. Or at the very least someone to tell me what is so darn special about these cables so that I may be able to understand in my dumb coon ---- head why I have to pay so much for a piece of wire.
Any soldered-on terminal cable will work just fine. The clamp-ons (to the conductor wire) are to be avoided, since they allow corrosion of the conducting wire itself.
Incidentally, as I'm sure you realize, the terminal ends you used had no effect in the failure of the battery.
A more interesting question might be why the battery ran dry? Do you have a defective voltage regulator controling the alternator of your truck?
Incidentally, as I'm sure you realize, the terminal ends you used had no effect in the failure of the battery.
A more interesting question might be why the battery ran dry? Do you have a defective voltage regulator controling the alternator of your truck?
i've used the clamp ons before. 2 things to consider Tinning the bare copper with solder would help. So would a dab of grease to slow down corrosion.
I know that the clamps have no effect in a battery dying. The reason I put that there is because Ford has this plastic cover that goes over the battery and is secured by the terminals. I had to take the terminals off to check the water or ever see the battery. At work I run an inverter with a laptop and printer. When I am not working on a project and the truck isnt running I leave the inverter, laptop and printer on. Dont know if that has anything to do with it but I did expect it to kill the battery and or the alternator sooner than they would normally die. I just bought this battery and dropped it in, I didnt charge, or check to see if the water in it was topped off when I bought it. It would start the truck but if I ran the radio or laptop or anything for more than 10 minutes it would kill the battery. After I jumped it, it would continue to start the truck until I powered something else without it running. I was taking the battery out to exchange when I decided to look at the water and it was REALLY, REALLY low on all the cells except for 1 which was about halfway full. If I filled it back up it may have worked good as new for however long I dont know but I exchanged it anyhow and left that plastic cover off of it so that I can check the water without too much hassle this time.
Copper is very expensive right now. Either buy new factory cables or possibly try a truck shop or marine engine shop and have a cable custom made.
A careful job of installing replacement ends can be a good job.
It depends on you.
Tin the ends with solder, assemble with a very good connection, and solder afterwards. I'd use rustoleum after this. I know grease is the standard, but the paint [a few light coats] is far better for the long run.
It depends on you.
Tin the ends with solder, assemble with a very good connection, and solder afterwards. I'd use rustoleum after this. I know grease is the standard, but the paint [a few light coats] is far better for the long run.
Deka makes, or atleast markets replacement ends that come with approx 6inches of cable attached. These would allow you to cut a bit off of present cables toget back to "shiny". These attach with a SINGLE USE clamp down end, then connection is sealed in a plastic lock case that can be filled with grease to exclude oxidation, the cause of tarnished look.
Bob
Bob
Thanks for the help and ideas guys, this is the approach I ended up taking, I found some OEM looking clamps at Wally World that accept the cable and than two tabs fold over the cable. I bought a cheap butane torch and some rosin core solder. I soldered the wire to the clamp, not the best job and it will probably crack but I will have to get better at this. I than put dielectric grease on it and folded the tabs over, and than finished that up with some shrink wrap, and some of that dielectric spray paint that everyone loves so much LOL. No doubt I will have to eventually change out the cables, but hopefully this will buy me at least a little more time than the other ones did. This is what it looks like:
It should be a good and long lasting repair.
Maybe better than factory cables!
Maybe better than factory cables!
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