JHZR2
Staff member
My Ram doesn’t have great battery terminals. Over the years and hundreds of thousands of miles, the batteries have been replaced multiple times, and probably over tightened.
I’m changing to crimped on copper lugs, and military-style terminals.
On the truck, the negative cables are 1/0, the cable that goes from the one battery to the other is 1/0, and the cable that goes from that battery to the starter is 2/0 (the starter is rated at 2.7kW.
A friend has a hydraulic crimper, just some cheap thing that is rated for up to 2/0 cable. Something like this:
It has dies that are interchangable to make a hexagonal crimp. It has a 70mm die and a 50mm die.
2/0 AWG is 70mm^2
1/0 AWG is 55mm^2
There is one page of instruction that comes with the thing. It’s not really useful at all.
I tried the 70mm^2 on the 1/0 with a copper lug. It’s tight and secure, can’t really know if it’s “tight enough”. Too tight of a crimp, and you extrude the stands - not good.
I’m assuming the 70mm^2 is for the 2/0; since there is no 55mm^2, any concerns with using the 50? Should it be shimmed to stay open a bit?
Thanks!
I’m changing to crimped on copper lugs, and military-style terminals.
On the truck, the negative cables are 1/0, the cable that goes from the one battery to the other is 1/0, and the cable that goes from that battery to the starter is 2/0 (the starter is rated at 2.7kW.
A friend has a hydraulic crimper, just some cheap thing that is rated for up to 2/0 cable. Something like this:
10 Ton Hydraulic Wire Crimper Battery Cable Lug Terminal Crimping Tool With 9 Dies - - Amazon.com
10 Ton Hydraulic Wire Crimper Battery Cable Lug Terminal Crimping Tool With 9 Dies - - Amazon.com
smile.amazon.com
It has dies that are interchangable to make a hexagonal crimp. It has a 70mm die and a 50mm die.
2/0 AWG is 70mm^2
1/0 AWG is 55mm^2
There is one page of instruction that comes with the thing. It’s not really useful at all.
I tried the 70mm^2 on the 1/0 with a copper lug. It’s tight and secure, can’t really know if it’s “tight enough”. Too tight of a crimp, and you extrude the stands - not good.
I’m assuming the 70mm^2 is for the 2/0; since there is no 55mm^2, any concerns with using the 50? Should it be shimmed to stay open a bit?
Thanks!