Battery cables-no start problem

[godstangit]

Lately Ive noticed my clock has been reset when I get in it in the mornings, and Ive had to wiggle the positive and or negative cable to get juice to start the car actually I grab them all fusible link etc. The terminals at the battery are new, so Im thinking of just replacing all the cables, links etc.but Autozone is saying its a special ford cable set up, has anybody changed these cables, should I just get some 2 gauge and end links and make my own

 

[95Vert]

My car is running new cables. I'd say to just replace them. They are old and could be corroded inside.

 

[godstangit]

My car is running new cables. I'd say to just replace them. They are old and could be corroded inside.

I was trying to get them from Autozone but they are talking special cable this and that so Im just going to by a roll and make up my own, and replace all the related cable ends.

 

[95cobraguy]

i know the original factory ford cables are expensive, i think 50resto has them.

 

[mo_dingo]

Just run your own ones. Inspect each end of the cables and see what you need.

If the terminals are new, but if you wiggle the connection at the terminal and it's affecting the connection, maybe you need to remove the cable from the connector, and sand the cable to bare metal and hook them back up.
Scott

 

[HISSIN50]

The resto cables I've seen were over 200 bucks. At some point, I need to upgrade to 2 AWG cable and plan to make my own terminals. We have the starter cable to deal with, which adds to the hacking needed.

Dont those stock hoop battery terminals suck.

 

[SeventyMach1]

Dont those stock hoop battery terminals suck.

Yep. I remember you saying that the last time a similar topic was mentioned. Then I went out & bought new "hoops", lol. My car had some old terminals ... but they weren't the stock hoops. I had to replace them ... so I grabbed some hoops off the shelf.

You can't even get a wrench ... socket .... or anything on these ... unless you have some sort of special 1/16" drive set, lol. They have metal tabs covering the area around the nut. I ended up having to place the wrench on it long ways and using a screwdriver in the closed end to turn the wrench. Such a hassle. When that screwdriver hit the terminal on the other side of the battery .... I knew it.

 

[HISSIN50]

Yep. I remember you saying that the last time a similar topic was mentioned. Then I went out & bought new "hoops", lol. My car had some old terminals ... but they weren't the stock hoops. I had to replace them ... so I grabbed some hoops off the shelf.

You can't even get a wrench ... socket .... or anything on these ... unless you have some sort of special 1/16" drive set, lol. They have metal tabs covering the area around the nut. I ended up having to place the wrench on it long ways and using a screwdriver in the closed end to turn the wrench. Such a hassle. When that screwdriver hit the terminal on the other side of the battery .... I knew it.

Well now, just because they suck doesnt mean we have much of a choice when replacement time comes around...........

That does sound like a real PITA.

 

[godstangit]

The resto cables I've seen were over 200 bucks. At some point, I need to upgrade to 2 AWG cable and plan to make my own terminals. We have the starter cable to deal with, which adds to the hacking needed.

Dont those stock hoop battery terminals suck.

So is any part of this a real pain in the azz? I got to do it quickly, I barely have time to work on my own car cause we get slammed with customers all day long, and after work I drive my 2 year old grandson to St. Louis to see his daddy, who was just diagnosed with cancer at age 22.

 

[HISSIN50]

So is any part of this a real pain in the azz? I got to do it quickly, I barely have time to work on my own car cause we get slammed with customers all day long, and after work I drive my 2 year old grandson to St. Louis to see his daddy, who was just diagnosed with cancer at age 22.

Chit man, I think I speak for everyone here when I wish and hope for the best for your son.

In a case where you need to keep things continuing to run, I see no issues with doing a splice job with parts store cables. We get into the rut of knowing some people have show cars or want cables that will outlast the car and that skews our thinking (or mine atleast) when we post. This is not the case for you (at this time anyhow, from the sound of it).
I would get some marine type terminals or whatever makes sense and put those on. When I had looked at the starter cable, I think my thought was to cut the hoop apart and reattach that part to the new terminal because my starter cable is almost too short to be able to do a fresh splice - that is the ONLY thing I remember lookin like you dont want to mess up. Otherwise it should be a 2 minute cable swap.

Our best wishes to you and yours!

 

[godstangit]

Chit man, I think I speak for everyone here when I wish and hope for the best for your son.

In a case where you need to keep things continuing to run, I see no issues with doing a splice job with parts store cables. We get into the rut of knowing some people have show cars or want cables that will outlast the car and that skews our thinking (or mine atleast) when we post. This is not the case for you (at this time anyhow, from the sound of it).
I would get some marine type terminals or whatever makes sense and put those on. When I had looked at the starter cable, I think my thought was to cut the hoop apart and reattach that part to the new terminal because my starter cable is almost too short to be able to do a fresh splice - that is the ONLY thing I remember lookin like you dont want to mess up. Otherwise it should be a 2 minute cable swap.

Our best wishes to you and yours!

Thanks for the sentiments, I went ahead and did exactly what you said and did a cut and splice job with new terminals and she seems to be fine now however the positive cable is very corroded and green and will have to be changed soon, but whatever works for now as there are many pressing things coming down now and thanks again.