Battery Cables

95GTV8

New Member

Jul 25, 2005

386

3

0

Washington State

Sep 25, 2006

#1

• Sep 25, 2006

• #1

As it turns out i have corrosion on the inside of my battery cables. Do you guys have any preferences on what type to get for a new cable? By wiggling the positive cable while it's still attached to the battery i can make my car gain/lose power.

 

GearHd6

Member

Jul 19, 2005

459

0

18

Ashford, CT

Sep 25, 2006

#2

• Sep 25, 2006

• #2

Try this place. Great quality stuff. I've orders cables a few times from him. http://www.custombatterycables.com

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

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129

Sep 25, 2006

#3

• Sep 25, 2006

• #3

New OEM style 94-95 cables are pricey (over 200 beans at resto houses). When the time comes, I'll be making new runs with 2 AWG cable. The only thing you gotta watch is how you cut the positive battery hoop apart - the starter cable is melded to it. If you hose that cut (on my car anyhow), the starter cable would be pulled too taut if shortened and pulled to the positive terminal.

Otherwise, it'd be super simple to redo the cables - those stock hoop battery terminals suck, don't they.

Random thoughts. Good luck.

 

95GTV8

New Member

Jul 25, 2005

386

3

0

Washington State

Sep 25, 2006

#4

• Sep 25, 2006

• #4

what's 2 AWG cable? A thicker guage?

 

DmnStr8

Member

Apr 16, 2005

0

0

16

NH

Sep 25, 2006

#5

• Sep 25, 2006

• #5

I just replaced mine (+,-) with marine terminals and the got 4AWG cabling with appropriate ring terminals. They look nice and the marine terminals allow me to disconnect the negitive cable without gaving to go get a wrench.

 

95GTV8

New Member

Jul 25, 2005

386

3

0

Washington State

Sep 25, 2006

#6

• Sep 25, 2006

• #6

hrmmm, i don't really have a preference on the terminals. I just want some nice high quality battery cables. I'm wondering if the corrosion inside the battery cables is part of what makes the car take a few extra tries to turn over.

 

Fett

New Member

Nov 2, 2004

766

6

0

Sep 25, 2006

#7

• Sep 25, 2006

• #7

When I needed new cables, I made my own out of 2 gauge wire, copper eyelets, and these terminals, so I could use the extra post for any electrical accesories I wanted to add.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

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Sep 25, 2006

#8

• Sep 25, 2006

• #8

One caution about marine style cables on a 94-95 (and I don't know for sure but am thinking aloud): check your hood clearance. You dont want the positive terminal or any part of it (a wing nut) to be able to possible hit the hood. If close clearance wise and you want to do it, I'd fab up a little plastic/rubbery cover for the terminal.

Good luck.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

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Sep 25, 2006

#9

• Sep 25, 2006

• #9

Forgot to ask: GH6, how were prices at that place?

 

Roland69

Sergeant Tangnet

Sep 17, 2005

2,867

2

58

Port Elgin, Ontario

Sep 25, 2006

#10

• Sep 25, 2006

• #10

would 2 0r 4 gauge auto stero wire work if you made your own ends...

 

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

15 Year Member

Nov 11, 2003

6,945

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Northern KY

Sep 25, 2006

#11

• Sep 25, 2006

• #11

Roland69 said:

would 2 0r 4 gauge auto stero wire work if you made your own ends...

Click to expand...

That's what my buddy uses, and he has some gold plated terminals that i think are also audio oriented. He uses 2g wire for the hot and i think 4 for the neg. Oddly enough it never corrodes, i don't know if that has to do with the gold or not.

 

Roland69

Sergeant Tangnet

Sep 17, 2005

2,867

2

58

Port Elgin, Ontario

Sep 26, 2006

#12

• Sep 26, 2006

• #12

and you can get cool colours lol.

 

Roland69

Sergeant Tangnet

Sep 17, 2005

2,867

2

58

Port Elgin, Ontario

Sep 26, 2006

#13

• Sep 26, 2006

• #13

85_SS_302_Coupe said:

That's what my buddy uses, and he has some gold plated terminals that i think are also audio oriented. He uses 2g wire for the hot and i think 4 for the neg. Oddly enough it never corrodes, i don't know if that has to do with the gold or not.

Click to expand...

why wouldn't he use 2G for the power and 2g for the ground aswell

 

Shakerhood

20+ Year Stangneter

Oct 28, 2004

3,355

207

114

Ohio

Sep 26, 2006

#14

• Sep 26, 2006

• #14

There was a Place that sold SSP Fox Battery Cables and the price was not bad at all, something like 60 bucks, I will have to try to find out where I had seen them.

 

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

15 Year Member

Nov 11, 2003

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Northern KY

Sep 26, 2006

#15

• Sep 26, 2006

• #15

Roland69 said:

why wouldn't he use 2G for the power and 2g for the ground aswell

Click to expand...

I think because the neg. doesn't carry any current...i don't know i'll have to ask him. He's an electrician so i'm sure he knows something about it.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Sep 26, 2006

#16

• Sep 26, 2006

• #16

85_SS_302_Coupe said:

I think because the neg. doesn't carry any current...i don't know i'll have to ask him. He's an electrician so i'm sure he knows something about it.

Click to expand...

The pathway is actually ground to positive. An insufficient ground will make using a metal-telephone pole as a positive-cable useless.

The only reason I can come up with is if he had some really long positive cable-run and a short negative cable-run. The extra gauge for the positive would be for the length but it would be like effectively running all 4 AWG cables.

If anything, I error on the other side and run extra ground pathways.

 

GearHd6

Member

Jul 19, 2005

459

0

18

Ashford, CT

Sep 26, 2006

#17

• Sep 26, 2006

• #17

HISSIN50 said:

Forgot to ask: GH6, how were prices at that place?

Click to expand...

I've had great luck with them and GREAT cables for a good price. If you go on the website and hunt around he lists most of his prices. I bought the 3 piece cable set for my Cummins Dodge for about $165 which was a 3rd of what the Dodge dealer wanted and 100x better quality. I got a couple 2/0 cables for my Mustang when I put the battery in the trunk, they were under $20, again great quality. He sent me a wrong cable by accident because he didnt catch the fine print in my email. I contacted him and he shipped me the right one ASAP with a shipping prepaid box and just asked me to send the wrong one back when I got the new one and he sent me a few extra goodies just for putting me out a little.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

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129

Sep 26, 2006

#18

• Sep 26, 2006

• #18

Thank you for the feedback.

I cruise the site a bit harder - a nice find and place to bookmark for future needs.

 

95GTV8

New Member

Jul 25, 2005

386

3

0

Washington State

Sep 26, 2006

#19

• Sep 26, 2006

• #19

GearHd6: thanks for the excellent site. I'll be taking the measurements and contacting him. Do you think there is a way to get the length of the cables without taking my current ones off? I need to get around a little bit. If anybody knows the lengths of the 94-95 cables i'd be extremely grateful. Thanks for the help everybody.

 

Darkwriter77

Resident Ranting Negative Nancy

5 Year Member

Jul 1, 2005

314

281

134

Apache Junction, AZ

Sep 26, 2006

#20

• Sep 26, 2006

• #20

What's wrong with a set of 2-gauge pre-formed cables from Autozone? Just measure it out with a tape and buy the pre-formed lengths with the ends molded on there all nice n' purty. Works fine on mine, looks good, and as long as you're good about regularly keeping your terminals clean and gooped with silicone, they'll last darn near forever.

Think I spent about $30 tops for the both of mine...