Battery Cables - Calling Gary Lewis

[FuzzFace2]

First off I did see on your site the parts list for factory cables and I thank you. My measurements were pretty close but it is nice to have the right sizes.

So my question, you did (I think) a post on making cables, adding ends and what not but I could not find it here or over there.

Do you have this posted some place I can read it as I only glanced over it the first time.

What brings this up is I want to replace the battery cables as part of the rebuild.

I hit the local parts store, I wanted red and black cables to match the side of the battery is was hooked up to.

Well they only had black and some ugly colored plastic caps that went over the battery post ends and looked like crap. I did not even look any farther if they had the right sizes or not.

Thanks

Dave ----

 

[Gary Lewis]

Dave - Glad the pages helped. As for making cables, I did that for my boat a couple of years ago, as described in this thread. But to summarize an 11-page thread, I bought:

• TMS 16 Ton Hydraulic Wire Battery Cable Lug Terminal Crimper

• Magnalug terminals as any terminal with thinner walls would not crimp correctly with the metric die

• Wire from Tinned Marine Wire

• Klein cable cutters, although those are just barely adequate for 2/0 cable. If I were buying again I'd buy larger.

• Adhesive-lined shrink tubing, although I don't know where I got it w/o going back to look at my records

Hope that helps.

[FuzzFace2]

Dave - Glad the pages helped. As for making cables, I did that for my boat a couple of years ago, as described in this thread. But to summarize an 11-page thread, I bought:

• TMS 16 Ton Hydraulic Wire Battery Cable Lug Terminal Crimper

• Magnalug terminals as any terminal with thinner walls would not crimp correctly with the metric die

• Wire from Tinned Marine Wire

• Klein cable cutters, although those are just barely adequate for 2/0 cable. If I were buying again I'd buy larger.

• Adhesive-lined shrink tubing, although I don't know where I got it w/o going back to look at my records

Hope that helps.

I am sure it will help after I read thru it.

I mainly wanted to see how you did it and see if I could barrow (steal) anything from it.

I also got to say "day late and $75 short!"

On the way home from work this morning I hit a different parts store and bought cables (2 ga) and ends.

Why the ends you say? I got what cables they had that were too long, the others they had were too short, and I will cut them down and put the ends on them.

I will need to cut the insolation in the center on the long ground cable as it bolts to the frame and then goes down to 1 of the starter bolts. I want it to copy the factory ground cable.

Only thing I don't like is they are all black and you use a red cover for the positive post. I wanted red for the positive side all the way to the starter - oh well.

I also picked up some (red, did not have black or white) 8 ga wire for the 20" block to firewall ground wire as the one on the truck is falling apart and looks bad.

I was looking for braided ground strap but did not see any in the stores I was in.

Thanks again

Dave ----

[Gary Lewis]

I am sure it will help after I read thru it.

I mainly wanted to see how you did it and see if I could barrow (steal) anything from it.

I also got to say "day late and $75 short!"

On the way home from work this morning I hit a different parts store and bought cables (2 ga) and ends.

Why the ends you say? I got what cables they had that were too long, the others they had were too short, and I will cut them down and put the ends on them.

I will need to cut the insolation in the center on the long ground cable as it bolts to the frame and then goes down to 1 of the starter bolts. I want it to copy the factory ground cable.

Only thing I don't like is they are all black and you use a red cover for the positive post. I wanted red for the positive side all the way to the starter - oh well.

I also picked up some (red, did not have black or white) 8 ga wire for the 20" block to firewall ground wire as the one on the truck is falling apart and looks bad.

I was looking for braided ground strap but did not see any in the stores I was in.

Thanks again

Dave ----

Well, you are going to have good wiring, even if the colors aren't what you want.

And, you got the right wire size for the ground, as shown here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/engine-to-firewall-ground.html.

 

[FuzzFace2]

Well, you are going to have good wiring, even if the colors aren't what you want.

And, you got the right wire size for the ground, as shown here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/engine-to-firewall-ground.html.

Just thought of something

I am running EFI exh manifolds. When I pulled the ground and starter cables off to measure I saw they were close to the pipe.

I wonder if the EFI 300 six had different length cables and how they may have been run?

My Y pipe is from 1988 but the cable link years only go to 86 so it has me thinking.....yea I know dangerous are they the same or not?

Guess I will "lay" out the cables before I cut them to see how it all fits.

And we wonder why so little get done because we over think the job.

Dave ----

[Gary Lewis]

Just thought of something

I am running EFI exh manifolds. When I pulled the ground and starter cables off to measure I saw they were close to the pipe.

I wonder if the EFI 300 six had different length cables and how they may have been run?

My Y pipe is from 1988 but the cable link years only go to 86 so it has me thinking.....yea I know dangerous are they the same or not?

Guess I will "lay" out the cables before I cut them to see how it all fits.

And we wonder why so little get done because we over think the job.

Dave ----

If by “the cable length years” you mean what is on my website, the reason they only go to ‘86 is that’s what the website covers. But, the catalog goes to 1989. What years did the 300 have EFI?

[FuzzFace2]

If by “the cable length years” you mean what is on my website, the reason they only go to ‘86 is that’s what the website covers. But, the catalog goes to 1989. What years did the 300 have EFI?

My parts CD only goes to 1986 also or I would "try" and look the cables up.

Auto Zone is showing a 1988 F150 2wd w/ 4.9L MFI 6cyl so I would go with that being it is closer in year to my 81.

I also think that was the year the Y pipe I got was for.

Again I am just wondering if the battery to frame/motor/trany ground and solenoid to starter cables are the same between 81 (carb) & 88 (EFI).

Going to try and get out to the garage tonight or early tomorrow morning to look the cables over and I have to dig out the old trucks harness from a storage bin to check on some missing plugs mine has now.

Thanks

Dave ----

[Gary Lewis]

My parts CD only goes to 1986 also or I would "try" and look the cables up.

Auto Zone is showing a 1988 F150 2wd w/ 4.9L MFI 6cyl so I would go with that being it is closer in year to my 81.

I also think that was the year the Y pipe I got was for.

Again I am just wondering if the battery to frame/motor/trany ground and solenoid to starter cables are the same between 81 (carb) & 88 (EFI).

Going to try and get out to the garage tonight or early tomorrow morning to look the cables over and I have to dig out the old trucks harness from a storage bin to check on some missing plugs mine has now.

Thanks

Dave ----

Here's what I found. But I can't find a length on WC-8784 or E8TF 14431-AA or AB. Perhaps you can find that on the internet?

[FuzzFace2]

Here's what I found. But I can't find a length on WC-8784 or E8TF 14431-AA or AB. Perhaps you can find that on the internet?

Thanks I will give that a try

Dave ----

[PetesPonies]

Thanks I will give that a try

Dave ----

Its difficult to find red cables, but they can be found. Try a real parts store, they may have them.