My battery cables are shot... recommendations? ('95 C1500 5.7)

[FloridaST]

I recently picked up a '95 C1500 ext cab with 106k miles and I'm going through it and replacing everything that's worn out. Miles are low but 25+ years takes its toll.

The battery cable from the positive terminal to the fuse box has seen better days. It's frayed and I'm having cranking issues so it's time to replace the pos and ground cables. This is the long cable that travels across the fan shroud at the front of the truck. I can't find an OEM replacement anywhere. What do you guys normally do? Make your own cables?

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

I recently picked up a '95 C1500 ext cab with 106k miles and I'm going through it and replacing everything that's worn out. Miles are low but 25+ years takes its toll.

The battery cable from the positive terminal to the fuse box has seen better days. It's frayed and I'm having cranking issues so it's time to replace the pos and ground cables. This is the long cable that travels across the fan shroud at the front of the truck. I can't find an OEM replacement anywhere. What do you guys normally do? Make your own cables?

That's what I did last year on my 99 Burb, 5.7 vortec. That cable is 8 feet long on the vortecs. The local NAPA store told me they could order it from out of state, for a lot of $$. There was a battery and electrical shop down the street, so I went and talked to them. Was told, bring the cables in, and we can check them out and see if we can make them.
That 8 foot cable, with crimped lugs on each end, in 4 gauge cable, cost me $11, and they made it in less than half an hour.
These trucks are prone to corrosion down in the cables where you can't see it. I still have the side terminal battery in my Burb, though I have stainless steel bolts on the positive side.

 

[Schurkey]

Yeah, I make my own.

If you're in a position to make them "off the car", the tooling is cheap, and the cable and cable ends are very reasonable. Often, I can buy a pre-made cable where one end is correct, so I only need to custom-fit the other end.

God bless adhesive-lined heat shrink tubing.

My hammer-crimper is ancient. This one is similar. There are other brands.
https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Elec...g/dp/B00F0SLLFA/ref=psdc_553392_t1_B00E1UUVT0

Copper lug assortment w/ heat shrink. Again, there's lots of choices.
https://www.amazon.com/TKDMR-Batter...=1&keywords=copper+lugs&qid=1616990926&sr=8-4


If you're in a position where you have to crimp an end onto a cable with the other end still attached--you're screwed 'cause you have no sturdy surface to support the hammer-crimper. Then you need some other kind of crimper--mechanical, hydraulic, etc.

Beware cheap Chinese hydraulic crimpers. They've likely got metric crimping dies instead of AWG. They work, but you've gotta play games with the crimping dies to get a secure, tight crimp.

 

[df2x4]

@5vortec7 Makes a nice "Big 3" upgraded battery cable kit if you're interested in upgrading from factory, just FYI.

https://www.gmt400.com/threads/big-3-and-dual-battery-kits.41818/

 

[JeremyNH]

Something to keep in mind is that the starting motor has its' own cable direct to the battery and is case grounded to chassis. If you're having cranking issues and your cable to fuse box is in poor shape then you should look at replacing the cable to starting motor as well. Same goes for your motor grounding straps: make sure they're in good shape for starting motor return current. Starting motor and fuse box are two different things. The only thing coming from the fuse box for cranking is the signal wire to the starter and if that's bad you get no crank not poor crank.

 

[Steven Petersen]

Or like in my case, it was a bad starter. New battery, clean cables and grounds, nothing made a difference. Rebuilt starter made a night and day difference.

 

[Erik the Awful]

If you need some raw cable cheap, check Pull-A-Part for a BMW X3. They have a good quality ten-foot 2 gauge cable that runs to the battery in the back. As a bonus you get a six-foot 4-gauge cable for accessories. The strand count is good, so they'll carry plenty of current.

 

[FloridaST]

Thanks for the ideas! I think the best thing to do is build my own cables. Eventually I'll replace all the original cables and put in a new or rebuilt oem starter. The truck cranks and starts but I can tell it's struggling a bit.

Good tip regarding the BMW wiring, I knew that one when I was messing around with car audio and needed cheap but good thick power cable.

 

[FloridaST]

Or like in my case, it was a bad starter. New battery, clean cables and grounds, nothing made a difference. Rebuilt starter made a night and day difference.

Where did you get the rebuilt starter? I definitely want to replace mine.

 

[Steven Petersen]

Where did you get the rebuilt starter? I definitely want to replace mine.

Found on Ebay.