Battery Cables

Edit to add: For sale now at https://www.dcmachinist.com and on ebay.

I have a 1996 Tacoma SR5 (3.4) with 351k miles(!) and I'm making a new set of battery cables, alternator cable, and battery-to-fuseblock wire. I've been making and selling cables and alternator harnesses for Porsche 924S's, 944's and 968's for almost two years with modest success.

I am using Waytek 2 gauge SGX for the positive battery cable and upsizing the ground-to-engine cable to 2 gauge EPDM welding cable. The alternator cable is upsized to Waytek 6 gauge SGX and I'm using 8 gauge for the wire to the fuseblock. The alternator cable and fuseblock wire will be sheathed in Delfingen Nu-Sleeve SG-200. This will allow the use of 130 amp alternators.

I use thick adhesive heat-shrink tubing at all terminations.

I'm waiting on some 45 and 90 degree lugs I didn't already stock and hopefully those will be in next week. I've bought enough to make 20 sets to start out. My lugs won't have the orientation ears like the OEM but it's the best I can do. Trying to find the OEM lugs is near impossible. They will be listed on ebay ultimately but can be sold at a discount directly.

These will be made the same way I make the Porsche line but without the PET sheath on the battery cables (unless specified) and they will have the choice of OEM-style battery terminals or military terminals.

Also, here is the link to the folder for this on Google Drive in case anyone wants to make their own. I will be adding more photos as I go along.

 

I’d be interested in a plug and play set of cables like this sometime in the near future!

 

You will have to re-use your original starter solenoid wire and alternator exciter because of the OEM plugs, but this will work for all the rest of it. My solenoid and exciter harnesses look fine after all these years. I may take a resistance reading with (milli-ohm) meter just to know the baseline for the future.

I think I need to make 50 posts before I can actually list them for sale here on B/S/T or link to them on ebay. I guess I better get posting!

 

Do you have a price range? Also I'd be interested in a cable set with options to connect accessories. I have a bunch of stuff going to my battery and I'm looking to clean it up a little.

 

Once I finish my own set and tally up material costs, I'll have a better idea how to price them. Right now, it looks like about $120 shipped. On the Porsche cables, I provide a buss bar (see photo) with a 6 x 16 mm stainless screw and nut to attach ancillary devices. Can you attach a photo of your terminal showing everything connected? I can make custom buss bars to attach to the terminals (I have a mill).

 

I don't think your picture loaded. I have the main starter cable, winch power cables, and 5 accessory wires (small wires).

It's not terrible but I would like to make it look a little more OEM. All my wires are sleeved with braided nylon, but I know it can look better.

 

^^^ Photo in the original post... Are you using a military terminal now? That's what I'd use with so many things connected. Do all 5 accessory wires have the same size ring terminals?

 

I am using one of these on each post (another reason I want to replace the cables). Yes all 5 use the same size ring terminal. And are low draw connections.

 

So you'd just need the cables since you already have military terminals it sounds like. Military terminals use a 3/8" lug size. What size are the five ring terminals?

 

Check out this thread, a few other machinists and tradesmen.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...son-ivy-or-skeeters-pick-your-nemesis.669927/

 

Thank you. Will do.

 

Fck



In for pricing

 

Do you solder or crimp the terminals?

Can you customize colors?

 

They are small enough to slip under the bolts to be secured. I plan on going with a 130a alternator and maybe a second battery. I do alot of winching when the snow hits the ground, moving downed trees and pulling stuck jeeps.

 

Hmm… I could use these… because I’m lazy and don’t want to diy it. Lol

 

Sorry, I have about 200 ft of 2 gauge red SGX and about 70 ft of 2 gauge black EPDM welding cable. Since these feed into the plastic loom rather immediately as they come off of the battery terminals, I do not plan to sheath them, just as the original cables were.

If you don't plan to run them in the original loom and want PET on them, I've got red, black, and red/black weave PET. I also have olive drab green Nomex. I could get any color PET you want in this case.

The 2 gauge lugs are crimped with a Temco indent crimper:



6 and 8 gauge are crimped with a Thomas and Betts WT115A Sta-kon crimper:



I use a quality synthetic dielectric grease on the cable ends and then they are sealed in the adhesive heat shrink. I sell my Porsche cables with a 10 year warranty and plan to do the same with these. SGX (XLPE) insulation is much better than the PVC of the OEM. SGX is rated for max temp of 125C vs 105C max temp of PVC.

 

Well... there'd still be a little work to do anyway with taking the old one out, taking it apart and wrapping the new stuff back into it. It will save you some labor though.

 

If you end up getting a set from me, we'll have to get a measurement on those ring terminals so I am able to ship with the right buss bar and fastener to hook up without fuss.

PULLING STUCK JEEPS!!!

 

Nice stuff! I’m going to attempt to stumble through this myself soon enough. It would be nice to just buy a kit.

 

My trucks just a rolling chassis. That’s simple enough. I just don’t like working with cables that big.. because my tools for crimping and stripping the wires are lacking past 8 gauge