Batt+ Cable Gauge/Lug size?

First post. New to TW and new to Tacomas.



I just picked up a 2018 SR5 DCSB and the battery died, literally, the very next day. I got the dreaded solenoid click and had to jump it every time I started it. I did a full charge with a Victron charger to 13.1V and the next morning it was at 10V. I couldn't detect any kind of parasitic drain so the battery was the culprit. Turns out it seems to be fairly common for the OEM batteries to die right around 3 years.

Having had great experiences with the Northstar/X2 Power brand in the past, I headed out to Batteries + Bulbs and picked up a 24F, tweaked the factory hold down and got it installed.



I noticed the OEM terminals are in crappy condition and want to swap them out with some military terminals I already own. I have a set of the SDHQ terminals in my other vehicle but I don't love how tall they are and don't want to spend the money on a second set.



Just curious if anyone has installed a set before and knows what size lug fits the factory positive cable with the 90* lug? My experience with Toyota/Lexus battery cables is that they don't use AWG sizes and it's tough to find a matching lug size.

Also, since everyone likes pics and nobody likes to give advice to newbies for free, here's a couple of shots of my other rig, a 2000 LX470 with all the fixins.

 

Congrats on the new Taco - sucks about the battery.

 

Thanks!

 

Are you cutting off the OEM lugs and crimping your own on? Or are you trying to use what's there?

 

I'll be cutting and crimping, or using a compression lug, if I have to. The 100 series has a similar setup but the positive cable isn't just a 90 degree lug, it's a sheet metal bus and not so easy to replace. That's why I like the SDHQ terminals for it. My experience with the negative cable on the 100 (same lug config as the Taco) is that it's not a standard size (probably metric) and I had a lot trouble getting a lug to crimp to it. I'm trying to avoid the same experience with the Taco.

 

Okay. I cut mine off and got compression lugs. Four gauge was the closest. I believe the bolt on the military terminals is 3/8.

You could also use the style of lug that SDHQ supplies in their kit. That's what I ended up doing because the four gauge lugs were still a little big.

 

I think this is the info I needed. I still have the spare compression lug from the SDHQ kit. You used the same size for the positive?

 

From what I can remember I did. It was kind of a pain to get onto the cable, but mine have been like this for a while with zero issues.

 

$20 Fastronix Eyelet Style Battery Compression Terminal for 3/8" Stud, 1 and 2 Gauge Cable (2pk)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X33OMCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_WE3EVKVAA5TYV11RF8QN?_encoding=UTF8

That's what I bought. Had to dig them out of the purchase history.

 

Thanks for that. Was it the 2 gauge or the 4 gauge? Pretty sure it's gonna be the 4 but just making sure.

 

Well...... I got all of this from my Amazon purchase history. I would go with the Fastronix 2 gauge versions I posted. Why? I'm positive that's what I purchased them for and I know I'm still using them. I had also purchased a bunch of copper lugs over the course of this project. The first two I purchased were 2/0 gauge and they were definitely wrong. The rest of the ones I purchased were 4 gauge. So I went with that, but they may have been for the billion other wires I have running to the battery terminals. My memory is pretty garbage and I have been remembering things as I go along.

If the 2 gauge don't work, you let me know and I'll make up for my shitty memory!

 

And just to bolster my memory: I looked on SDHQ's website and they do provide a 1/2 gauge compression lug. So good thing you didn't listen to me the first time around.

 

No worries, I know I've got a couple of different sizes of those compression style lugs that I can experiment with in my box of random 12V junk. Worse case scenario, I end up crimping the next size up lug and have to stuff an extra wire in there to take up some space! Thanks again for the help.

 

No problem! Good luck! And I'm very jealous of your LX. I've been looking....

 

Glad you like it. She's been the family adventure vehicle and daily driver for about 5 years. I got the Taco so I can pull the LX off the road for a bit and catch up on maintenance. She'll stay as the dedicated off-road/camping rig for now. Good luck on the search. The market for 100s is just as crazy as it is for Tacomas right now!

 

Thanks! I've noticed. I may wait until the bubble bursts. Or just get an older JDM diesel. They're still reasonably priced. And less miles.