I'm trying to replace my negative battery cable on 1986 Bronco II.

I've got the old cable off, my question is there is a small wire about half way down the cable that hooks up to a wiring harness. It's not the wire that is grounded to the chasis. The replacment cable i bought does not have this wire.

Any idea what it does?
Will the car run without it?
If not should I just take the old wire and splice it on to my new cable?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

 

And if you like, add a body ground from the - at the battery. You might want to freshen up the other ground strap from the engine to the body while you're at it.
AL.
P.S. ... Welcome to FTE !!!!!!

 

i would deferently reconnect that wire to your battery. it is a ground for your wireing harness. i have a 86 f250 and i put an engine and traanny in it. to make a long story short. i only ran the neg to the block and pos to the relay and from the relay to the starter. it ran but i also fried a few batteries and voltage regerlators, because i never grounded my engine to the chase and the chasy to the battery. so yes that wire is inportane.

 

i think it's time to replace mine as well. quick questions. how/where did you get to the actual bolt on the block... i can't see where the ground attaches. do you need to jack it up, or can you get to it from the top? second... what is the wire that comes directly off the terminal that looks like it has an inline fuseholder on it? whatever mine is, it doesn't look like it works anymore

thanks,

Jeff

 

I got to the bolt on the block with and extender thru the wheel well. Looks like it would be easier if you jacked the truck up though.

I had two wires coming off my negative cable. One came of the terminal and was grounded to the frame, another came of the middle of the cable and went to a fuseable link. I spliced wires to replicate both of these just in case they did anything.