1999 F250 LD, 5.4 automatic.

Truck wouldn't start the other night.
Got under it, while my wife turned the key, heard a noise from the starter. Figured the new starter I put in had gone bad.
Got under to where I could see better, and saw a big spark when she turned the key.
Reached up and found that socket and swivel I had been looking for for a few weeks. Apparently it lodged between the power feed and a ground, and this caused the thin metal flange on the eyelet to break. I managed to jam it up against the stud with enough contact to start the engine and get it home.

So- that wire is pretty crappy looking, and the chance of me stripping the wire and doing a good job crimping a new eyelet on is slim.
I haven't followed the wire yet, but it appears to go through some conduit with other wires.

A few questions about replacing it:

Is there anything that branches off that wire, or is it dedicated to the starter?

Is it a pain in the *** to free up? Can I just disconnect it from both ends, and route a new wire directly?

Anybody know the gauge wire, and the fittings for either end?

Any help on this is appreciated. On the one hand, I would like to do this job right, and replace it back to stock. On the other hand, I would let the truck running for now, till I have some time to do it right.

 

Disregard.
$25 part from NAPA.
Up and running.

 

Thanks for the story! Sometimes tools don't want to be lost!

One cold dark dreary snowy night back in the early 80s, I changed license plates on a 1980 car one evening. Next day I drove that car to work and back. And the day after that was a Saturday, and I was looking for the screwdriver I used to swap the plates with.

Oh No! I remember now! I left it on top of the front bumper after I put the new front plate on! @*#$#* that screwdriver is long gone!

Just for the heck of it, I went out and looked at the car's front bumper... and there was the screwdriver! I guess it slid around between the top edge of the plate sticking up a bit over the top of the bumper, and the grill behind! Miracle it didn't just slide sideways on a turn and just fall off of the top of the bumper!
Maybe because it was so slick out that day that I had to take it real easy, and never generated much side force.

 

I am always amazed at the things that DON'T fall off cars.