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Does anybody here have an original positive battery cable on their truck? I'm talking about the short cable from the battery's (+) post to the adjacent starter relay on the inner fender. I replaced mine years ago due to some corrosion. The replacement is a generic cable that is too long and I had to loop it around to make it work:
I'd like to clean up the appearance, but it's been so long I don't remember what the original looked like and how it was routed.
I'm pretty sure the battery is correct and installed properly. The posts are on the aft side, and the positive post is outboard, closest to the fender.
How long is your current cable? I'll dig my harness back out and see what I've got. Where'd you steal that battery hold-down? I've been eyeing one on ebay but I need more important parts for now. You think you could snap me a picture of the hold down bolt on the backside of the battery? Between two trucks, I think I have one slotted strap on the fender. Haven't found pictures of a stock setup yet.
Alright, my cable looks exactly like yours, measures 13.5" from end to end on the connectors. Mine has memorized this shape.
But I may be in the same boat you're in. Your battery is oriented the same as mine is in what photos I have, sadly I don't have any showing the positive cable. My cable looks like it has been hammered on for 38 years, but I don't guess that makes it stock. I can go dig out my fenders and mock up an intervention.
How long is your current cable? I'll dig my harness back out and see what I've got. Where'd you steal that battery hold-down? I've been eyeing one on ebay but I need more important parts for now. You think you could snap me a picture of the hold down bolt on the backside of the battery? Between two trucks, I think I have one slotted strap on the fender. Haven't found pictures of a stock setup yet.
I think that particular cable is 12", but am not positive.
Get it? Not positive about the positive cable. Yeah, I know, keep my day job. I don't get no respect...
The battery hold-down in the picture is the factory original. I replaced the battery last week and the new one is about 1/4" wider. Seemed like the original bracket had just enough slack to fit, if I just pushed a little harder. Doh, too much. It's now a 2-piece bracket and not doing much good like that. I've got something hokey rigged up until I can fabricate something better. But while I'm at it, I want to clean up that positive cable.
If you want an original bracket, Dennis Carpenter makes nice reproductions. $15 direct, but with $10 shipping. Amazon and eBay have them cheaper, same source, $20 total with free shipping:
The tie-down bolts I have are not original. They are just ordinary replacement J-bolts from my local parts store. Not sure a picture would be of much use to you. I can still take one, but you'll have to wait for this Oregon monsoon to pass. April work for ya?
Get it? Not positive about the positive cable. Yeah, I know, keep my day job. I don't get no respect...
The battery hold-down in the picture is the factory original. I replaced the battery last week and the new one is about 1/4" wider. Seemed like the original bracket had just enough slack to fit, if I just pushed a little harder. Doh, too much. It's now a 2-piece bracket and not doing much good like that. I've got something hokey rigged up until I can fabricate something better. But while I'm at it, I want to clean up that positive cable.
If you want an original bracket, Dennis Carpenter makes nice reproductions. $15 direct, but with $10 shipping. Amazon and eBay have them cheaper, same source, $20 total with free shipping:
The tie-down bolts I have are not original. They are just ordinary replacement J-bolts from my local parts store. Not sure a picture would be of much use to you. I can still take one, but you'll have to wait for this Oregon monsoon to pass. April work for ya?
I hope I'm not still waiting to hook up the battery in April. About to put the cab back on now. If I can find my new prothane body mounts, with any luck they are still on the corner of the table where I set them a year ago. I saw some parts and pieces of different batter hold down bolts, saw one, not sure what it was for, had a j bolt, looked like it hooked a vertical slot on a trapezoidal plate that looked like the bottom skinny side had a hook to fit the vertical slot on the fender. Seems like a lot of parts to use on something like that.
I would think a longer cable would last longer with less strain on the ends from vibration.
Makes sense, but if too long you end up with extra slack and the cable can bounce around.
I do plan to go shorter than what I have in the first picture. I'm making a new hold-down bracket but it will be metal, not plastic. I don't want the positive cable rubbing against this new metal bracket.
Seems like it'll see more strain as stiff as those cable are and being forced over. Didn't Gary Lewis pick up a very low mileage Bronco? Wonder if he got pictures of the cable.
*edit*
Looks like he documented one, gorgeous truck. http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/1983...-survivor.html The cable has 1 90* "bend" the cable comes out perpendicular to the lug like your negative does. Could go the same thing with a shorter cable that comes out straight.
Looks like he documented one, gorgeous truck. 1983 Bronco Survivor - Gary's Garagemahal (the Bullnose bible) The cable has 1 90* "bend" the cable comes out perpendicular to the lug like your negative does. Could go the same thing with a shorter cable that comes out straight.
Ah, very helpful. In those pics, I noticed the starter relay looks to be located several inches aft of where mine sits. Also, mine is angled forward slightly, where that one is straight.
Here's another view of mine:
I wonder if I should relocate my starter relay to match Gary's example. That would help reduce the bend required on the cable.
Be advised the PN PREFIX DIPZ an AUTOLITE/MOTORCRAFT dedicated PN and not the original P&A SERVICE PN. The AUTOLITE cables came through with BLUE SHEATHING (a few fit all).
The STAR indicates the part was deleted (both P&A and AUTOLITE) and not replaced. It has to be bought aftermarket or fabbed.
This is what my 86 looks like. I’ve owned it since the late 90’s and haven’t changed nothing but the battery and the j-hooks. The original j-hooks almost rusted into. The cable is 10”.
This is what the original nut looked like
10” cable Original nut for j-hooks
Last edited by Lariat 86; Jan 28, 2020 at 07:30 PM.
Reason: Missing pics
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