Battery Post Terminals?
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Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Southern Louisiana
Okay, I am going to actually pull this thing apart in the next couple days. According to the diagram, its only the small wires that go to complicated places. The actual large wires go to the starter and the frame. If thats the case I can buy a regular old cable with better clamps on it (not the ones that were on there before the thin aluminum can ones), and the little accessory wire with the crimp connection on it and just douse the little wire with dielectric grease, crimp and shrink wrap the connection. Do you guys think that would work, if indeed the large wires go to the starter and frame?
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Bolt on clamps are for temporary use only, it doesn't matter the metal. The more the wire and clamp is exposed, the more likely it is to corrode. Corrosion occurs from the gasses being emitted from around the battery post. The only way I have found to combat this is with the purchase of an Optima battery. They do not corrode.
This saves the battery box, hold down bolts, and everything around the battery. I had a Mustang that would corrode the radiator hold down clamps mounted on the header. The underhood insulation was directing the gasses straight to the clamp. I cut out the insulation to solve the problem. Damn gas goes everywhere.
Connections also form a "glaze" where the two pieces meet. The terminal can look perfectly ok, but it has developed such a high resistance from the glaze, that it becomes ineffective. jd
This saves the battery box, hold down bolts, and everything around the battery. I had a Mustang that would corrode the radiator hold down clamps mounted on the header. The underhood insulation was directing the gasses straight to the clamp. I cut out the insulation to solve the problem. Damn gas goes everywhere.
Connections also form a "glaze" where the two pieces meet. The terminal can look perfectly ok, but it has developed such a high resistance from the glaze, that it becomes ineffective. jd
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From: Virginia
Originally Posted by bigdaddyII
Okay, I am going to actually pull this thing apart in the next couple days. According to the diagram, its only the small wires that go to complicated places. The actual large wires go to the starter and the frame. If thats the case I can buy a regular old cable with better clamps on it (not the ones that were on there before the thin aluminum can ones), and the little accessory wire with the crimp connection on it and just douse the little wire with dielectric grease, crimp and shrink wrap the connection. Do you guys think that would work, if indeed the large wires go to the starter and frame?
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Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Southern Louisiana
Thanks for all the help guys. I traced everything and a regular old auto store cable wont work, it will have to be a specially made job. Between school and work and my wife and daughter I dont really have the time to really get into this. I found some OEM looking clamps at Wally World that accept the cable and than two tabs fold over the cable. I bought a cheap butane torch and some rosin core solder. I soldered the wire to the clamp, not the best job and it will probably crack but I will have to get better at this. I than put dielectric grease on it and folded the tabs over, and than finished that up with some shrink wrap. Within the next month or two I will buy the cables, or one at a time and replace them when I have the time. In any case, it has to be better than what I had. This is the finished product:
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: sunny fla sometimes windy
Dielectric grease over the whole connection and you will have no problem.
I have used brass clamp that the wire get's pinched in (the temp ones!!) IF
you tin the wire put dielectric on it, an dput dielectric on the battery post you
will not have a problem. I have used those temporary clamps for the whole time
I have owned this truck and I lived on beachside and drove the truck into brackish
water to launch my boat and i have never had an issue with corrosion on my
battery or any connection for that matter that I used dielectric grease on. I even
make my own terminal ends out of copper tubing and crimp them on for the
connections to the solenoid and starter. Use dielectric properly and you won't have
corrosion on any connector!! regadless of type.
I have used brass clamp that the wire get's pinched in (the temp ones!!) IF
you tin the wire put dielectric on it, an dput dielectric on the battery post you
will not have a problem. I have used those temporary clamps for the whole time
I have owned this truck and I lived on beachside and drove the truck into brackish
water to launch my boat and i have never had an issue with corrosion on my
battery or any connection for that matter that I used dielectric grease on. I even
make my own terminal ends out of copper tubing and crimp them on for the
connections to the solenoid and starter. Use dielectric properly and you won't have
corrosion on any connector!! regadless of type.
