89' EB - 351W
when installing new battery cables earlier today I notice that the replacement negative cable has a red and black lead. But the current cable has two black leads, so which wire splices to which color? and why? I can get the factor replacement with the factor connection so there is no splicing but it is a lower quality cable that costs 27.99 compared to the 6.99 for the one I am tring to install.
Please help, I really suck at wiring things!

 

Kings,

Are you refering to the additional two smaller wires attached to the terminal itself? Why the one lead is red - maybe because its a $6.99 battery cable. I would just put the wires on the new one like they were on the old one and make the red lead on it black as well with electrical tape or heat shrink tubing. It is a neg cable after all.

 

Ditto to dwoodler's post. Don't CHANGE the wiring at all but DO change the color to be correct. Having a ground marked in red is like having a blue firetruck! Its confusing and, in the end, just wrong!

 

GreyStreak is completly correct, but for the "why", just remember the wire doesn't know the difference if it's hooked to ground or positive. As long as your using the appropiate gauge wiring, and your not putting positive to ground, it don't really matter what color the wires are. It's a good idea to make red positive and black negative, but NEVER NEVER assume that someone else before you though about that. GOOD LUCK!

 

I replaced my battery cables, positive and negative awhile back with genuine Ford cables, a bit of money but money well spent as they are absolutely correct. There was a guy on eBay selling OEM Ford HD Border Patrol/CHP kits that contained positive, negative and starter motor cables that were a heavier guage, I saw it after I replaced all of mine or would've bought the kit (probably should've anyway) think they were a buy it now item for $89.00 or so a really good deal, if I find them I'll post eBay's item number.
Replacing the cables if you do it with Genuine Ford Parts is tough, the positive cable is simple, it's the negative cable that's a bear as it's long, has lots of connections, 2 of which go way up and under the vehicle between the frame and engine, one bolts to the frame back past the motor mount and one bolts to the motor near or on the head, these are both on the main cable, there are mounting lugs that bolt through to these 2 places, there is a wire that comes out of the battery terminal clamp and bolts or plugs to the front shroud, (I think, I'm recounting out of memory from about a year ago) leave the old cable in place as you do the job and route and connect as you take it off and install the new one. It's not so hard just knuckle busting contorting work. Good luck, Fleet