The negative battery cable on my 80 Bronco looks to be bolted to the chassis and then continues over and is bolted to a bracket on the engine block. all this is under the engine and is difficult to see; I had to check it by feel only.

Due to a starting problem--as yet unresolved; see my post "Starting Problem--relay switch or what?"--I am going to replace the negative battery cable.

My question is does the cable have to be grounded at these specific, difficult-to-reach locations? Can it be located just on the engine block?

 

these points are probably the easiest places. i think mine goes from the battery to the bellhousing and then another cable comes off the block to the fire wall. as long as you ground your chassis and your engine it should be fine.

 

Like Shift1313 said as long as you have a good connection to you engine and you frame you will be ok. I have a battery with a top and front post so I ran one cable to the alt. bracket and one to the frame. This made a huge difference in all my systems. But you don’t have to do it that way piggybacking works just fine