Battery cable conundrum

RedMF40 · Jul 5, 2020

More like the battery cable end, but I wanted to work in the word conundrum since it applies.

Cable end is very loose on my E350 work truck. Tightened all the way down, still loose. Go to start the truck--click. Get out, jiggle the cable end and go. I call it the jiggle n go starting procedure.

It is the kind of cheap cable end pictured, but that one's on my other truck and it's ok.

Just replace cable end? I'm open to suggestions. Here's my crazy idea: make a copper sleeve or shim out of a piece of tubing. Fit that over the post then clamp the cable end onto that. Feel free to
Shoot down this idea, I'm just shooting
Spitballs here.

New cable end? Thanks for any ideas,

Gerrit

Steve@Advance · Jul 5, 2020

How hard are the cables to get off?

Take them to a truck supply, have them put some real ends on.

Janicholson · Jul 5, 2020

No issue with the shim idea, except it will be too thick. don't use aluminum, it will corrode in 5 days. copper flashing is good, but would
cost more than a new cable. Soft copper tube cut then opened might be perfect. Jim

DoubleO7 · Jul 5, 2020

They do make battery post sleeves made with lead.
$4.80 for a pair @ Amazon

Raptor44 · Jul 5, 2020

I used a penny on my ford 2120.

504 · Jul 5, 2020

I have found two things that cause your trouble,the bolt has stripped,or the clamp is cracked and is
stretching. In the picture the clamp is not bottomed out. One down and dirty fix is get a
replacement cable end, and cut your end, and bolt it on to the new one.

flying belgian · Jul 5, 2020

How bout put a flat washer under bolt head and under nut.

rustred · Jul 5, 2020

those cable ends come out of a crackerjack box. replacing the whole cable with even a thicker one is the answer. those might be ok on a lawn
mower.

Russ from MN · Jul 5, 2020

Is the bolt stripped? It looks to me like it could be tightened a lot more! Either that or take it off and wrap some sheet metal around the post,or, the copper tubing idea would be the best.

3000OH · Jul 5, 2020

Our Ford 3000 wears one of these lead post expanders on
one terminal, has worked great for several years. Got ours at
AutoZone, on a blister card on same rack as the battery
cables.

Side note: I’ve been using metal-based Never-Seize on &
under terminals for a couple years. Works great, much better
conductivity than dielectric grease, and corrosion has gone
way way down. Yes, Never-Seize is messy and gets on
anything that touches it.

wore out · Jul 5, 2020

(quoted from post at 18:23:54 07/05/20) They do make battery post sleeves made with lead.
$4.80 for a pair @ Amazon

As of a couple of years ago Wallaby World had 'em (in the battery dept.).

NOT sure if they still do.

They work, sort of.

SVcummins · Jul 6, 2020

End may be cracked that’s why it won’t tighten . Cut it off and
solder a new one on or you could get the bolt on type but they
give even more places for poor connections I use them all the
time but I beef them up before I use them

Olliejunkie · Jul 6, 2020

One on my car was bad. I cut the clamp off but left the one bolt hole. Bought a new clamp and bolted it together using the old eye. Been on there a few years with no problem.

M-MAN · Jul 6, 2020

Looks to me like there is corrosion at
the wire end anyway. I would replace the
cable.

Crazy Horse · Jul 6, 2020

I suspect the other end is in a difficult spot to get at, otherwise why would you not just replace the cable with a new one, and perhaps one with a more substantial battery terminal end?

RedMF40 · Jul 6, 2020

Thanks for the suggestions, gives me a good place to start. I like the idea of replacing whole cable with a real battery connector as well but will likely go with a quick fix for now.

BTW the photo is of the cable end in my other truck and it actually works ok. Just needed something to show what i'm talking about, didnt have the work truck here.

Thanks again,

gerrit

oldproudvet · Jul 6, 2020

As mentioned below, lead shim. Very common and any auto electrical shop will carry them. I bought a box of 50 years ago and still use one once in a while. Work great.
Larry

dzc3 · Jul 6, 2020

I had a similar problem, middle of nowhere, took a piece of copper wire and used it as a shim, worked well then and still working.

Mike(NEOhio) · Jul 6, 2020

I had my + go bad on my old '99 F-250. I put one of the lead replacement ends, the kind with two bolts and plate to hold the cable. Put a bolt through the original
cable lug and into one of the holes on the lead replacement. Lasted for years and you have an extra hole if one strips out.

Fordy20 · Jul 6, 2020

Best replacement cable is welding cable - large, flexible easy to use. Any auto electric shop should have ends that you can either solder or crimp and shrink tube for the cable to ends - red positive
and black for negitive.

buickanddeere · Jul 6, 2020

Repair before it burns the post off the battery .

DoubleO7 · Jul 6, 2020

(quoted from post at 22:14:57 07/05/20) How hard are the cables to get off?

Take them to a truck supply, have them put some real ends on.

So your saying that type of cable end is inferior to what?

Keep in mind that the cable end type shown has been o.e.m. used on millions of vehicles.

caterpillar guy · Jul 6, 2020

I'm with Steve. Or else just cobble with a piece of copper wire in there to take up the space.

MARK ROBKE · Jul 6, 2020

From what you are saying-just replace the bolt with a good, non stripped threads bolt
that threads all the way the head. But you can buy a new end and solder it onto the
cable. Cut the old end off with side cuts and strip back the insulation 1/2". NAPA
has them prefilled with solder-just heat with propane torch while holding with vise
grips-as soon as solder is melted, jab the cable on and hold very still while the
solder cools-about 30 seconds or so. The only good repair. Mark.

Battery cable conundrum

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