you folks that roll your own, where do you get the cable from? I think I'll be going that route for my 6.2l...30 y.o. cables have had it.
CK5
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Making battery cables
- Thread starter Big Ray
- Start date
I got mine from these guys:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/temco_industrial/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
https://www.ebay.com/sch/temco_industrial/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
rampage
3/4 ton status
I haven’t made my own but if I did I’d look at welding cable. The finer the strands the better.
local napa / car quest has bulk cable and ends .
they might even have crimpers . my local store does . but i dont need them to do it as i have a HUGE set of T&B crimpers for up to 4/0 cable size to do them my self .
they might even have crimpers . my local store does . but i dont need them to do it as i have a HUGE set of T&B crimpers for up to 4/0 cable size to do them my self .
I made my own for both my Suburban (6.5l) and my '83 pickup (6.2l).
I got the cable, terminals, and HD shrinkwrap with the glue inner coat from a local industrial supply company. I went size "0" - wasn't cheap at all but I'm happy with them (going on several years). I did solder the ends on.
I got the cable, terminals, and HD shrinkwrap with the glue inner coat from a local industrial supply company. I went size "0" - wasn't cheap at all but I'm happy with them (going on several years). I did solder the ends on.
thats how they did it back in the day on fire trucks when my dad was building them . crimps and solder then 3M tape and good to go . thats were my crimper tool come from . and i have a few solder bars left un-melted . they say rochester n.y. lead works . they had a small pot with molten solder going all day and dunked them as needed and good to go . before crimp tho they fluxed the cable and end .
thanks ya'll!
I make them from 1/0 welding cable. Dont know if they still have it but I bought a crimping tool and the cable ends from my local NAPA maybe 15-20 years ago.
I used welding cable I had lying around and for lugs I just used 3/8" copper tubing,I put the cable in it and crimped it in a vise,then soldered it with a propane torch--them mashed it flat with a hammer and drilled a hole in it to attach it to the battery terminals (I had side post batteries)..
as with everything, it's what you are willing to spend... 
i run killer crimps, mainly cuz i have to in the boats... the CG wants mechanical connections... if you aren't sucking a ton of amps, you could solder, i have done it on my rigs in the past, but i still prefer a good mechanical crimp...... this is the crimper i run, but there are cheaper options, hammer-smashes work ok...
https://www.anythingtruck.com/product/810-058171.html
for wire, while welding cable is definitely a step above standard low strand cr@p the parts store is gonna sell you, it's not the best choice and does have its pitfalls... while VERY flexible, which i love, it is HORRIBLE when it comes to oil... it'll swell that sh*t real quick if it gets gooey..
tinned marine is the best you can run, it dogs welding cable.. same high strand counts, but it's tinned to help with corrosion tremendously and has a killer jacket.. only thing welding has over it is, it's a bit more flexible.. but marine cable ain't cheap.. dhcomp will testify to that..
i run killer crimps, mainly cuz i have to in the boats... the CG wants mechanical connections... if you aren't sucking a ton of amps, you could solder, i have done it on my rigs in the past, but i still prefer a good mechanical crimp...... this is the crimper i run, but there are cheaper options, hammer-smashes work ok...
https://www.anythingtruck.com/product/810-058171.html
for wire, while welding cable is definitely a step above standard low strand cr@p the parts store is gonna sell you, it's not the best choice and does have its pitfalls... while VERY flexible, which i love, it is HORRIBLE when it comes to oil... it'll swell that sh*t real quick if it gets gooey..
tinned marine is the best you can run, it dogs welding cable.. same high strand counts, but it's tinned to help with corrosion tremendously and has a killer jacket.. only thing welding has over it is, it's a bit more flexible.. but marine cable ain't cheap.. dhcomp will testify to that..
I've butchered many jumper cables to make battery cables. I'd don't know if it's technically correct, but it's a cheap way of going for long battery cables.
I saw this and was thinking about getting it.
How do you like it?
^ Thisas with everything, it's what you are willing to spend...
i run killer crimps, mainly cuz i have to in the boats... the CG wants mechanical connections... if you aren't sucking a ton of amps, you could solder, i have done it on my rigs in the past, but i still prefer a good mechanical crimp...... this is the crimper i run, but there are cheaper options, hammer-smashes work ok...
https://www.anythingtruck.com/product/810-058171.html
for wire, while welding cable is definitely a step above standard low strand cr@p the parts store is gonna sell you, it's not the best choice and does have its pitfalls... while VERY flexible, which i love, it is HORRIBLE when it comes to oil... it'll swell that sh*t real quick if it gets gooey..
tinned marine is the best you can run, it dogs welding cable.. same high strand counts, but it's tinned to help with corrosion tremendously and has a killer jacket.. only thing welding has over it is, it's a bit more flexible.. but marine cable ain't cheap.. dhcomp will testify to that..
Its great and price is hard to beat plus you can use a 20-25% off coupon. I made slightly larger die using the smallest gauge and drilling a larger hole with the 2 pieces in the vice.
I try to get wire and sometimes terminals from these folks.
https://www.hi-line.com
https://www.hi-line.com
Billyworld
I now know that i will never finish this truck.
Don't flame me. Jumper cables
Cool, I'm not alone!
meh, that range is HUGE.. we get TONS of jumpers out of repo boats, some have decent cable, some are complete junk... the thickness of the jacket isn't always an accurate indicator...
