The cables I bought a year or so ago from the big box parts store are already falling apart. It's been cleaned several times for rust/corrosion. Today the truck wouldn't start and I thought I had a dead battery and it turned out to just be a poor connection to the terminals.

Anyone have a brand of cable they like?

 

All brands are probably made at the same Chinese factory nowadays. Branding is just for marketing - it doesn't indicate WHO makes anything, or where it's made, or how well it's made, or...

The easiest way to know that they're good is to just fix them yourself. If you want to buy new cable, that's relatively cheap on Amazon & eBay, but probably not necessary. Just buy some good TERMINALS, as described in this photo album, and solder them on yourself:


(phone app link)

Everything is explained in them, so read through the whole thing a few times.

 

I have a truck parts supply near me that will make anything you want while you wait. they have a big hydraulic press that crimps them properly and they use good wire and ends. I'd imagine most metro areas have someone doing this, it isn't rocket science, just requires the tools and supplies. I usually get oversized ones (diameter and load carrying ability), it won't hurt, and it will likely help. 4-aught is about as big as you ever need to go for automotive, and they don't cost that much more.

 

I have been conversing with this guy over facebook - the price is a little high but the quality looks great. He is going to also build me a custom charging cable for the alternator to relay connection with a built-in megafuse. In the end it will probably end up costing me about $175 for everything. Worth it to me, but might be a little too steep for some.

http://custombatterycables.com/appli...150_bronco.htm

 

4-0 (0000) gauge is GARGANTUAN for a light-truck starter. Even for a big diesel starter, that would be significantly oversized. The original cables on these trucks (which are big enough) are 4ga. 4-0ga is more than 2x the diameter & 5x the cross-sectional area. It can carry nearly 3x the current.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge

Crimping isn't as secure as solder, or as durable, or as serviceable, or as chemically-sealed. And it's more time-consuming to go track someone down to do it than to simply buy a torch & some solder; which would allow you to build as many cables as you like, or modify/repair them, or do other soldering work.

 

I don't trust solder where that much average is involved, how do you melt solder? oh yeah heat, I've seen connections on vehicles hot enough to melt battery posts let alone solder. 4/0 is way overkill, just like I like it. Never ever had one fail, ever. 1/0 is enough for most stuff, but big wires really helped with my high compression 429 especially in the winter, but for the 4.9 1/0, 2/0 would be more than enough. plus it does get to the point where bending it to install it becomes a concern with the heavier stuff.

 

Heat is how you melt EVERYTHING - not just solder. And if my battery terminals ever get hot enough to melt solder, I want the cable to fall out BEFORE it gets hot enough to melt the Lead.

 

These are not a bad option if you don't want to solder. Jim
http://www.jegs.com/i/Moroso/710/741...yABEgKvmvD_BwE

 

You're correct, I wasn't looking to solder or get anything custom made Thanks for the recommendation.

 

Those are just as bad as the cheaper clamp-down terminals. They'll corrode & lose contact between the terminal & wire strands just as soon. But it's your dime.