I know from previous experience that a corroded battery cable can effect transmission shifting. But why? Does the bad connection create AC noise or totally different issue?

Bad reference to ground can create all kinds of weird issues.

Yea loose connections in regards to batteries can cause all sorts of weird things.

 

Just last week a guy I work with has an old ford gasser and he said it was driving and shifting really weird on the way into work and the radio would randomly come on, all sorts of things! Well come to find out it was just a really loose battery terminal. Once he tightened it down it ran like a top!

 

That's another reason I upgraded all of my battery cables and connectors to the military style so I knew the cables were in good condition and the connectors would stay super tight.

Edited July 8, 20168 yr by notlimah

Are the battery cables themselves pretty resilient? Can a guy get by with replacing clamps? Mine are bottomed out from cycles of tightening. I suppose I could spread and file down the flats that are touching. Also a quick cleaning seems inadequate. One really needs to take the time to clean the entire lead surface. I gotta believe that having even a small area of corrosion can speed up the re-corrosion process. I spent 10 mins this morning just cleaning the terminal/battery mating surfaces. 

The battery cables themselves should be pretty stout. The bigger issue to deal with when replacing connector ends is getting them attached to the cable. From what I've read with wire around the 2/0 size, at least a 12 ton hydraulic press is what you'd need to get good connection on those wires. 

 

Now thats not to say soldering or crimping and soldering wouldn't work, but it's up to the individual at that point as to what they're comfortable with. 

 

Also, if you plan to cut and add a new connector be mindful of the length/slack of whatever wire you're doing as some have a lot of extra room and others don't.

I had a local shop put new ends on my cables so I could switch to the ordnance style terminals when one of mine cracked.   They told me they crimped and soldered the ends, and they also used adhesive lined heat shrink over them. I'm not sure what they used to crimp the ends, but I've seen a large crimping tool online that is made for at least up to 2/0. I debated about getting one but they are around $100. That one is a long handled one made by greenlee I believe. Then there are also the smaller hydraulic ones that come with different size dies. I got one from harbor freight and tried it but wasn't impressed. The dies were labeled for metric wire sizes and didn't go big enough for 2/0. It did make a good crimp on smaller stuff though. I assume if you got a better one you could get one with awg wire size dies. My cables had plenty of slack to cut the ends off, but I have been told you can melt the factory ends off to save length. 

Is it possible to buy the dies and do the crimping in a bench vise instead of buying the tool?

 

I've often thought about getting a casting  for the battery clamps and just melt the lead and cast them yourself with the cable in the hot lead.

 

One item I have done in the past is getting copper tubing the correct size, crimping that on the cable. Then flatten out the end in the vise and drill a hole for the stud thru the flat portion. I think high quality copper used to make your own large wire lugs is good but larger battery cables in 2/0 is  different.

Edited July 20, 20168 yr by JAG1

Personally, I like soldering on the terminals being the solder will creep inside the vinyl jacket and also seal the copper from future corrosion issues. The soldering has welded the copper to the terminal together and contact is solid. Crimping is good to only if you can get the crimping tool.

I  have crimped to some degree after being soldered . Also using shrink tube with adhesive. But shrink tube with the adhesive is hard to find for some reason.

Edited July 20, 20168 yr by JAG1

I soldered my ends on. At least the ones that went bad. Just kind of doing them as they wear. 

 

Harbor Freight has the shrink wrap with the adhesive.