After 340k miles about it is time for some new battery cables the old one are cracked, yellowing and corroded.  After hunting around I found the best bang for the buck was buying parts and pieces from multiple suppliers and create my own cables.

Now I'm waiting for the last of the one ought cable to get here to get two feet in but as it sits I have just under 160 dollars spent and this is what I got.

A cable repair kit with crimping tool http://www.fostertruck.com/larryb-s-battery-cable-repair-kit-for-dodge-cummins-1994-2009.html

10' of 2 ought red motor lead cable with SAE stamped

25' of 1 ought motor lead cable black SAE stamped

25' of 1 ought motor lead cable red SAE stamped

I got the 1 ought in a 50' bundle pack from Amazon same as the 2 ought.  You will need a foot or two of four gauge which I had laying around.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZBF0R0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_3FOqAbF9A9P1F

I think that should get you to where I got my stuff I used prime only to get it in a timely manner but you may find it cheaper elsewhere yet but for flexibility cost and so on I could not be happier.

Made one crimp with the new tool an like how well it is designed it has a scale to prevent over crimping.   

Here are some pictures of what I got so far more to come once the rest of the cable arrives.  

The wire is very flexible can wrap a spray paint can with it and the ends are nice heavy weight pieces 

 

Edited December 27, 20177 yr by Mopar1973Man
Author requested a link to be removed.

I soldered mine. Soldered a couple of the oe cables a while back and never noticed any wicking up the cable. I heated the lugs and melted the solder into them. Then heated the wire and put the heat back to the lug and assembled them, took away the heat and let them cool. 

 I did the same with the new welding cable and experienced wicking. Y'all correct me if I am wrong here, but the solder should not wick unless the wire is hot enough to allow it to flow. Just wondering if the finer wire is transmitting the heat better up the wire?

Typically I would dip the copper ends in flux and heat them a little bit to get the flux to flow into the strains of copper. The brush some flux into the copper lug and heat. Then start adding the solder to the lug and dip the cable into the lug and heat for a few seconds longer on the lug this should get the solder to start wicking up the cable.

Yes it was expensive but considering the transmission hunting is fixed I'd say the alternator actually was bad even though it didn't show on meter, now I have an extra deep cycle battery going back into the camper since I stole it when one of two batteries went bad awhile back.   Before this repair I new the remaining old battery was questionable and I was advised to match batteries so I did.

The battery cables well there could have been a cheeper repair but I would have only considered that a band aid as I did have pretty bad voltage drop through the starter cable and terminal ends.

So about 200 dollar upgrade the rest was needed unfortunately... 

But in the long run totally worth it no questions asked.  

9 minutes ago, dripley said:

I soldered mine. Soldered a couple of the oe cables a while back and never noticed any wicking up the cable. I heated the lugs and melted the solder into them. Then heated the wire and put the heat back to the lug and assembled them, took away the heat and let them cool. 

 I did the same with the new welding cable and experienced wicking. Y'all correct me if I am wrong here, but the solder should not wick unless the wire is hot enough to allow it to flow. Just wondering if the finer wire is transmitting the heat better up the wire?

That's almost exactly what I noticed the fine wire was absorbing the heat far better than the terminal end

I know what you mean being the amount of money I dropped in lighting for the front of the Cummins. I've got a total of $1,000 dollar in lighting sounds expensive but well worth as well. So I really do understand what you are saying in money well spent. 

 

 

12 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Typically I would dip the copper ends in flux and heat them a little bit to get the flux to flow into the strains of copper. The brush some flux into the copper lug and heat. Then start adding the solder to the lug and dip the cable into the lug and heat for a few seconds longer on the lug this should get the solder to start wicking up the cable.

That is pretty much what I did and I used flux also. Never had a problem with melting the insulation. Probably did a little on the inside but was un noticeable on the outside.

Edited January 15, 20187 yr by dripley

A little over 200 bucks is what I had invested in building my own cables, I sourced all my parts from the local Napa and didn’t cheap out on quality parts.

 

As far as the mating the cable to the lugs, soldering is my only method, I use pure lead solder and brush on flux. On larger lugs I normally stick them in a vise and flux and fill them about 3/4 full of solder then stick the already tinned  cable end into the soldered terminal  and push the cable all the way in until the insulation butts right up to the lug. When cooled I like to dab a little liquid tape on the end before I heat shrink, 

 

@WiscoRedkneck make sure you keep those new terminals and post lightly coated with oil, that will keep them corrosion free and looking new.  

@01cummins4ever I've recently started using a product called fluid film it's a lanolin based lubricant/ corrosion protection since it's good enough for the Navy and the first item on recommend uses is battery connections I figured it must be be perfect..

15 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Nice. The only thing I would do is find a high amp fuse holder and install a 180 Amp fuse or whatever the Alternator is rated for. This way the alternator is protected if a diode happens to short out then the fuse will blow and not start an engine fire. 

 

Are the stock alts and wiring like that?

4 hours ago, notlimah said:

 

Are the stock alts and wiring like that?

 

Yes, there is a 120 amp fuse in the PDC for the alternator.

I would suggest soldering your cables and not crimping them.