jacksonpt

My yellow top arrived yesterday... I'm just wondering what the best way is to extend the battery cables. I'd like to cut the end off the old one, and solder the old end to the new extension cable, then tape it up. Would that work, or is there a better way.

It's probably a stupid question, but I want to make sure I do it right so I don't end up with electrical problems later.

Arnold

Just buy new longer cables.

its2slo

thats what i did, i had some high quality wire, ring terminals, and used shrink tape. im happy with it but need to do k-tons "strap mod" because that battery flies around in there with the plastic extension and 1/4" homeade spacer, getting groceries. its really bad. ive also seen a new tig welded steel case that bolts in and clamps them down (in a 4x mag).

(i only had to extend the wire going to the fuse box and the negative wire bolted to the inner apron)
(i also noticed that the wire going to the fuse box was manufactured too short to begin with and was rubbing/cutting on the plasic going into the fuse box)

Big Top GT

Are the newer 4Runners different in any way? I have an Optima Red Top I wanted to use in my 02 Sport Edition. The cables reach, no problem, the only problem is the battery flops around like a flounder. It's so much smaller than the stock battery it's not even funny.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks guys,
Alan

jacksonpt

I haven't test fitted mine yet so I'm not sure if this will work or not, but I plan to build a box for it to sit in. I've got some scrap plywood sitting around, so I can just use that. I'll make the bottom as thick as I have to so I can re-use the stock brace across the top of the battery. I'll make the sides as think as I need to so the battery fits snugly.

There was a post about a week ago (?) about a guy who modded his battery holder for his red-top. Basically, he cut slots in the bottom of it and fed sinch-straps down through the holes and wrapped them around the top of the Optima.

Here are a couple pics, and here is the writeup.

transalper

Another option is to just buy a short cable extension (2" would be perfect, but the shortest I could find was 5") at any parts store. the oem positive terminal mount simply bolts onto the end of the cable so you can just disconnect the mount and bolt on the extension with new positive terminal. then you can shrink wrap the connection.

transalper

You need to add a ~1" spacer (wood or whatever) under the battery to be able to use the oem battery mounting bracket. That's the way I have mine and it works great. The battery is very snug. It has to be very tight or it WILL shift and you definitely do not want a battery flopping around in your engine compartment.

jacksonpt

Yea, I know I'm bringing this thread back from the dead, but my spacer finally arrived, so I'm ready to extend the cables. Rather than extending the current cables, I want to replace them with longer ones (I want to make sure I do this right for safety reasons). Can I used power and ground car stereo wires (like you'd use to install an amp)... say 4 or 0 guage?

Cebby

Jackson,

Keisur did this with his recently. You might want to PM him, or hopefully he'll post in here about it.

keisur

I referrence my old thread:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...light=blue+top

the pics aren't there because monty cut me off. If you want them let me know and I'll upload them to my host and post them again here. plus if you want so other pics of my height spacer or anything just ax me.

I replaced both the ground and the positive cable in mine. I used a red 60" 2 gauge top post from Autozone for the positive and a black 45" (I think) 4 gauge top post for the ground. you don't want to use the amp wires for this since they run pretty close to the engine. best to be safe and use the ones made specifically for the battry cables. plus they are cheaper than the amp cables, but stiffer.

I pulled the whole harness out with the loom and everything as one piece because I wanted to make sure I got the other wires to split out of the loom at the right spots. so I pulled the harness, snapped a pic, tor it apart, and built the new one using the new black and red and the original alternator cable.

I also had to extend the fuse box cable about 3 inches. it's the white one coming off the positive terminal. you can use the amp wire for that, 4 gauge or it might even be 6 gauge, you need to measure the diameter to be sure, 6 I think though. I must also tell you that pulling the whole thing was pretty time consuming since I was learning as I went and I bought about 6 different lengths of each before I started because I had no idea how long they were. so it took me a couple days of running around but I finally found a long enough red 2 gauge at Autozone.

jacksonpt

That's some good info Keisur, thanks. I would like to see the pics, if it's not too much work. Besides all the running around, how long would you say it took you to do the actual wire swaps? I was hoping to do it tonight after work, but it sounds like I might better wait till saturday when I can give myself a few hours to do it.

jacksonpt

One more question... and maybe it's obvious to most of you, but why wouldn't I want to use amp wires?

keisur

reread my post above.

I'll get the pics but I just got back from an 11 hour drive. had to go to berwick, LA to check on some of my designs being fabbed up. it seems somebody can't bend duplex steel without buckling it, idiots!!!!!!!

so... I'll try to post them tonight or maybe in the morning.

alright?

keisur

wait until saturday. it took me acouple hours to pull the harness because it's a tight fit up where the white channel is mounted under the engine and again, I had no idea how to undo the clasps and didn't want to break them. I would definately alot at least 4-5 hours to do a good thorough job with it. but be SURE to take a pic and try to lay a tape measure next to it when you snap the pic so you have a scale for where the alt cable and other cables exit the loom. it is just alot eaiser to do it out of the engine bay then trying to wrap loom and electrical tape between the engine and the radiator.

jacksonpt

OK, aparently I'm pretty dense with this stuff, but in the post above, the only reason you give for not using amp cables is because they will be close to the engine. Can you explain a little? Is it a heat issue? Sorry, but I'm just not getting it.

keisur

It's a heat and oil resistance issue. Sure, you can find the amp wires that say heat resistant up to ... and oil and gasoline resistant but it is best to use actual battery cables to run the starter, alternator and ground. remember, you're powering alot more than just an amp with these things. the jacket is designed to be used close the the engine on the battery cables, which is where it is really hot.

keisur

Here's a pic of my battery and you can sort of see how I mounted it with the small .5x.5x3 piece of wood under the bar thing and then the 1" thick board under the battery. you need to tell me what views you want of the cabling and I'll take the pics for you and post them.