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I am fed up with....

G

gwstang

Member
stupid battery cable clamps that crack and break after being loosened/tightened a few times..ughhh :bomb Does anyone make a quality cable clamp that will last more than a year or two? Anyone else have this ridiculous problem or is it just me? :shee I went to a newer style metal clamp like is on the newer cars (top post) on my old '52 Ford 8N tractor and it works great...but I can't find another one anywhere around here??? China must have quit making them or something...lol. I do need one with the bolt because I have a couple of things that also clamp straight to the battery. On a side note, I did get the serpentine stuff pulled off and changed the timing cover back to the '66 style and purchased the 50oz balancer made for using the '66 style stuff. Works great now. Many thanks for the help on that one. I like the v belts better anyway...lol
 
How often are you disconnecting the cable? A cable's clamp should take the punishment over numerous disconnects. How about installing one of those twist disconnects?
 
You are not alone, mine have cracked before. I've also had the clamp bolt strip through the clamp, so now it just spins when tightening the nut. I now have to use 2 wrenches. This is my 3rd cable, and yet I still keep buying cheapos :roul
 
Mine have been there on the 67 10 years. I pull the cable when I park it or it drains the battery. Still working on that issue. Anyway, I never tighten it. I just make it very snug and when I remove it I just twist back and forth and bam there it comes right off.

I have not had a charging issue on either car either. I know it is not the optimum solution, but it works and can be tightened when the car goes to daily driver status in the spring.

Mel
 
I made my own cables with ends that screw into the side of the battery. Very easy to R&R and they've been in use now for 7 years. Obviously not concours correct, but more practical.
 
Boys boys boys !!!

When you have to disconnect the battery due to the possibility to have a decharged battery after awhile , you have a ( electrical ) problem.

After 3 weeks my car still cranks and fires up.When I store it for the winter months , I use a battery tender.

:roll :roll :roll
 
"B67FSTB" said:
Boys boys boys !!!

When you have to disconnect the battery due to the possibility to have a decharged battery after awhile , you have a ( electrical ) problem.

After 3 weeks my car still cranks and fires up.When I store it for the winter months , I use a battery tender.

:roll :roll :roll
Click to expand...

You are absolutely right Bruno. My 67 has a clock that runs all the time so if I don't start it weekly it will die. I know there is an electrical issue and have to fix it. I have been trying to track it down for a long time now. I had a fire in the steering column so I started there. Nope not there. I have new harnesses from the headlights to the dash and steering column. I guess I will have to run a new harness to the back now.

Anyway this is off track, the OP just wanted to know how to keep terminals from cracking.

Mel
 
"guruatbol" said:
You are absolutely right Bruno. My 67 has a clock that runs all the time so if I don't start it weekly it will die.
Click to expand...

I have the same problem and also disconnect the battery if it is going to sit awhile.

I think my issue is the lead terminal ends have too large of a hole for my Optima battery, so clamping it down deforms it more than it probably should thus weaking the metal. Mine typically have cracked close to the bolt area. I've considered looking for battery cables that have a metal terminal, eliminating the lead or whatever metal these have. Most OEM battery cables have the metal terminals, so they've probably had the same issues with the lead ones.
 
I bought an electronic unit that protects the battery.

It has a key fob control to remotely/wirelessly shut down the starter. This is an anti-theft benefit.

It also monitors the drain on the battery. If it senses the battery is threatened it shuts down the complete circuit.

I bought it and a spare one from Canadian Tire a couple of years ago.
 
"pprince" said:
I bought an electronic unit that protects the battery.

It has a key fob control to remotely/wirelessly shut down the starter. This is an anti-theft benefit.

It also monitors the drain on the battery. If it senses the battery is threatened it shuts down the complete circuit.

I bought it and a spare one from Canadian Tire a couple of years ago.
Click to expand...

Do you have a name of the product? I would like to source it for my 67. I don't seem to have any issues with the 65.

Mel
 
First off if you are torking the nut down till the square head side spins thru the soft lead, it too tight.
They only have to be snug enough not to move to make a good connection if both the post and clamp are clean.
Torking them down will not make any differance in its connection.

As for battery drain, The orig clock and the radio memory does not draw that much.
If the battery is in good shape it should be able to sit for 30 days and still start the eng.
If I know it will be more than 30 days before it will be run, I toss on the battery tender just to keep it ready to use.
 
Mel-

google: automotive low voltage disconnect

Lots of folks make them, with different features. I knoiw several folks that use the Cole_herse model, which is a marine supplier. Work well, perhaps they make one for cars. Heck, I saw one by Delco-Remy also that was adjustable.
 
The 67 has an autometer clock. There is deffinately something wrong, I just have to find it.

Thanks for the lead!

Mel
 
you might also search battery low voltage disconnect - I got other hits that way.

You'll be resetting the clock everytime, though!
 
"apollard" said:
you might also search battery low voltage disconnect - I got other hits that way.

You'll be resetting the clock everytime, though!
Click to expand...

I reset the clock now.

I am interested in the security part. I am going to get it up and running to be the wife's summer daily driver. I am going to have the paint fixed from the lift damage and just let her drive it!

Mel
 
Thanks to everyone for responding and suggestions. I'm not having any battery problems or leak down, just the cable issue. I like to unclamp the cable when I am working on the car. I hate the sizzling and smell of things burning....lol. Seems like the cable clamps get cheaper and cheaper...china stuff I guess. I may try one of those brass clamps. Thanks again.
 
Somewhere I saw a terminal end that had a disconnect so you don't have to remove it to disconnect the power. I'll do a search. I think it was CJpony parts or something like that.

Mel
 
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