I'm looking into replacing my battery cables. Alternator is stock and no high draw items on my 99 XJ. I've searched and it appears that 5-90 is no longer making them. If so, I'll fab my own using 4AWG marine cable, adhesive lined heat shrink. I can properly crimp the needed lugs on as I've doe this on other vehicle. Any tips before I start ordering the needed materials? Any preference for the battery terminals?

 

Where did you see 5-90 is making them. I ordered a set in fall and already installed them.

 

I honestly don't remember exactly where I read it, possibly NAXJA, and it was a dated post. I'll have to fire off a PM to him and see what the story is. It would be so much easier to install pre-made cables instead of making them myself, especially in the cold weather....

 

I just sent him a PM. Hopefully I can get the straight scoop..........

 

It's best to go to his site or email him.

Kelley's Works in Progress

 

Jon just got back to me and yes, he is still making his cable setups. Sweet!

 

Might want to do a search before sending him money. There was a thread a week or two ago about people still waiting on their October orders.

 

He is always slow. He has some personal things going on. I waited 2 months for mine but the product is worth it.

 

From the reports I've read and the pictures I've seen, he does first rate work.

That said, NO product is worth a two month wait from a part-time supplier who has "personal things going on".

I've seen many, many threads on Jeep and other vehicle forums where people were getting upset at exactly these situations because they had sent in their money and gotten no product and no refund and no contact because some one-man shop had simply decided it wasn't worth the hassle, or had "personal things going on", or got overwhelmed, or....

It's just not worth it. There are plenty of real businesses that do excellent work that can make cables for you. It's not magic.

Here's one that I've used. Good stuff, and they aren't going to fail to ship your product because they had a fight with their wife:

http://www.bestboatwire.com/

 

XJWonders makes the cable sets and has sold some in the classifieds.

 

I got my wires from 590 in about a week and a half after I ordered stellar work.

 

Don't bother using a giant cable for the firewall 'bonding' cable. The braided cable is good enough.

 

That raht thar IS funny!


I can see going a little bigger than stock, but that is just reeeediculous!

It's not supposed to carry any appreciable current - it's for grounding out stray currents that can induce radio noise. There is ZERO benefit to going with a huge cable like that.

Besides, since its purpose is to ground out radio noise, a braided cable is far better than a stranded cable like that. More surface area, which will be more effective at conducting high-frequency currents, which is the whole reason for that grounding strap.

 

Agreed. The cables I got from Napa are just as good and I got them that day.

 

Using that big gauge cable is OK if you just had it laying around ! It's not for looks anyway...and it sure will be BONDED !