Who's got their battery in the trunk?

[Caveman Tony]

Decided to move the battery out of the engine bay in my '56... sick of hitting my head on it when I change plugs.


Whattayouse guys use for battery cable, and where do you get it?

I think 'Batteries Plus' will crimp some custom cables...

I've heard welding cable is actually not a good idea. Why is that again?

[STINEY]

I've heard welding cable is actually not a good idea. Why is that again?

Because it takes away from the market for the lesser quality cables?


If you can, check out a Ag Dealership. The good ones should have good bulk cable in stock, and can make you whatever you need at a reasonable cost, adding whatever style ends you prefer.

[Bob Holmes]

I use welding cable. You can pick up a crimper for not a bunch of money.

Make sure to take care of the grounding, its just as important as power.

[SuperBuickGuy]

buy a summit battery relocation kit.

welding cable is great for battery moving - it flexes easier (because it has more wires, yet thinner)... however, it's also more expensive - and in anything but a race car or a 4x4 with a winch, unnecessary

[Matt Cramer]

Another option for battery cables is to pull them out of junkyard 3 series BMWs; they had trunk mounted batteries with cables that had what looks a lot like a battery post stuck on the underhood end.

[STINEY]

That's a good tip.

Reminds me of another option......machinery salvage yards. Combine and lots of other heavy equipment have pretty long cables.

[squirrel]

56....is that a car? or a truck?

[GH]

On my salt flat car we had 2 batteries in the trunk. I got all the cables from a battery store and they crimped the ends for me. We ran both the + and - all the way to the engine. Had a big 140Amp alternator and never had any problems.

[Bob Holmes]

I'm also a big believer in running both + and -. I also ground to the chassis from the battery.

[MR P-BODY]

I use the welding cable... if you do move the battery you have to
run a master shut off switch and then run your alt + to the battery
side of the master(if you run any IHRA or NHRA tracks).. you can run
a solenoid if you want but I dont do it that way on the race car(KISS)..
I always solder the ends on with shrink tubing... do it yourself.. takes
all of 2 minutes per connector

[DanStokes]

I have a couple of mine in the trunk. Running the ground back up front solved a bunch is issues, like hard hot cranking on the 'Stang. I use welding cable, too. More pricey but I don't think this is the place to save money.

Dan

[Barry Donovan]

I was just playing around with one of those electromagnetic radiation detectors..

it detected the coil is a lively one.

I then put the pieces together as to why the battery and coolant reservoir is where it is...coil right nearby, all factory locations.
I don't use the oil filed coils anymore, going to leave battery underhood. The negative is the only filter thiefing one way. all else is "pushed" to disperse...

that and I have a wagon.
the welding wire is very nice, if you ever chnge your mind about location, it makes great engine to chassis grounds.

[Caveman Tony]

Squirrel, this thing.

I'm up in the N-No-Northeast, so I have no clue what an "Ag dealership" is. I do know the last time I saw a Tractor Supply Co. was in Ohio.

Does a Toro dealer count as an "Ag dealership"?

[stage1scott]

Another option for battery cables is to pull them out of junkyard 3 series BMWs; they had trunk mounted batteries with cables that had what looks a lot like a battery post stuck on the underhood end.

this works good, the cable in my Fairlane is from a MINI cooper, of course!

[squirrel]

Squirrel, this thing.

I thought so.

Where do you plan to put the battery? I moved the battery in my 59 to under the bed, behind the cab, outside the frame rail...but it was a royal pain to deal with it there, so I moved it back to where it belongs. With a stepside bed it wouldn't fit there anyways.