help: replacing negative battery cable on a 420a

[marQ_deLa_cruz]

i know most of you have 4g63 but some have 420a or have dealt with it one way or another.. i'm lookin' to replace the negative battery cable on mine since it's showing some bad corrosion and i called up richmond mitsu and apparently the positive and negative cables come together and can't just buy negative.. i'm wondering it there's a way to just replace the negative one?

tia
mark

[Josh Royle]

what gauge is the wire? You could most likely go to home depot and purchase the same gauge wiring and go to Canadian tire to buy the fitting.

[Remi Raymond]

Canadian tire sells battery negative kits (also known as ground wires) they're under 10$.

[marQ_deLa_cruz]

well the thing is richmond mitsu says it comes as a 1 piece thing where positive and negative are together somehow which comes to $129.. i'll try to check it out tomorrow and see if it can easily be split where i can just replace the negative instead.

[John Hartman]

For that price, I might be tempted to just replace it all.  If one set of wires is corroding, the other ones are probably getting close to it or are already, but invisibly inside the insulation.

If you are really short on cash, you can make up a ground wire, or measure the lenght you need and go to Lordco for a generic on in that lenght.  We do that at work on cars where the owner is short of cash.

[marQ_deLa_cruz]

i took a look at it today and was able to trace the wire.. it seems like both negative and positive wires were just wrapped together in a plastic cylinder wrap of some sort.. i am currently short in cash so i might just get a generic one from lordco..

what would be suggested for me to do with the old negative wire?, cut up that plastic wrap, free up the negative wire and fully take it out? OR just cut out the negative wire from on end of the wrap and the other end and leave the leftover negative wire wrapped together with the positive one OR don't cut it and leave it as is but safely tucked away from any moving parts?

[John Hartman]

cut it out of the car, no use leaving it there for issues/problems later.

Then take it with you so you know what kinds of ends it has and how long.

[marQ_deLa_cruz]

Sounds good. Thanks!
I'll work on it after my week of nighshifts