Battery Cable Recommendations
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Seattle
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 6C 4.0L
Battery Cable Recommendations
Just getting into some upgrades on a used jeep I picked up, and was wondering if anyone would provide some battery cable recommendations for a 1995 4.0L Jeep Cherokee. Brands, and things to consider, before I pull the trigger on a purchase.
#2
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1991
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L HO
#3
CF Veteran
Standard battery cable clamps work fine. one cable that is oft lacking is the negative, the one from fire wall (near center of upper firewall near cowl) to the engine block near the dipstick for oil. It is a small short bare braided cable. replace it with a fatter cable. also note if the nearby harness to that braided cable rubs on it, that braided cable will via vibration, saw thru the other cable, so route the harness carefully, or simply replace that braided cable with a big fat one insulated in rubber.
the dip stick lug has also many small wires, used for fuel injection, clean them well too.
Cruiser54 website has lots of good info on the electrical stuff for xj's.
http://cruiser54.com/
the dip stick lug has also many small wires, used for fuel injection, clean them well too.
Cruiser54 website has lots of good info on the electrical stuff for xj's.
http://cruiser54.com/
#8
CF Veteran
Make sure you get cables with the correct insulation material and thickness for the situation they're used in (heat, chemicals etc.)
This usually means skipping past the cheap section.
You might want to consider upgrading in wire gauge while you're at it.
Standard is 6 from battery pos terminal , and 8 from fenderwall to battery neg terminal
Upgrade to 4 and 6 AWG.
This usually means skipping past the cheap section.
You might want to consider upgrading in wire gauge while you're at it.
Standard is 6 from battery pos terminal , and 8 from fenderwall to battery neg terminal
Upgrade to 4 and 6 AWG.
#9
CF Veteran
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Lost in the wilds of Virginia
Posts: 7,964
Received 957 Likes
on
772 Posts
Year: 1998 Classic (I'll get it running soon....) and 02 Grand
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Anything bigger is a stupid waste of copper, promoted by people who do not understand electricity. Those include the re-tellers of misunderstood Internet lore and people who sell battery cables with stupidly big cables. For example:
If you're staying stock, then 4GA is plenty, but if you're looking at modifying it down the road (winches/lights/etc) then you'd want 2GA, and we all know a Jeep is never really *done*.
If you add a winch and upgrade your alternator, you may want some big cables to your winch, and a bigger cable from the alternator to the battery. Your starter will not care. Neither its cable nor the main ground cable need to be upgraded for a winch OR for a bigger alternator. That will accomplish exactly nothing. Well, your wallet will be lighter, but that's it.
If you add a bazillion watts of lights, same thing. You run cables (hot and ground) to them based on the length of the run and the current draw of the accessories. Again, your starter will not care.
If you want to improve your system, get after that fender ground (it's lousy), maybe add a ground strap to the back of the engine near the dipstick to the firewall, and do the upgrade suggested by Roler. And do NOT buy some stupid big fat cable to replace the small braided strap that goes from the head to the firewall! That is there for radio noise suppression. If you MUST upgrade it, just get a bit bigger braided strap.
Don't let the Ignorati sell you huge cables that do NOTHING for you.
I have mine made by BestBoatWire.com. I get the clear heat shrink so I can see what's going on at the cable ends. Use military style terminals, and you have a very nice setup.
Also a lot cheaper than the two sellers of wasted copper listed above.
P.S. See this post or this post for my approach to the fender ground next to the battery. It's a weak spot.
#11
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Seattle
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 6C 4.0L
Awesome, thanks BlueRidgeMark for the detailed response. I use my jeep primarily for simple hauling when doing construction jobs, and not much into mod territory, maybe that will be reserved for another jeep project in the future. Right now I am keeping stock, and just trying to get a used jeep run for several 100,000 more miles.
#12
::CF Moderator::
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Prescott, Az
Posts: 43,971
Received 1,559 Likes
on
1,263 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Awesome, thanks BlueRidgeMark for the detailed response. I use my jeep primarily for simple hauling when doing construction jobs, and not much into mod territory, maybe that will be reserved for another jeep project in the future. Right now I am keeping stock, and just trying to get a used jeep run for several 100,000 more miles.
#13
CF Veteran
The following users liked this post:
BlueRidgeMark (05-05-2021)
#14
Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 Straight 6
Threshold of 2AWG Is most capable
Here is a list of pros and cons for 2AWG
PROS
- Capable of more current (~130 amps)
- Less heat
- Looks cool
CONS
- Less flexible
- Heavier
- More money
- May be stolen by meth heads
2 AWG is just fine and a decent long term investment.
4 AWG (~95 amps) is just fine if its only going to be a stock build or daily driver with no toys. Either way you shouldn't have any power draw issues of you update to either
PROS
- Capable of more current (~130 amps)
- Less heat
- Looks cool
CONS
- Less flexible
- Heavier
- More money
- May be stolen by meth heads
2 AWG is just fine and a decent long term investment.
4 AWG (~95 amps) is just fine if its only going to be a stock build or daily driver with no toys. Either way you shouldn't have any power draw issues of you update to either
#15
CF Veteran
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Lost in the wilds of Virginia
Posts: 7,964
Received 957 Likes
on
772 Posts
Year: 1998 Classic (I'll get it running soon....) and 02 Grand
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
No.
How much current a cable is capable of supplying is not just a matter of the gauge, but the length, insulation, and other factors, as well, so saying that 2 gauge (or any gauge) is "capable of" some specified current is meaningless. (other than to indicate that the person saying does not understand electricity.)
There is no heat problem to solve.
I remember a friend of mine who got one of the very first Honda cars available in the U.S. He thought big tires on the back looked cool.
Naturally, we laughed at him.