Changing negative battery cable

[Ruckmanite]

I have a 1999 Ranger w/2.5L and the negative battery cable is very corroded and needs to be changed. 2 problems.....1. all the cables I have went to go buy, the connector that y's off and goes to the side of the engine compartment next to the battery looks very different than the cable that is on the truck, meaning the replacement cables have an end that looks like an electrical wire connector, and the cable on the truck just has a hole for a screw to go into the side of the wall. 2. I am having trouble tracing the cable!..it goes into a harness type of wire mess and I am not quite sure how best to go about changing this cable.....should I just cut it off....run new cable next to it and tape it to the existing mess of wires, or what??? any helpful suggestions would be appreciated.....and also...where does this thing terminate.....all the books say at the starter??......

 

[Rouphis]

If its like my 90, it attaches to one of the starter bolts. It is a 17mm. As for the connection near the battery, the replacement cables have a crimp connector. You cut the old one, strip the wire back and crimp it in the new cable.

I hope this answers your question.

-Rouphis

 

[Bryan22]

On my truck the negative cable just goes directly to the block so it should be an easy replacement if it;s setup the same. Don't worry about the other connector being different either. as long as you get the smaller wire connected it dosen't matter how it's done. No need for an exact replacment.