Fastronix Military Spec Battery Terminal Top Post Kit
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I keep an Optima battery tender on my Wagoneer all winter because the clips are smaller than standard jumper cables and I've had no problems clamping to the posts with them installed.
While it's always best to use the right tool for the job, there are a variety of ways to get a good solid crimp without one. There are a plethora of videos on Youtube that show some excellent ones that I've seen used on the farm for generations. You can use a hammer and a small chisel or screwdriver (two dimples made with a 3 phillips works well) and a hammer, or even better, press a dimple into the center using the end of an appropriate diameter bolt in a vise. Then, after crimping, drill a small hole (1/8"-1/2") for even more added assurance. 3mm) into the lug where the cable cut end is located, heat the lug with a torch, and feed a flux-filled wire through the lug. Fill the hole with core solder until it is completely filled. br>br>Don't listen to anyone who says these methods aren't foolproof. We've had 24v and 12v farm equipment cable lugs crimped like that for decades and they've never failed.
The battery on a 2002 Silverado, I believe, has side terminals. If your battery has top posts, you can use these, but you may need to change your wiring terminals and/or the wiring itself if there isn't enough slack to connect to the top post.
It's normal for the posts to be different sizes to prevent them from being mixed up. I don't have them in front of me to use calipers on, but I know there's a size difference and that they're marked for positive and negative in the right places.
Selected User Reviews For Fastronix Military Spec Battery Terminal Top Post Kit
However, refrain from soldering. These connectors are fantastic. They're sturdy, solid, and form a strong bond with the battery. Several people who are familiar with automobiles have taken a look under my hood and commented on how nice these connectors look and feel. They are, in my opinion, far superior to the steel band clamps that many vehicles come with as standard equipment. a word of warning br>br> The copper lugs on your battery cables should not be soldered. These are crimp lugs, which are meant to be crimped rather than soldered. The correct way to install the lugs onto your battery cables is to use a hydraulic crimper or a hammer-on crimper. Soldering will eventually cause your battery cables to break off, or worse, partially break, resulting in a high resistance point that can lead to fire. the type of anvil The best connection will be made with a hydraulic crimper, but a hammer-on connection will suffice. For someone who only needs to install these types of lugs once, the anvil type is a good choice. Just type "lug crimper" into Amazon's search box.
The only quibble I had was with the crimp terminals, which are both the same size and one of the two for positive and negative were too big. Smaller ring terminals that fit the wire usually don't have a hole as big as the bolt hole, which is 3/8". Plan ahead of time (like I didn't) and make sure you have a large and small wire for each, as well as different ring terminals. I should have gotten a 10/12AWG with a 3/8" hole for the smaller wire, but it turned out fine and looks professional, especially since the top half of my positive cover was missing. In order for them to be a good connection, you'll also need the right crimp tool. I had a hex crimp tool that I had purchased on Amazon a while ago. I'm hoping that this will be of assistance to someone.
It would be nice if the terminals were properly sized for the exorbitant price you pay for them. br>There are two different sizes of posts on most, if not all, automotive batteries. This kit includes two terminals that are the same size. br>The positive post fits snugly, but the negative post fits sloppily. They don't include a bushing, which would be a reasonable way to compensate for the negative post's size difference. br>If I weren't in the middle of installing new terminals, I'd return these for a refund. br>I'm making a bushing from scratch.
The bolts rust; I'm not saying it's of poor quality, but it's not what I was expecting for the price. br>br>For starters, the terminal nuts and bolts that came with it were made of very cheap carbon steel that rusted quickly. At this price, they should have included stainless steel hardware at the very least. br>br>The battery terminal rubber boots that come with it are of poor quality. In less than three months, one of them has become five shades redder than the other. br>br>The heat shrink tubing included in the kit is more than twice the diameter of the ring terminals in the kit, making them too large. Even when heated with a professional heat gun and evenly heard, they don't shrink tightly enough to provide a good seal.
This set of terminals fit my 1999 Ford Expedition like a glove! The factory terminals were nearly corroded out. I did decide to purchase some smaller (4-inch) items. Because the lugs and heat shrink for this kit were quite large, I used 6 gauge) lugs and heat shrink for my cables. I also decided to crimp the lugs onto my cables before soldering them on. On the battery posts, the terminals had a nice, snug fit. Also, the covers fit perfectly. These, in my opinion, provide a far better connection than factory terminals and will be easier to maintain in the future.
No instructions, but I found one on YouTube (which is why I bought it). br>Well made, heavy duty, well thought out product. br>There were no instructions, but I did find one on YouTube (which is why I bought it). br>I've worked with solder connections before, so I knew what to expect in terms of tools and procedure. Basically, you hold the connectors upright in a vice (if you have wires loose from the car) or in something portable (like a pair of vice grips or a block of wood with slots cut in it, as I did). br>First, put a small amount of flux paste in the connector cup, then heat on low heat with map or propane gas until the cup is 3/4 filled, then add your solder (I used 60/40). br>Have your wire striped, cleaned, and fluxed in the car before hand, and quickly carry whatever you're using to hold your connector to the car and push the wire down into the connector; it stays hot and molten for a surprising amount of time. br>Hold for about 30 seconds (wear gloves because the wire will get hot). If you put it in the wrong way, it will stay that way, and if you let go too soon, it will pop out. Then you'll need to put your heat shrink on.
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