what to do about my battery

[Seanz0rz]

so heres the problem:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/IMG_1086.jpg

here are my choices:

dad has a diehard platinum battery in his superduty he said i could use.

buy my own diehard platinum battery.

with my body lift, my battery cables are just a tiny bit too short, they are kinda tight. and as you can see above the connectors are not in the best of shape and should be replaced. if i buy my own battery, then all i have to replace is the ends and maybe add a small amount of wire. if i use dad's battery i have to extend alot. if i extend i really should just upgrade the entire wire to the starter and to the alt, etc. im pressed on time to get this done before my trip.

i absolutely do not trust my current battery on a long trip, so either way its getting swapped out. i just cant decide if i should just extend the cables to fit a battery that is too big with the connectors on the wrong sides, or if i should just go shell out the money for a battery that fits and end my troubles there.

what do yall think? how do i "extend" cables with out replacing the whole thing?

thanks!

[4x4mike]

I would suggest you get a new battery that fits your application. A battery that is too big may not tighten down correctly and cause problems with the amount of offroading you have in front of you. How do the cable ends look? Is there much corrosion? If so just replace them with a lead that is longer.

A good new battery with a warranty that can be used on the road is good piece of mind. If your current battery is just OK you can mount that in the trailer to run goodies off of.

[JOSHH]

That what I didn't like about the Diehards, all the terminals are on the opposite side.

[Seanz0rz]

ended up just buying the battery that fit my truck. (yes, correct reversed terminals for out yotas) and ran a new wire to the starter.

off to the store to get some decent battery terminal connector things, (its hot and my brain has been cooked today)

when i return from my trip i will be doing a dual battery setup, so stay tuned for that!

[CJM]

Fuse block baby, use a fuse block with heavy gauge wiring and circuit breaker wired from the battery.

[Seanz0rz]

already done, thats what the two 10 gauge leads go to.

its all done. 2 gauge from starter to batt, 4 gauge from engine ground to batt to body (probably overkill on the body). alternator wire is stock for now until i upgrade my alt and install dual batteries.

now i feel much safer about my vehicle. also got an oil change done, and cleaned the trueflow.

[CJM]

See the cables didnt stretch on mine causeI put the wire for the fuse block on top of the 12mm nut area on the terminal. Then again I dont have a body lift either.

[Seanz0rz]

the cable that was stretched was the main hot down to the frame where it goes under the engine and to the starter. i had a hard time getting it off the battery post it was so tight. all my wires that run to the body (fuse block, big 5 gauge wire for stereo) didnt move when i did the body lift as the battery is bolted to the body not the frame.

ill grab some pics of the finished product when i get the truck back this evening

[xcmountain80]

Could just do this and get longer cables or cable depending on your need. Also the gel and AGM sealed battery can be mounted sideways if I'm not mistake resulting in a better or slacken main wire.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/xcmountain/4Runner/Interior/P2050354.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/xcmountain/4Runner/Interior/P2050355.jpg

Aaron

[Seanz0rz]

i will be doing a dual batt setup soon. keep forgetting to grab that pic and now i cant even find my camera!