Connecting winch leads to stock battery terminals

[strichzwei]

Is there a "best practice" for connecting my winch leads to my stock battery terminals?
(I know I could crimp new lugs and use a military style terminal but would prefer leaving my battery cables stock and not purchase a new battery with additional posts).
thanks,
Scott

 

[TJ Jim]

Not what you want to hear, but the best way is right here.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W61LYG7?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[Gilaguy23]

I have always left the pos lead disconnected on my winches. I have seen and heard of solenoids hanging up or remotes running winches when their not supposed to. Takes like 30 seconds to land the lead back on a battery disco. Something to toss around.

 

[TimV]

Not what you want to hear, but the best way is right here.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W61LYG7?tag=wranglerorg-20

I purchased those exact terminals once. Definitely 2nd rate stuff. Works if compromise is in your range of acceptable but, ya, 2nd rate. I went with all new cables from a supplier, forget which right now sorry bout that but vastly superior quality.

Tim

 

[mrblaine]

I purchased those exact terminals once. Definitely 2nd rate stuff. Works if compromise is in your range of acceptable but, ya, 2nd rate. I went with all new cables from a supplier, forget which right now sorry bout that but vastly superior quality.

Tim

Second rate in what way? And what makes the terminals you have any better?

 

[TimV]

Fair questions.

On the accessory bolt, the bolt head and nut were off size. Meaning a wrench couldn't be used properly, on either head or nut. Had to use adjustable.

The bolt hole size for accessories bolt was less than 3/8". For me, ⅜ is a target size minimum.

For the clamp bolt, the wrench size issue also appeared.

The overall size (the meatiness) was not confidence inducing. The clamps I received with the cables have the beef.

All that brings the conclusion: "Works if compromise is in your range of acceptable"

May be worth adding this: I would have kept using those clamps if I hadn't purchased the cables.

Tim

 

[macleanflood]

Best practices all covered above.

You could jam that eyelet under the nut on your existing terminal. You also could knock out that existing bolt thing and replace it with a real bolt...and attaching the winch power lead to the bolt.

At this point the next post I'd recommended reading is the following:

Thread 'Fire Extinguisher Size, Mount, Location'

Oct 18, 2024

This has been discussed, but I would like more definitive conclusions. What is the best size, mount, and location?

Reading that it needs to be within reach, not in way of feet, not a potential projectile, 5lb ABC (or Elements50?), or possibly 2x2.5lb ABC (but they don’t expend at as high a rate as 5lb).

I’d like something that will fit next to the driver’s seat, but not sure there’s a 5lb that will fit there. Maybe behind the passenger seat in the footwell would be accessible, but not easily if it’s really secure. The Elements50 solution would be ideal if they are really good, but I...

• JMT
• Replies: 85
• Forum: TJ General Discussion

-Mac

 

[mrblaine]

Fair questions.

On the accessory bolt, the bolt head and nut were off size. Meaning a wrench couldn't be used properly, on either head or nut. Had to use adjustable.

The bolt hole size for accessories bolt was less than 3/8". For me, ⅜ is a target size minimum.

For the clamp bolt, the wrench size issue also appeared.

The overall size (the meatiness) was not confidence inducing. The clamps I received with the cables have the beef.

All that brings the conclusion: "Works if compromise is in your range of acceptable"

May be worth adding this: I would have kept using those clamps if I hadn't purchased the cables.

Tim

I have used those exact terminals a time or two and had no issues with fitting wrenches to the head of the bolt or nut. They are metric. Not sure why 3/8" is the target number, I don't really care since it doesn't matter. All I care about is I have cable lugs to fit when I make cables and I do. My preference would be 5/16" holes in the cable lugs. If you have smaller bolts, they are not so oversize that they won't work and if you have 3/8", not hard to drill out to fit.

 

[TimV]

The ⅜" was in part existing cables sized for ⅜ and secondly, I aim to build/modify with ⅜ fastening as much as possible in an effort to reduce tool in hand swaps. An efficiency improvement maybe and annoyance reduction for sure.

I figured the metric part, no stranger to metric, but no joy. Wrench slips, open or box.

Tim

 

[mrblaine]

View attachment 572483

The ⅜" was in part existing cables sized for ⅜ and secondly, I aim to build/modify with ⅜ fastening as much as possible in an effort to reduce tool in hand swaps. An efficiency improvement maybe and annoyance reduction for sure.

I figured the metric part, no stranger to metric, but no joy. Wrench slips, open or box.

Tim

I also remembered why I don't like the larger bolts. A lot of batteries have a raised area around the terminal posts so when you get the top of the terminal pushed all the way down so it is flush to the top of the post for maximum contact, the bolt head and nut are too close to the case to use a box end on them so you wind up stuck doing a quarter turn at a time with the open end.

 

[TimV]

I also remembered why I don't like the larger bolts. A lot of batteries have a raised area around the terminal posts so when you get the top of the terminal pushed all the way down so it is flush to the top of the post for maximum contact, the bolt head and nut are too close to the case to use a box end on them so you wind up stuck doing a quarter turn at a time with the open end.

Heh heh, that is a valid frustration.

 

[jjvw]

I have always left the pos lead disconnected on my winches. I have seen and heard of solenoids hanging up or remotes running winches when their not supposed to. Takes like 30 seconds to land the lead back on a battery disco. Something to toss around.

Hopefully you reconnect before a trail run starts and also remember to do so. I have been in more than a few moments where it would be quite scary and very dangerous to have anyone open the hood and mess with battery cables just to send power to the winch.

 

[TJ Jim]

Okay here’s a second suggestion. I’m thinking I bought these from Quadratec and they even had another bar for extra attachments like lights, on board air and such. I added the bars to the milspec clamps you don’t like.

 

[TJ Jim]