How To Change Battery Cables On 1997 Toyota 4- Runner

I own a 1997 Toyota 4- Runner, don't got alot of cash and have all the
right things- I just need to know how to change the cables. A mechanic
told me it was easy and just follow the directions on the inside of the
new cable box, but I still dont get it. Someone Please Help!!!!
Thanks,
Amanda

"ssm3321" <ssm3321@grandecom.net> wrote in message
news:38f2914377922365a81c92f5f251d970@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...[color=blue]
>I own a 1997 Toyota 4- Runner, don't got alot of cash and have all the
> right things- I just need to know how to change the cables. A mechanic
> told me it was easy and just follow the directions on the inside of the
> new cable box, but I still dont get it. Someone Please Help!!!!
> Thanks,
> Amanda
>[/color]

When you say you have all the right things, I'm assuming you mean that you
have the proper battery cables, tools, a pair of safety glasses or goggles,
a paper cup, an old toothbrush, some baking soda, water, an old jacket or
sweatshirt that can be trashed, and a pair of rubber gloves..

If you are having trouble following the directions on the new cable box,
then do this.

1) Park on level ground and set the parking brake. Put on the old jacket or
sweatshirt.

2) Write down the AM and FM radio station presets on your radio on a piece
of paper - this is handy when it comes to re-programming the radio after you
have disconnected the battery.

3) Open the hood and put on a pair of safety glasses or goggles. If you do
not have safety glasses, a pair of regular eye glasses or sunglasses will
do. Keep the glasses on the whole time you're messing with the batter and
cables!

4) Look at the battery. If you see a beige crumbly buildup on the cables or
on top of the battery, put about an inch of baking soda in the bottom of a
paper cup, add some water to make a runny paste. While wearing the gloves,
use the old toothbrush and baking soda paste to carefully brush the crud off
the battery cables. The crud is acidic and will eat holes in clothes, burn
skin, and eat paint so be VERY careful when brushing the stuff off,
especially your eyes. Rinse the battery and anything the crud got
splattered on with clean water.

5) use a wrench to loosen the nut on the negative battery cable clamp. The
negative cable is usually black and is connected to the negative terminal on
the battery, which should be identified with a minus sign "-." You may have
to pry the clamp jaws open with a screwdriver to be able to lift the clamp
off the top of the battery.

6) Loosen the positive battery cable clamp. The positive cable is red or
has some kind or red sleeve and is connected to the positive terminal on the
battery, which should be identified with a plus sign "+." If you have to
pry the clamp jaws open, make sure the screwdriver does not tough anything
metal like the clamp that holds the battery, or the body or the other
battery terminal. You will get very hot sparks and the risk of explosion if
you do.

7) Follow the positive cable down to the starter. The other end of the
positive battery cable will be connected to the starter. disconnect the old
cable from the starter and install the new one. Disconnect any thinner
wires that are attached to the old positive cable and attach them in the
same manner to the new positive cable.

8) follow the negative cable down to whatever it is bolted to and unbolt it
and replace with the new negative battery cable.

9) re-attach the positive cable and then the negative cable, re-set your
clock and radio, and you're done!

Good luck!
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

Disconnect the Negative ( - ) cable from the batttery, then from whatever it
is connected to at the other end (or, leave it to hang so you don't lose the
connection point later).

Disconnect the Positive ( + ) terminal from the battery and from whatever it
is connected to at the other end. Connect the new Positive cable to the same
places, do this in reverse order of how the old one came off.

Connect the Negative cable to the point where it connected to the block or
frame, then connect it to the battery.

REASONS FOR THE PARTICULAR ORDER OF MAKING CONNECTIONS
If the Negative cable is connected to the battery and the frame (engine)
while you are working on the Positive cable, you can short the positive
cable and turn your tools into an arc welder. The odds are good that you
won't do ayn serious damage, but the odds are about equal that you turn your
car or truck into a pile of molten mess in the middle of your driveway. The
surprise of arc welding unexpectedly can result in an injury to yourself or
a bystander. You can avoid all possibility of arc welding if you disconnect
the negative terminal first. Well, you can still arc weld between the
Positive and Negative battery terminals, but they are spaced pretty far
apart, and you'll have to work at this mistake with lots of enthusiasm and
effort. Normal caution will prevent arc welding between the two battery
terminals, and if the negative cable is disconnected from the battery the
positive terminal will not arc to nearby body parts.




"ssm3321" <ssm3321@grandecom.net> wrote in message
news:38f2914377922365a81c92f5f251d970@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...[color=blue]
>I own a 1997 Toyota 4- Runner, don't got alot of cash and have all the
> right things- I just need to know how to change the cables. A mechanic
> told me it was easy and just follow the directions on the inside of the
> new cable box, but I still dont get it. Someone Please Help!!!!
> Thanks,
> Amanda
>[/color]