Ground Straps Broke

pennyduke · 09-02-2011, 05:40 PM

I just noticed both of my ground straps are broken. Are they some kind on special wires from Honda or can I use standard ground wires from NAPA? I will try to post a picture. Thanks

Eli · 09-02-2011, 05:47 PM

You can use whatever. Head to wal-mart and pick up a couple of battery cables. They're thick, completely shrouded in plastic, and have ring terminals on each end and cheaper than the straps from Honda which will just eventually break again.

I just made my own with some 10 gauge wire I had around, crimped on some ring terminals.

Make sure they're longish so they can flex with the engine movement. That's one of the things that makes them break.

pennyduke · 09-02-2011, 09:46 PM

Thanks Eli, What is the purpose of these wires? Do I have to worry about different metals where they connect?

Eli · 09-02-2011, 09:53 PM

They're ground straps to the engine/transmission, to make sure it's all connected together in a solid, complete circuit.

That's a good question about the differing metals, I didn't think about that... I'm not sure. I wonder if the stock straps use aluminum ring terminals? Hmmm....

They're not rusty in your pic, like the steel bolts are. But I don't know if I've ever seen a rusty ring terminal, maybe they're usually aluminum?

insightbuyer · 09-03-2011, 03:14 AM

I would think most ring terminals are zinc coated copper. Or some kind of coating over the copper. Definitely not steel.
Not sure why they coat the copper, but they usually do.

Eli · 09-03-2011, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by insightbuyer

I would think most ring terminals are zinc coated copper. Or some kind of coating over the copper. Definitely not steel.
Not sure why they coat the copper, but they usually do.

Yes, you're right. Duh. I had a brain fart. I've cut into enough terminals to know they're copper.

**interestedguy** · 09-03-2011, 11:16 AM

i just replaced mine with the honda parts, they were only 5 bucks a piece beats having to make something in my mind.

bciesq · 11-13-2011, 04:19 PM

I just replaced what I'll call the "upper" strap on the drivers side of the engine. The two bolts appear to be self tapping. I managed to strip out the hole for the bolt on the block side (where the strap has broken in pennyduke's photo). There's not much meat there, so I was about to use a nut and bolt to secure the replacement strap, but then I looked at one of the many self tapping screws that I use on the cooling tin for my old VW Thing. The threads looked to be a bit more aggressive. Sure enough, it bit hard and I was good to go.

Moral of the story ... don't over tighten those self tapping bolts and if you do strip it out, an old VW comes in handy.

2001Insight · 11-14-2011, 04:54 AM

You could go with some of these nice ones and give it a few more!
You can never have to many "grounds"