Battery cable orientation

[bdento59]

This may seem like an anal retentive question, but is it possible to connect the Pos (+) battery cable to the post w/o bending it out of it's 90º stock shape? I've tried to attach my new (used) cable to the (+) post every which way, but in all cases it doesn't seem to clear the battery case w/o bending. The old one I'm replacing is all bent to sh*t, so I just ass-umed that it was installed incorrectly by the po. I'm trying to fit onto a YUASA YTX20L-BS battery.

Also, one more DA question... on which side (+) or (-) does the battery spacer go? This is what I get for leaving my X disassembled for four years <sad>. TIA for your responses to my mundane, obtuse queries.

[alimey4u2]

Care with the pos cable is to try to keep it away from chafing either battery or ( even worse) metal. The spacer goes on the positive (right) hand side....If any bends, try to do it at the connecting lug. Depends on the battery if it's connected side or top post...

[SteveG]

My sympathies to you. Do not try to bend the 90 degree connector at the battery terminal. I did (even after copious heating of the 90 degree bend) and all that happened was that the bend broke.

Story: Old battery (full size Y50N18L from 86 +/- Gold Wing) worked great for a couple years, then didn't want to crank when hot.

Bought new, sealed AGM, full size battery and attached positive cable the way it was on previous battery.

Started X, she cranked like never before, say to self, OHHH YEAHHH!!!

Time for a ride. Hit first bump out of driveway, POW!!!, totally dead X. Say OHHH NOOOO! (Actual words were much worse).

Push X back into driveway, lots of sweat.

Problems checked: Fuses, OK; Ignition Switch, OK; Notice wire harness cover chafed behind fairing, pull apart, no wires chafed, recover/tape, OK; Check alternator, OK (read lots on CBXClub.com and also fixed "clacking" from alternator by sanding clutch plates, chamfering edges on grooves in plates, and shimming alternator clutch). Check battery, 0 volts.

Scratch head, drink beer.

Drink beer, scratch head.

Notice "arc" mark at top edge of battery box where positive battery cable comes out to solenoid. Check battery cable, notice "arc" mark there also





Check parts fiche, notice positive battery cable was installed incorrectly by a "PO" (through top hole instead of side hole on battery terminal if I remember correctly) and I assumed it was correct because that's the way I got it and it was working.

Deduce that new battery was slightly shorter than old battery, and with incorrectly installed cable, when I hit the bump, the positive cable shorted out on battery box which shorted out my brand new battery. Still consider myself lucky that nothing else went bad.

Get new battery YTX20L-BS, find out you can't hook cable up like it should be (horizontal) due to different terminals on battery, and find out battery is not as wide as previous one.

Scratch head, drink beer.

Try to bend battery cable so it won't hit battery box again, see first paragraph.

Find original CBX starter cable that runs from solenoid to starter (much longer), and replace original battery cable with this one. Coil excess cable into loop and store in battery compartment.

Extra cable length makes it easy to remove battery.

Fill space in battery compartment due to narrower battery with 1. Hockey Puck on positive side, and 2. Strips of self stick weather strip to stop vibration.

And now I'm back in the game!!



PS - Does anybody know if using the starter cable in place of the original positive cable will cause a problem? Seems to be working good so far.