Technical Replacing battery negative cable

[lazylobster]

Hi all, need to replace the short battery negative cable that connects the battery to the chassis. I note that the cable is connected under the petrol tank strap into the body. Is there a nut on the other side? I'm concerned that if I undo the bolt, the nut will disappear somewhere and I'll not be able to connect / tighten the new one.

Can a kind soul please advise?

Thanks
Rob

 

[the hobbler]

Hi all, need to replace the short battery negative cable that connects the battery to the chassis. I note that the cable is connected under the petrol tank strap into the body. Is there a nut on the other side? I'm concerned that if I undo the bolt, the nut will disappear somewhere and I'll not be able to connect / tighten the new one.

Can a kind soul please advise?

Thanks
Rob

On the 500L the bolts holding the tank-straps down go into 'captive' nuts----I see no reason why the other models are not the same.

 

[lazylobster]

On the 500L the bolts holding the tank-straps down go into 'captive' nuts----I see no reason why the other models are not the same.

Thanks Tom, I feel more confident to try the replacement now.

My thanks
Rob

 

[fiat500]

Hi all, need to replace the short battery negative cable that connects the battery to the chassis. I note that the cable is connected under the petrol tank strap into the body. Is there a nut on the other side? I'm concerned that if I undo the bolt, the nut will disappear somewhere and I'll not be able to connect / tighten the new one.

Can a kind soul please advise?

Thanks
Rob

The negative strap was originally spot-welded to the bodywork near the battery and was very short in length.The tank-strap nuts are indeed welded to the body, but I think you'll find that they are accessible in the footwell in any case.

 

[Toshi 975]

I thought that the short (12” maybe) earth strap bolted to the body very close to the battery. I think that the original Fiat engineers would have considered it very bad practice to have a heavy duty electric cable secured to the fuel tank mount for obvious reasons.

 

[fiat500]

I thought that the short (12” maybe) earth strap bolted to the body very close to the battery. I think that the original Fiat engineers would have considered it very bad practice to have a heavy duty electric cable secured to the fuel tank mount for obvious reasons.

Here's two images; one with the original strap welded to my car before restoration. The other image shows the new panel which I welded in, with the oblong pressing where the strap was welded on.

 

[Toshi 975]

I imagine that your original mounting point had long disappeared hence that short link to where it was. You can see a picture of a normal earth cable on the Ricambio site and mine mounted just onto the level section of the inner panel but I can see you have no hole there let alone a captive nut.

 

[fiat500]

I imagine that your original mounting point had long disappeared hence that short link to where it was. You can see a picture of a normal earth cable on the Ricambio site and mine mounted just onto the level section of the inner panel but I can see you have no hole there let alone a captive nut.

If the one I'm seeing on Ricambio is the same as you're seeing, then it's a wrong 'un. The original pattern is as shown here from Axel Gerstl and stated to be a mere 195mm long. As seen in the images on my wreck of a car as delivered, the strap was still attached correctly on the vertical part of the battery well. Surprising as I had bought more holes than bodywork on that car, yet the earth strap had to be ground off in order to be reused on the replacement panel.

 

[Toshi 975]

I wonder if my ‘72 500L had been modified the as the earth lead bolted on and would have had a captive nut and a cable like Ricambio

 

[fiat500]

I wonder if my ‘72 500L had been modified the as the earth lead bolted on and would have had a captive nut and a cable like Ricambio

It must have been. I had several later models in the '80s and they were all attached like this. It's academic now, but it's the sort of detail that interests me.....sad case that I am.

 

[Toshi 975]

It must have been. I had several later models in the '80s and they were all attached like this. It's academic now, but it's the sort of detail that interests me.....sad case that I am.

Ah well we can be sad together, I made an interesting discovery this week regarding Fiat 500 cylinder heads so start boning up for a mastermind

 

[lazylobster]

Interesting re being welded on and always good to share the info. New cable on, all good. Bolted up fine to the captive nut. As its going to be 34c ish in London today, think a perfect time to drive!