Ground strap or wire on 1020

Hotflashjr · Feb 11, 2016

I need to replace the battery and ground wires on our 1967 1020 gas. Right now there is a single large battery in there with a ground wire and a battery cable running to the starter. Both wires have clamp on ends and do not make good connections. I plan on keeping this set up instead of going to 2 batteries as it works and the battery is only 2 years old. My question is can I use a braided ground strap or do I need to get a ground wire?

jacksun65 · Feb 11, 2016

you can keep the braided one it will work but not well. would be better to get new ones with molded ends.

Bob · Feb 11, 2016

For DC current, either work just as well ASSUMING they are the same "gauge".

The braided strap is more flexible, but that shouldn't be an issue here.

Tx Jim · Feb 11, 2016

Hotflashjr
I'll suggest to relocate the negative cable attachment from battery box to engine block or starter mounting bolt

Hotflashjr · Feb 11, 2016

I think I am going to do that. Thanks!

Cliff Nelson · Feb 11, 2016

Run the ground cable directly to the starter mounting bolt. I would use cable as the cable itself is protected from corrosion better than the braided strap.

Mike Groom · Feb 11, 2016

1020 gas never had two battery's,I went to a larger cold cranking amps on my 1020 and 1520 and it made a difference,my cables were new.

Hotflashjr · Feb 11, 2016

That was my thought on the braided cable as well with the limited space in the battery compartment. I am going to move the cable to the starter bolt as Jim suggested so I will end up going with a wire.

Hotflashjr · Feb 11, 2016

It was very hard to tell this from JDPARTS.com. I guessed gas only had 1 but also was not sure of that as well.

Tx Jim · Feb 11, 2016

(quoted from post at 14:48:34 02/11/16) It was very hard to tell this from JDPARTS.com. I guessed gas only had 1 but also was not sure of that as well.

I'm not trying to be a smart Alec but you need to read the parts description to determine if 1020 gasoline came from factory with only one 12 v battery. I was lectured about reading parts description & footnotes by the JD dealer when I was 1st employed by back in the '60's

Hotflashjr · Feb 12, 2016

I do not see all that same info Jim. I was looking
under sectional. The areas you circled about
batteries does not show up for me.

Tx Jim · Feb 12, 2016

(quoted from post at 07:15:48 02/12/16) I do not see all that same info Jim. I was looking
under sectional. The areas you circled about
batteries does not show up for me.

I'm not trying to be a smart Alec but the same info is under "electrical section" on my computer.

Briar Hill Brittanys · Feb 12, 2016

(quoted from post at 07:15:48 02/12/16) I do not see all that same info Jim. I was looking
under sectional. The areas you circled about
batteries does not show up for me.

Didn't show up that way for me either until I signed into my account. Only showed a single part number for two batteries, with no distinction between gas or diesel. After signing in to my account and looking a little closer, there was a difference when selecting between the two listings for 1020s on the model search page. When I chose the first listing, "970-1020 Tractor-16May11", the search results looked like what Tx Jim posted. The other listing, "4152-1020Tractors-12May11(FRDEITESSV)", didn't show the gas/diesel lines. Not trying to be a smart alec either, I have to guess that the 2nd listing is for overseas markets/tractors? I was confused by this on several posts about JD parts in other threads. It somewhat makes sense now. Hope it helps, and doesn't help confuse. Mark

Tx Jim · Feb 12, 2016

Briar Hill Brittanys
Both my replies with photo's came from PC 970 for 1020 built for N American sales not PC 4152 for 1020,1120 built for European sales. I have no idea what PC you're referring when you state
"970-1020 Tractor-16May11"

Due to the fact that I was employed by a JD dealer for over 21 yrs I probably have more experience looking up JD parts information than the average person.

Tx Jim · Feb 12, 2016

Briar Hill Brittanys
Please accept my apology as I re-read your post and didn't comprehend exactly what you stated the 1st time.

For us old codgers such as I, I hope Chris re-instates the "Edit function SOON"!

D- · Feb 12, 2016

Don't use a braided wire and don't connect to the sheet metal.
Use a covered ground wire and connect it to starter mounting bolt.

buickanddeere · Feb 12, 2016

The gasser should roll over fine with one Group 31 battery.
Do not parallel together two batteries of different size, age or capacity. Phantom discharges and uneven charging will occur to some degree. How much depends on your luck.
Nobody ever installed too heavy of battery cables. The " ground/chassis return" needs to be connected to a starter mounting bolt. Not to the dismal system used by the factory which routes starting current through sheet metal.
The "ground" design was lousy when new and worse now after this many years.

Hotflashjr · Feb 12, 2016

Makes a ton of sense to me! I rarely get to sit at the
computer to look this stuff up and I think if you use
the Mobil sight it limits choices. I tried on the
computer and got full results like Jim shows below.

Hotflashjr · Feb 13, 2016

Got two 0 gauge starter cables. Going to run one to
a starter mounting bolt for the ground as everyone
said. Our 2440 at the orchard had had this done as
well as the 2555 now that I look.

fixerupper · Feb 13, 2016

I quit using the braided cable on two bangers years ago because it seemed to rot out faster than an insulated copper cable. Maybe two bangers rotted them faster than other applications.

Ground strap or wire on 1020

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