John Deere STX38 - Battery Cable Melted - how to replace

Hello everyone,

My John Deere STX38 recently started missing and it got worse. I thought it was a clogged fuel filter or trash, until it caught fire. Turns out the wire that runs from the battery to the starter apparently was pinched by the engine and burned almost in two and was shorting out on the engine.

From the starter, the wire goes through the floor of the body and into a C-shaped trough that is under the body. It runs inside this trough until the rear of the mower, under the seat, and exits into the battery compartment. There are other wires in this trough and it seems a tight fit. If I were to cut the end of the cable off I could pull it out, but can't find a way to get another wire back in there. I have found no way to remove the trough and it seems like it may be welded to the body. Could someone help.

 

You should be able to use the old wire to pull the new one into place. Failing that, I'd just look for another route to run the wire where it will be reasonable protected. You could always use a piece of tubing or hose to protect it if needed.

 

I'd bolt the old one to the new one and pull the new one in while pulling the old one out.

 

If you need an owner's manual for this machine you can get here.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8...ldUUk50VHN3cWs

 

Thanks for the info and suggestions. There would barely be enough room to pull the old cable out if I cut the end off of it. It would definitely be too tight to bolt the two together and if I got a new cable with an end already crimped on, I would probably have to cut it off. The only way I can think of attaching the old and new wires would be to solder them together, but I have my doubts if it would hold because it takes a pretty hard pull to get the wire to slide out. I'm curious how they get these things in there from the factory. I'm sure it isn't completely uncommon for someone to have to replace this wire so I'm a bit perplexed.

 

If it's that tight I'd probably just find an alternate route to run the wire, drill a hole or two if needed and put grommets in the holes and zip tie it securely in safe areas.

 

OK. I was hoping there was a solution I didn't see to this problem, but I guess not. I figured this was a common thing. I tend to like to put things back like they were, but... rerouting is what I'm going to go with.

Thanks everyone.

 

I thought I would post a follow up for anyone else that may have this problem. I ended up going to a parts house and getting a battery cable with an O-ring clamp on both sides and an electrical supply company to get a #4 butt connector. They loaned me a tool to crimp the connector. I cut one end of the battery cable I bought from the parts house and crimped it to the original cable and then black taped it and finished it up with some heat shrink tubing. This solved the issue with no problems.

 

Nice Job!!! !