What side of the starter solenoid does the small wire go to

Hi Cripe,

In order to give you a definitive answer we would have to know exactly which starter is in your rig, meaning we'd need to know the year, model, engine and possibly transmission type.

However, even without that information there are some basics that are fairly universal that could help. Most starter motors are designed with a motor that has a separate solenoid mounted on it, similar to the picture below.

There are generally going to be three terminals on the solenoid as you see here. The ground terminal, identified by the black circle, connects the solenoid to the main body of the starter and doesn't have any other connection. The other large terminal, marked in red here, goes directly to the battery and has a heavy battery cable attached. The last terminal, in green, is the one the smaller wire goes to; that's the one that's activated by turning the key to the start position. On this starter the solenoid connection uses a ring type terminal that is secured with a nut, but others will commonly use a spade lug and matching connector.

If you want to add a photo of your own solenoid we can certainly point out the correct attachment point on it; otherwise please update your question with the specifics of your truck and we'll find the exact starter it takes.

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