Technical Crimping Tutorial

I'm not a fan of ratchet crimpers for barrel connectors as I find them more time consuming and more than a bit clumsy in close quarters (try using one under a congested dash...). If the wire slips in mid-ratchet, you may be starting over. These came into being for basically one reason; repeatability. As more and more specialty crimps came on the market, the crimp manufacturers were having issues with failed crimps because of operator error. With the ratchet crimper, it won't release until you've 'fully' crimped the connector, which helped eliminate that aspect. With an 'approved' ratchet crimper, they would warranty the connection. But again, keep in mind that these warranties are only good for their rated use, which generally doesn't include automotive applications. I've also seen where if you're trying to 'Disney-rodent' something (yeah, you shouldn't, but there can be times..), they don't work as well as the old-style manual crimpers like the ones I gave part numbers for.

 

Steve, you should worked a Nuclear power plant with a certified numbered ratcheting crimpers, an inspector standing watching you remove the insulation, remove the lug from the clear plastic bag, and make the crimp logging all moves taking final temperature readings. The wire was then the installed with torquing screw driver also certified and numbered. All unused lugs were returned and the tools tested every six months.

 

And with all that,they still melt down! Imagine that... bad connections?



Bones

 

Bad decisions.

 

58 years ago yesterday a small experimental Army reactor went critical and exploded in eastern Idaho, killing three. Somebody yanked a control rod out, and that was all she wrote. Boom!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SL-1

 

Not Steve; but I looked at kits and most contained way too much of the wrong stuff. Ordered appropriate quantities of the terminals I usually use from Dell City and put them in a hardware store box. For the few odd terminals like bullets, etc needed; I pick up small packs of the insulated kind and strip the plastic off.
Just have to keep up with reordering them as needed.

 

We could be twins!

 

I'm still cuttin off the plastic on most.

The good news, was that I found the starter solenoid lug for my wife's car that has been mia for to long.

 

Ah, but I did.... at the infamous WPPSS (AKA 'Whoops!) plants, at the time the largest bond default on record when they called it quits. Yeah, the paperwork/delays could be mind-numbing. But I didn't do it long; I took over a construction power/maintenance crew that was the polar opposite; get'er fixed ASAP, as long as it won't kill anyone it's good. We'd come in once a month on a weekend to clean up the messes... LOL.

 

For years I have used stuff called Liquid Tape on all connections on underbody or inframe locations.
Not as pretty as heat shrink but it absolutely keeps moisture out, even with a twist and a pinch with a pliers then coat it. It comes in a little can with a brush in lid. I keep it in the refrigerator.

" When a man owns a trailer, he might use it 2% of his time, but he will work on the wiring 50% of his time."
Fireball 5

 

Thank you Steve, I changed my crimping to match some of your methods while installing my wiring harness. Unfortunately, I am almost done with the rewire of my car and will have to hunt down a good crimping tool after the fact.

 

Simple, reliable as a good dog. Love crimping with this tool.

 

Just like mine!




Bones

 

I have most of the same crimpers Steve has, plus a few more. I have been wiring cars since the mid 60s. Conservatively I have more than $2,000 in crimpers, and other wiring tools.

As for terminal sources I use Del City for most of my terminals and only buy uninsulated brazed barrel terminals. They also carry step up or step down uninsulated butt connectors. You can buy in limited quantities, but it ends up being cheaper to buy standard quantities. My second choice is Waytec Wire. They do carry some terminals that Del City doesn't have. For open barrel terminals Terminal Supply is good.

My first choice in wire is cross linked Polyethene usually listed as TXL, GXL or SXL plus the gauge size. This insulation is virtually fireproof and very tough. the difference in the code denotes the insulation thickness with TXL being the thinnest, and SXL being the thickest. I usually buy it from whoever is the cheapest, sometimes even on EBay because the price varies so much.

 

I like T&B sta-kon crimpers. Remember no insulation on these. Heat shrink has its place …. Right here.

 

I've used these for decades, not even close to showing wear. One of the best tools I ever bought.

 

I just found aT&B sta-kon crimper on Marketplace for $15, swooped it up.

 

I`m a sucker for cool tools.

 

Great post! Thanks for all the information.

For Delphi 56 terminals used by GM, these crimpers work pretty well at crimping the stripped wire and insulation at the same time. They are part of ToolAid #189020, which includes a total of 5 dies. I'm on my third AAW harness using this tool and some of its other dies.

 

Thanks for posting this, I’ve been looking for an easy way to properly crimp Type 56 terminals. Now I know what to look for…

 

I'm a connector tool junkie.. there, I said it. I have mainly newer type that have proven themselves. II have them all in one box, easy to find. I lend them out to those I trust.

 

As always, be sure to do some test crimps! The dual crimps dies are slightly different in size, the insulation side of the die being slightly larger, if that makes sense. Therefore, it's important to get the terminal positioned properly, by "eyeballing" it from the end of the tool. Also, as the AAW video mentions, you will need to bend the terminal "flags" inwards a little before sticking them in the die.

On another note, here's a cheap tool designed for Molex connectors, but I also use it on small Delphi-type terminals, and sometimes to put a "final touch" on terminals. Yes, lots of steps, and I'd find some other tools if I installed wiring harnesses for a living!

 

Stay-kon tool for me too. Still using the one I carried at work for 40+ years.

 

What I use . All I use
They have a orange and black handles .

 

I really like your post @Crazy Steve I did buy a aftermarket wiring harness for my truck.

Problem is they really is a pile of garbage.
I'm convinced I will cut the wires off & use it on my build .... My goal was to de-pin the fuse block & add the wires I wanted .... Just seems not possible on a $50 fuse block.

So that is where I'm at .... going to save the wire, and trash the fuse block. .... This thread is important back in 2018 just as it is in 2023.

 

Test crimps, always wise. At work around 1992, we closed down a west-coast facility and brought all the work back to our place.Within it was a lot of WIP (work in process) and our "crack" QC manager went ballistic seeing a 24-gauge wire and a 12-gauge wire in the same crimp, he ratted us out to the local DPRO office as this was a USAF job (ground based equipment).

Within MIL-T-7928, there was nothing regarding 2 odd gauge or any 2 wires in the same contact. So guess who got the shit detail of the decade? I wound up writing a white-paper and documented my testing of the crimps and replicated 12 samples of the crimp in question.

I had the lab do the pull-tests, we stopped at around 9 samples since the wires all failed before the crimps did. I gave a presentation to upper management, internal DPRO as well as regional. Also the local QC brass. The OG QC guy who kicked the hornet's nest... not invited and he got das boot soon after.