Wiring Harness Terminations

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Originally Posted by NTFDAY

Roger, those appear to be Molex connectors and are a bugger to properly crimp without the proper tool. As you can see they are not weather proof, but are decent low power connectors to be used where they are not exposed to the elements. I've used many over the years and I always solder them with the help of a "helping hands" tool I bought at Harbor Freight. If I was a little closer I'd gladly give you a hand.

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Ken,
I recognize the Molex name from Navy aviation, and I figured that there was likely some special tool for the connectors. The Painless instrument backplane harness has connectors attached, and the mating connectors are made up from the fuse block side in the car which makes soldering more of a challenge than on the bench.

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Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

yep i used them as well i bent the upper tin tab in ward before with needle nose pliers and crimp them then at the end of wire going thru the connector crimp part i put a very small amout of solder you have to watch that you add a very small amount of solder up hill so the solder will not run in tube part of the connector

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Pat,
Your mention of solder flowing into the tube was one of my concerns, and I think that your up hill, minimum flux method will be the approach.

Thanks for the input, guys.

Roger, since it would appear that you will be terminating in very uncomfortable and tight quarters and if you decide to solder the connections I would tin the wires first. I once helped solder a radar connector in the nose section of a DC-9 and that was a challenge.

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Originally Posted by rspears

What is the proper method of installing these pins to the wires, since they cannot have any added bulk on the outside of the pins?

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Roger, this is the crimp tool I use to get the proper, compact crimp to allow the pins to fit into the connector housing. Unfortunately, there isn't a brand name on the tool and I've had it for so long that CRS prevents me from remembering where I got it. I noticed the tool still has the white paint dots on the dies I used on my last wire job (I told you I had CRS :confused:). I also have a ratcheting crimper that I use for Deustch connector pins (it has Volvo stamped on it). Summit sells a reasonable copy of an MSD ratcheting crimp tool that works very well. I believe it comes with dies to crimp spark plug wires, you will have to get the appropiate set of dies for the type of connector you're using separately.

Mike

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Originally Posted by Mike52

Roger, this is the crimp tool I use to get the proper, compact crimp to allow the pins to fit into the connector housing. Unfortunately, there isn't a brand name on the tool and I've had it for so long that CRS prevents me from remembering where I got it. I noticed the tool still has the white paint dots on the dies I used on my last wire job (I told you I had CRS :confused:). I also have a ratcheting crimper that I use for Deustch connector pins (it has Volvo stamped on it). Summit sells a reasonable copy of an MSD ratcheting crimp tool that works very well. I believe it comes with dies to crimp spark plug wires, you will have to get the appropiate set of dies for the type of connector you're using separately.

Mike

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Mike,
I saw a crimper like that for Molex pins at a custom shop this morning and his was from MAC Tools - very simple concept with the small point on one jaw that rolls the tabs into the center. I think for the few that I have to do I will do them manually. I am using a ratcheting crimper with multiple jaws like you reference - borrowed it from my son who wires airplanes and it works great.

For these small connectors (Molex type) what type of heat source is preferred to solder these d@#*ed pins? I generally use a Weller gun for bigger stuff, and the little iron I have for electronics is quite small to heat the pin metal. I need to find that second set of hands, Ken :(

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Originally Posted by rspears

For these small connectors (Molex type) what type of heat source is preferred to solder these d@#*ed pins? I generally use a Weller gun for bigger stuff, and the little iron I have for electronics is quite small to heat the pin metal. I need to find that second set of hands, Ken :(

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Roger, I use a 40 watt iron with a needle or small spade tip. You can find the "helping hands" at Harbor Freight. The jumbo is $6.99 and the little one is $3.99

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/c...image_1606.jpg


http://www.harborfreight.com/media/c.../image_181.jpg

I hope you can access this Roger.

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Originally Posted by NTFDAY

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/c...image_1606.jpg


http://www.harborfreight.com/media/c.../image_181.jpg

I hope you can access this Roger.

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Those are both pretty neat, Ken. May have to run into town and pick one up just to have on hand - not much help under the dash, though...:(

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Originally Posted by rspears

Those are both pretty neat, Ken. May have to run into town and pick one up just to have on hand - not much help under the dash, though...:(

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Under the dash I'll use a test lead, a length of wire with alligator clips at the ends, and clip one on what I'm trying to solder and find some place to wrap the other end to keep it all stable.