The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

I have some double crimp un-insulated terminals to add to my wiring harness. These have one pair of tabs to crimp onto the conductor where the sleeve has been stripped off the end of the wire, and a second wider pair of tabs which crimp around the end of the sleeve.


Any tips on how to attach the terminals without shelling out for expensive crimp tools would be appreciated.

Can I solder them and bend the tabs over with needle-nosed pliers?

What do other folk do?

TIA

Use the special tools! They are not expensive, can be as little as £20.00. I use them every day and there is nothing better. I crimped 400 joints on Thurday and have another 1000 to do this week!

The ends you are using are the best there is because, if done with the correct tool, the clamps fold down into the wire not just grip it.

If you solder then use heat shrink to cover and strengthen the joint. Acid in the solder will cause the wires to break after a time.

Brian wrote:Use the special tools! They are not expensive, can be as little as £20.00. I use them every day and there is nothing better. I crimped 400 joints on Thurday and have another 1000 to do this week!
The ends you are using are the best there is because, if done with the correct tool, the clamps fold down into the wire not just grip it.
If you solder then use heat shrink to cover and strengthen the joint. Acid in the solder will cause the wires to break after a time.

But what are the correct tools?

I've been searching for a youtube vid to show me how to do it, to no avail!

Do you use un-insulated terminals in preference to the red, blue, yellow insulated ones - if so why?

I have had too many failures of the Lucar terminals to really rely on them for professional use, so I use the un-insulated ones and the covers. The folding action of the tool makes the un-insulated ones nearly impossible to pull off.

Unfortunately all my crimping tools are at the factory this weekend but I will try and find some pictures and numbers for you later.

Ben,

Have a look on the following site: -

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/V ... crimps.php

Ref. MP71 is the tool which I have and can recommend.

Gerald

Brian wrote:I have had too many failures of the Lucar terminals to really rely on them for professional use, so I use the un-insulated ones and the covers. The folding action of the tool makes the un-insulated ones nearly impossible to pull off.

Unfortunately all my crimping tools are at the factory this weekend but I will try and find some pictures and numbers for you later.

Pics and numbers would be very useful.
Where do you get your terminals from?
Many thanks

I agree with Gerald, that is a good tool. My one is the one above which I have had for many years. Cost me a lot less than £70.00 though! I also have two others, one for "Staked" ends which was £600.00 and one for special automotive connections that cost £300.00 plus £90.00 for the dies.

There is also one from Farnell Electronic Components part no. 128 3220 at around £10.00.

We buy all our stuff from Farnell or RS Components.

The terminal at the far right of your picture is a solder terminal.

The correct tool is the ideal but I would solder them as the modern solder flux is not acid based and hasn't been for many years.

Ben,

If you want to do a lot of this work, professionally, like Brian, then buying a good quality tool is a MUST.
If however, like me, you just want to do the occasional job, then go to Halfords, or Machine Mart.
You can buy a 'kit' from there that is a plastic box (approx 10" x 4".
It contains a basic crimping tool and a selection of connectors, various styles and sizes, that is plenty good enough for the occasional DIY job.

Mike

Thanks to all for your contributions.

Autosparks tell me that this crimper (AST4), cost £5 +vat, which looks similar to the MP71 tool mentioned earlier by Gerald:


will crimp all these, plus my 1/4" spade terminals, ie all terminals except the bullets and the flags, which can be soldered. It doesn't have a ratchet, so I guess will need a bit of extra squeezing. Also it only has a single mandrel, so two bites of the cherry are required, one for the wire & one for the sheath.