Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

[Christopher R.]

Just spent a frustrating few hours splicing a wire under the dash. As you know, it is difficult working under there. What made it more difficult and frustrating is that I couldn't get a crimp connector to hold. The wire kept pulling out of the connectors.

Any recommendation for a crimping tool that really crushes the connector?

[Stephen L.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

CLARK CABLE MS25037-1A will do the job. I don't know if its still available as I've had mine since it was issued in the military in 1965. I guess you could consider it a handheld "vise" made for crimp connections

[Wayne W.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

Soldier and heat shrink. Only way to go.

[Leif A.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

Soldier and heat shrink. Only way to go.

Under the dash?? Now, that would be a cute trick Wayne

[Bill H.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

The problem with crimping wires is that many guys buy a cheap tool to do a serious job. The correct way to crimp a wire is with a ratcheting crimp tool. These are calibrated to give you the correct crimp height. They work fairly well for the common type crimps on automotive wire. They generally have good, hardened dies that will produce the correct crimp shape. The cheap tools won't. They are not cheap but they'll last you a lifetime.
Summit racing has 6 or 7 different ones listed. They will work for the ring terminal and tabs that go on automotive wire. The connectors that go thru the firewall will take a different tool.
I know about crimping, I was a Sales Engineer for AMP Incorporated, probably sold a half billion of these ring terminal type connectors.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

Nothing like soldier for a reliable splice. I don't trust crimps.

[Bill H.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

Nothing like soldier for a reliable splice. I don't trust crimps.

That's fine Wayne, you're entitled. I will say though, we built the entire wiring harness for the Apache helicopter. It was 100% crimps. And that machine has a hell of a lot more vibration in it than any car.
The military approved crimps many years ago (mil-spec crimps).
Also, I use nothing but crimps on the race cars I build.

[Dick W.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

I am partial to solder and heat shrink also. But if I crimp, I prefer the ratcheting type tool. You cannot remove the tool until the crimp is correctly seated. Tools such as these http://www.delcity.net/store/Ratchet...-Tools/p_10382 or AMP tools.

[Kevin M.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

I bought a ratcheting crimp tool and not only does it do a fantastic crimping job, the crimp looks perfect and very professional.
I agree 100%

The problem with crimping wires is that many guys buy a cheap tool to do a serious job. The correct way to crimp a wire is with a ratcheting crimp tool. These are calibrated to give you the correct crimp height. They work fairly well for the common type crimps on automotive wire. They generally have good, hardened dies that will produce the correct crimp shape. The cheap tools won't. They are not cheap but they'll last you a lifetime.
Summit racing has 6 or 7 different ones listed. They will work for the ring terminal and tabs that go on automotive wire. The connectors that go thru the firewall will take a different tool.
I know about crimping, I was a Sales Engineer for AMP Incorporated, probably sold a half billion of these ring terminal type connectors.

[Dan D.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

I crimp, solder, and heat shrink everything. I learned decades ago that crimps using small hand held tools just do not work. Had too many fail. I do not have a ratcheting tool, and I am sure they will work much better. But if I solder it, then I know it will not fail.

One bit of advice, if you are crimping do not twist the wire first. It will cold flow under pressure and then become loose. Lay the wires flat and the strands parallel. If you look at any factory crimp, that is how they are done.

I have never seen a factory crimp fail, be it a toaster, an automobile or anything in between. Factory crimps are done using pneumatic presses and using dies designed for the particular terminal being used. Hand crimping by us amateurs in the field are not privy to this tooling.

My belief is, I don't know this to be fact, but I believe pneumatic presses hit the terminal so fast and applies extreme pressure that work hardens the copper/brass terminals. This adds additional strength to the connection. I have un-crimped many terminals in order to reuse them, and while this can be done, I will tell you the material is very hard and they are not easy to un-do. I believe the replacement terminals we buy are very soft so they can be easily squeezed with basic crimping tools.

My experience.

Dan

[Bill H.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

I crimp, solder, and heat shrink everything. I learned decades ago that crimps using small hand held tools just do not work. Had too many fail. I do not have a ratcheting tool, and I am sure they will work much better. But if I solder it, then I know it will not fail.

One bit of advice, if you are crimping do not twist the wire first. It will cold flow under pressure and then become loose. Lay the wires flat and the strands parallel. If you look at any factory crimp, that is how they are done.

I have never seen a factory crimp fail, be it a toaster, an automobile or anything in between. Factory crimps are done using pneumatic presses and using dies designed for the particular terminal being used. Hand crimping by us amateurs in the field are not privy to this tooling.

My belief is, I don't know this to be fact, but I believe pneumatic presses hit the terminal so fast and applies extreme pressure that work hardens the copper/brass terminals. This adds additional strength to the connection. I have un-crimped many terminals in order to reuse them, and while this can be done, I will tell you the material is very hard and they are not easy to un-do. I believe the replacement terminals we buy are very soft so they can be easily squeezed with basic crimping tools.

My experience.

Dan

Dan, you are correct about not twisting the wires.

Many of the factory production machines are mechanical (the part that runs the dies anyway). We (Amp) had machines that would pull the wire off large spools, cut it to length, strip one or both ends and apply the terminals at the rate of 3,000 per hour.

The crimp however does not work harden the terminal. The dies are designed to put the correct amount of pressure on the wire, this is called "normal force". When the normal force is correct, the wire will not pull out of the terminal unless there's an extreme pull on the wire. Factory customers check these crimps with a crimp height micrometer and a pull test (with our testers) periodically to ensure quality control. Some of our machines automatically monitor the dies to maintain the correct crimp height.
The dies in these machines are designed for specific terminals and wire sizes. Different crimp styles are used for different materials (brass vs Beryllium copper , etc.).

A good, ratcheting hand crimp tool will crimp the terminal to the correct height and will be worry free.
A cheap tool can crimp too much or too little, too little on a tin plated terminal can lead to "fretting corrosion" where vibration can increase the chance of corrosion between the wire and terminal.

Now, on replacement terminals, the ones you buy at Pep Boys are junk, made in the "cheapo" factories in China. Their quality stinks.

Bottom line, buy good terminals (AMP, Molex, T&B) and buy a good crimper. They will work every bit as good as a soldered joint (and I have nothing against soldering).

BTW, if you want more insurance, use double crimp terminals (all I use on the race cars). These have 2 crimps, 1 for the wire and a second crimp that goes around the insulation to lock the wire to the terminal.

[Dick W.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

Dan, you are correct about not twisting the wires.

Many of the factory production machines are mechanical (the part that runs the dies anyway). We (Amp) had machines that would pull the wire off large spools, cut it to length, strip one or both ends and apply the terminals at the rate of 3,000 per hour.

The crimp however does not work harden the terminal. The dies are designed to put the correct amount of pressure on the wire, this is called "normal force". When the normal force is correct, the wire will not pull out of the terminal unless there's an extreme pull on the wire. Factory customers check these crimps with a crimp height micrometer and a pull test (with our testers) periodically to ensure quality control. Some of our machines automatically monitor the dies to maintain the correct crimp height.
The dies in these machines are designed for specific terminals and wire sizes. Different crimp styles are used for different materials (brass vs Beryllium copper , etc.).

A good, ratcheting hand crimp tool will crimp the terminal to the correct height and will be worry free.
A cheap tool can crimp too much or too little, too little on a tin plated terminal can lead to "fretting corrosion" where vibration can increase the chance of corrosion between the wire and terminal.

Now, on replacement terminals, the ones you buy at Pep Boys are junk, made in the "cheapo" factories in China. Their quality stinks.

Bottom line, buy good terminals (AMP, Molex, T&B) and buy a good crimper. They will work every bit as good as a soldered joint (and I have nothing against soldering).

BTW, if you want more insurance, use double crimp terminals (all I use on the race cars). These have 2 crimps, 1 for the wire and a second crimp that goes around the insulation to lock the wire to the terminal.

Very good post, learned most of that while working as a fleet maintenance administrator. You cannot learn much by your self on one vehicle, but by crowdsourcing with members on forums such as this, you have the benefit of thousands of years of knowledge and experience

[Wayne W.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

Yea, And how does that work out.



Sorry, couldn`t resist.

[Bill H.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

Believe that was a surface to air, not a crimp failure.

[Dick W.]

Re: Wire Crimping Tool Recommendation

Yea, And how does that work out.



Sorry, couldn`t resist.

Sir, you are FOS this AM