AAW crimper

[74baggedbug]

Does anyone have the American autowire crimper they would like to rent out.. Figured I'd ask before ordering it and using it only once

[jeffahart]

if you don't want to buy one, you can use your cheap crimper and solder. I used the proper crimper but I did a fair amount of soldering too, as I recall. Also, have a lot of heat shrink wrap on hand as well.

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by jeffahart

if you don't want to buy one, you can use your cheap crimper and solder. I used the proper crimper but I did a fair amount of soldering too, as I recall. Also, have a lot of heat shrink wrap on hand as well.

Agree 100%! I have always soldered everything, and have never had a bad connection. Best way to go imho.

[cooperhw]

Originally Posted by Stocker

Agree 100%! I have always soldered everything, and have never had a bad connection. Best way to go imho.

^^^Agree^^^ I take regular wire ends and pull the plastic covers off. Crimp em on the wire with small wire cutters (carefully) then solder every joint. Real trick I found is to buy a small fly tying base from harbor freight. It has a small base with two alligator clips pointing up. I clip the wire in and use that to hold both ends while I solder. frees up my hand to hold my small torch and one to hold the solder.

[BrianG]

This is the kit that I am using to do my AAW kit:
S & G Tool Aid 18920 Ratcheting Terminal...There are dozens of kits that are similar to this that I'm sure would work also. Some have more or less dies for doing different ends. I've used only one or two of the dies. I also ended up buying another die to crimp spark plug wire ends and that worked really well. The kit that I mentioned above will do probably 95% or more of the crimps that you'll need to do and you'll get a very professional looking crimp on them as well. I think the only ones that I've had a little trouble with are the ones where you have to join two wires together. Some have worked fine, but some (especially the really large wires for things like the headlights) gave me a little bit of trouble trying to crimp just right. I also soldered most of my connections. Not that I would have had to, but I thought, why not. It is easier to do it now then try to find it later and do it.

[tim's68gmc]

Originally Posted by BrianG

This is the kit that I am using to do my AAW kit:
S & G Tool Aid 18920 Ratcheting Terminal Crimping Kit- 5 Piece - Crimpers - Amazon.com
There are dozens of kits that are similar to this that I'm sure would work also. Some have more or less dies for doing different ends. I've used only one or two of the dies. I also ended up buying another die to crimp spark plug wire ends and that worked really well. The kit that I mentioned above will do probably 95% or more of the crimps that you'll need to do and you'll get a very professional looking crimp on them as well. I think the only ones that I've had a little trouble with are the ones where you have to join two wires together. Some have worked fine, but some (especially the really large wires for things like the headlights) gave me a little bit of trouble trying to crimp just right. I also soldered most of my connections. Not that I would have had to, but I thought, why not. It is easier to do it now then try to find it later and do it.

I am using same crimper and they work great

[davepl]

I was at my local old-guy shop a couple of days ago and he was sorting through BOXES of different types of terminal kits trying to find something for a weird harness, but I thought I was a big man with a Packard terminal release tool and a flat screwdriver. He must have had 30-40 different ones right there.

Same with crimping... you mean there's more than three styles and sizes?

I feel like Marge looking at a 8-slot spicerack: "There must be duplicates".

[bill3rail]

Crimping is good, but corrosion can still get in there so soldering is MORE important!
Make sure you get a good hot soldering iron first!

Bill

[Orange Crate]

I also bought the Tool Aid 18920 crimper and it works great. There are a couple of crimps that require a double wire crimp, like at your headlight connectors. This is where two wires lay next to each other in the same terminal. There is a "double wire" crimper or a "two wire" crimper but it isn't really necessary. You can crimp these by using a pair of needle nose pliers and then solder the terminal when you are done. I would recommend soldering these terminals because of the current draw required to run your head lights plus it does add security if your crimp with the needle nose pliers isn't maybe the best. Take your time and curl the terminal "tabs" over the two wires and you'll be just fine. I just finished my AAW kit and there are only a few places that have a double crimp.

[redbaron]

American Autowire has a rental program for the them. We own the tools and they work great.

The Link: http://www.americanautowire.com/prod...rimping-tools/

[Longhornss]

Originally Posted by redbaron

American Autowire has a rental program for the them. We own the tools and they work great.

The Link: http://www.americanautowire.com/prod...rimping-tools/

Rent the proper tools from AAW when you get your harness. They give you practice "kits" in each harness they sell, so you can get a feel for how each different terminal crimps. Soldering is ok but if you have the proper crimp it is not required. I rave heard techs both from AAW and painless recommend not soldering due to overheating the copper can cause it to become brittle or the flux in the solder can cause premature corrosion of the wire.
Don't flame me that is what I have been told by the guys building the harnesses.