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[Kevin Wood]

If you look at practically any connector on any car loom, 99 times out of 100 it'll be crimped at the factory.

When the wire, connector and tool are 100% compatible, it is a very reliable method of connection in an environment with movement and vibration like a car, because it doesn't concentrate stress on the cable like a soldered joint does.

However, DIY crimping tools are not great unless you spend quite a bit, and you need exactly the right size connector for the wire, and the right tool for the connector. I must admit, if I need to connect something to a car loom I generally use a solder joint, but I make sure it's supported by heat shrink sleeving and, preferably, cable tied to something solid locally to stop the wire flexing.

Don't use a scotchlok, whatever you do.

[Viral_Jim]

Don't use a scotchlok, whatever you do.

No fear! When I first got my kit car (more than a decade ago), I spent an unpleasant 3 weeks one summer removing about 100 scotch locks and trying to decipher the loom. The sadistic b@stard who built the damn thing only used light blue wires - and I mean for EVERYTHING! 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

I usually take the car to work and get a professional to do it. I struggle to solder with two hands, Christ knows how Webby would even attempt it. 

Scalding hot solder gun held under my "small arm" 😂 Twisted wires sat carefully on top of iron. When all wires hot enough solder flows through. But it's a right ball ache if they are thick wires as takes ages to heat. These heat shrink connectors are done in a couple of minutes even by me 😂

You must be very determined mate. I would like to try to replicate this, just to see how difficult it is, but I know I would burn holes in myself from head to toe. 

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Don't use a scotchlok, whatever you do.

No fear! When I first got my kit car (more than a decade ago), I spent an unpleasant 3 weeks one summer removing about 100 scotch locks and trying to decipher the loom. The sadistic b@stard who built the damn thing only used light blue wires - and I mean for EVERYTHING! 

Rewiring MrsGKs Polo,half the wires for the banging sound system were Scotchlocked, half of them twisted together and taped... Several of them burnt!

[Kevin Wood]

I usually take the car to work and get a professional to do it. I struggle to solder with two hands, Christ knows how Webby would even attempt it. 

Scalding hot solder gun held under my "small arm" 😂 Twisted wires sat carefully on top of iron. When all wires hot enough solder flows through. But it's a right ball ache if they are thick wires as takes ages to heat. These heat shrink connectors are done in a couple of minutes even by me 😂

You must be very determined mate. I would like to try to replicate this, just to see how difficult it is, but I know I would burn holes in myself from head to toe. 

Yes, indeed. I take my hat off to you, Webby. Since "electron herding" is my hobby, I do quite a lot of soldering and normally two hands aren't quite enough.

I find a "helping hands" very useful in this scenario.


http://www.clasohlson.com/uk/Helping-Hand-Work-Aid/30-7666?gclid=CJrjoeuyutQCFUQz0wod-YEKnA

You can use it to hold the wire and connector in place, then you can apply the solder and iron.

[Shackeng]

I usually take the car to work and get a professional to do it. I struggle to solder with two hands, Christ knows how Webby would even attempt it. 

Scalding hot solder gun held under my "small arm" 😂 Twisted wires sat carefully on top of iron. When all wires hot enough solder flows through. But it's a right ball ache if they are thick wires as takes ages to heat. These heat shrink connectors are done in a couple of minutes even by me 😂

You must be very determined mate. I would like to try to replicate this, just to see how difficult it is, but I know I would burn holes in myself from head to toe. 

Yes, indeed. I take my hat off to you, Webby. Since "electron herding" is my hobby, I do quite a lot of soldering and normally two hands aren't quite enough.

I find a "helping hands" very useful in this scenario.


http://www.clasohlson.com/uk/Helping-Hand-Work-Aid/30-7666?gclid=CJrjoeuyutQCFUQz0wod-YEKnA

You can use it to hold the wire and connector in place, then you can apply the solder and iron.

An excellent tool, i have had mine for years, and cannot imagine how I managed to solder before I had it.

[Viral_Jim]

An excellent tool, i have had mine for years, and cannot imagine how I managed to solder before I had it.

I went for 2 stacks of magazines, with one wire sandwiched in the middle of each stack. That said, if I had to do more than half a dozen wires every decade or so, I might have to invest in an alternative solution! 

[Auto Addict]

I usually take the car to work and get a professional to do it. I struggle to solder with two hands, Christ knows how Webby would even attempt it. 

Scalding hot solder gun held under my "small arm" 😂 Twisted wires sat carefully on top of iron. When all wires hot enough solder flows through. But it's a right ball ache if they are thick wires as takes ages to heat. These heat shrink connectors are done in a couple of minutes even by me 😂

You must be very determined mate. I would like to try to replicate this, just to see how difficult it is, but I know I would burn holes in myself from head to toe. 

Yes, indeed. I take my hat off to you, Webby. Since "electron herding" is my hobby, I do quite a lot of soldering and normally two hands aren't quite enough.

I find a "helping hands" very useful in this scenario.


http://www.clasohlson.com/uk/Helping-Hand-Work-Aid/30-7666?gclid=CJrjoeuyutQCFUQz0wod-YEKnA

You can use it to hold the wire and connector in place, then you can apply the solder and iron.

Bloody hell! I've got one of those...wondered what it was  for

[Andy B]

....
Bloody hell! I've got one of those...wondered what it was  for

[TD]

In my yoof I used to work for a company that manu'd 16/18in 10/12 copper layer circuit boards.
All the components were surface mounted.....
When they didn't work I had to fault find them and change the duff component.....

This involved peering through a dual microscope just to see what you were doing and the soldering iron tip was heated with RF energy as it so fine...IIRC the soldering irons cost about £500 each and the tips for the irons about £50 each.....which would need replacing every week as the irons were left on 8/10hrs a day........

Probably what buggared up my eyesight......

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

....
Bloody hell! I've got one of those...wondered what it was  for

I see them all over the place on work and had no idea what they were for either. 

[TheBoy]

Handy bits of kit, not that I've replaced mine following the garage incident.  I should really.  And its my burfday soon.