Better Check THIS Before You Install Lugs with a Hammer or Vise!

[sayhuh?]

So this is not acceptable?

crimp city bitch....wire up in flames bitch......however c-fizzy said it LOL

It was clip city..

I soldered for years and yeah, MAPP gas is the hot ticket there . . . literally. Soldering has it's downfalls when you feed rosin core solder into such a termination - specifically, it's difficult to keep the solder ONLY in the termination. If you get solder down into the wire past the termination it makes it inflexible and even brittle. Solder pellets are really a better way to do this job as they are designed specifically for this task as each pellet has enough solder to correctly terminate the lug without wicking further down the cable, but they are expensive. After trying everything, I purchased an industrial grade crimping tool that I use for all terminations. Not only is it much faster than solder, I prefer the end result. If you're using anything but the correct tool, you are taking a chance. Look at it this way - the pictured termination saved a few bucks. But, it could have burned a $30,000 vehicle to the ground. The lesson here is that you should always use the correct tool for the job. Let me be clear - the CORRECT crimping tool used CORRECTLY is perfectly suitable.

So Snafu, My hydraulic crimper is acceptable, considering my solder skills suck?

Still need to get with you on my VW and moving the wire, but have to wait until I redo the CAI to figure out where to put it.

[Chris Hammer]

A crimper that doesnt cost more than the wiring. I can only find ones that cost more than all the 0 gauge I will buy lol. I think I will solder my connections. and drill a small hole in the back side...saw it on a thread here that it aids in getting the solder wire into the lug. without wicking to much past the end.

[snafu]

Nothing inexpensive. Think $300 or more in this category for something of industrial quality. When it absolutely positively can't fail, some tools will run upwards of $1,000.00. It would seem that some have had good luck with some of the hydraulic crimpers, but I've heard lots of horror stories about the ones from harbor freight.

[Pro7]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hydraulic-Crimping-Tool-Kit-12-Ton-Cable-Crimper-Dies-/230596706365?pt=BI_Electrical_Equipment_Tools&hash=item35b0a2803d#ht_2597wt_937

People have said that this crimper works very well

[skittlesRgood]

So this is not acceptable?

that looks like a good crimp. im sure it'll be fine.

[snafu]

This kind of lug can be a life saver if you have to make a quality termination and you can't remove the cable from the vehicle to do so:

It requires no special tools - I typically use a wrench to hold the ferrule over cable and install the body with by spinning it on the ferrule with a #3 Phillips screwdriver. Then, insulate it with adhesive lined heat shrink tubing and you're all set. They are not inexpensive though - you can view our selection here: http://www.ceautoelectricsupply.com/eyelets.html

[Decaf]

nice thread snafu

Hydraulic Crimp for me... solder pool on exposed wires to seal the wire off from corrosion along with heatshrink = wonderful long lasting termination

[01ExSport]

Definitely good to see a real world example and getting a good amount of attention.

Only thing is some posters seem scared for their life, as if crimping if going to do make their wire catch on fire.

How does that happen?

by not soldering a lug that is meant to be soldered.....

If I'm not mistaken, about the only difference between lug type is solder style has a whole near the ring for ease of use. After all, it's only metal.

Edited June 2, 2012 by 01ExSport