Crimp or Solder?

[675R 10+ year member]

So my speakers are coming in next week, I just wanted to ask what you guys suggest?

Crimping is obviously easier, and if I crimp, do I twist the two wires (I heard that's bad for the connection) or use a butt connection and crimp the two together.

Or do I solder? (I'm not very mechanically inclined haha)

Or do I break down and buy some harnesses haha.

Thanks

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[RangerDangerV2 5,000+ posts]

I prefer solder... and its not hard to do. trick is to get the solder to flow between the wires... but remember to heatshrink the connection as well...

 

[Kangaroux 5,000+ posts]

Direct connect with electrical tape as always been my choice. Never ran into any issues and as long as you don't use junk electrical tape you are good

 

[Kangaroux 5,000+ posts]

I thought only mexicans and 16 year olds did that

I am 17, deal with it lol. I ran out of solder a couple months ago and haven't bothered to get anymore. Plus, I don't know of any butt connectors that work for 8g lol

 

[i2ain2thunder 10+ year member]

connection should be virtually the same for whatever connection you do..solder is obviously the most stable...but also most time consuming. for just speakers I usually just crimp on terminals to the ends of the wires. If the speakers have spring loaded connections those are the easiest simply strip and connect.

 

[RangerDangerV2 5,000+ posts]

I prefer a good wrapping of twine over anything...

 

[KTMrida4life 10+ year member]

All of my connections in my car are soldered. Everything, alarm, speakers, subs, big 3, all power/ground wires, headunit harness... I dont trust crimps. I've had way too many come off.. and I actually enjoy soldering and have been doing it for years so its no big deal. All of the bigger wires (amp ground/power/big 3) are actually crimped then soldered.. Best connection possible, no way its ever coming loose either.

Some are covered in heatshrink and some in electrical tape.

 

[I Like Waffle]

If you dont have ***** girly hands a good crimp will hold up forever. What i like to do is twist the wires, roll them up in a little ball around itself, then crimp that ball (actually fuses the copper together) and heatshrink over that whole setup. crimping connectors and soldering adds resistance and more spots for corrosion to happen.

 

[Imtjnotu 5,000+ posts]

I thought only mexicans and 16 year olds did that

wow bro u fuckk tard.

 

[675R 10+ year member]

Well, I don't think I'm gonna be good at soldering, so some butt connectors it is!

 

[RangerDangerV2 5,000+ posts]

wow bro u fuckk tard.

you must be a 16 year old mexican..... butthurt much.

 

[KTMrida4life 10+ year member]

If you dont have ***** girly hands a good crimp will hold up forever. What i like to do is twist the wires, roll them up in a little ball around itself, then crimp that ball (actually fuses the copper together) and heatshrink over that whole setup. crimping connectors and soldering adds resistance and more spots for corrosion to happen.

Trust me my hands aren't girly. With bigger wires I havent had anything come loose. I've replaced battery ring terminals on at least 10 cars now and theyre all holding up, I usually use a hammer and give it a few good taps to make sure its crimped really good. Its the smaller wires, 8 gauge and smaller that I seem to have trouble with. Gets worse the smaller the wire is... 18 gauge is a real pain. Seems to always come loose.

I know soldering adds resistance.. but seriously, how much are we talking here? I measured a connection before and after and there was little to no difference because I was actually curious myself. I would be more worried about corrosion, but I've been soldering wires for years and all my connections look the same now as they did when I made them. Type of solder may make a difference as well.

 

[Fi_ 10+ year member]

So my speakers are coming in next week, I just wanted to ask what you guys suggest?
Crimping is obviously easier, and if I crimp, do I twist the two wires (I heard that's bad for the connection) or use a butt connection and crimp the two together.

Or do I solder? (I'm not very mechanically inclined haha)

Or do I break down and buy some harnesses haha.

Thanks

Crimping is easier?!?... Soldering is too easy my friend if you don't have the right tools crimping can be a total pain in the *** whereas you can use ANY type of soldering tool to solder a wire. All of my wires are soldered and then crimped and soldered again.

 

[i2ain2thunder 10+ year member]

keep in mind crimping can compromise the structural integrity of the copper...smash thin malleable metal and it's not going to be as strong as it was before, also solder is hands down the strongest although I do agree if you crimp properly it should last forever too. Most of us do both crimp to secure then solder to hold.

 

[RangerDangerV2 5,000+ posts]

according to this thread the best connection would be soldered, crimped, soldered, wrapped in heatshrink, then wrapped in electrical tape, then wrapped in twine... the ultimate connection.