crimp vs soider

[tuckintaco93 10+ year member]

i see everyone does only one or the other ...

why is one better /easyer?...

i was looking at the hammer crimper but i can do the same with a vise and blunt center punch ...

and well soider i have naver done ..

and also on a soider iron what kind should i get?

i have had the gun type but i could never get a good soider joint ever on anything

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[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

For 8 gauge and larger you don't use a soldering gun, you use a torch

 

[Bad4health 10+ year member]

^^

 

[All_Logix 10+ year member]

If you are really OCD about minute voltage drops, soldering is a more secure connection and passes electricity sometimes better than the thread filaments in the wire. But the above post is right, for 8 AWG and higher, which will most probably be what your gonna use, you need a torch and ALOT of solder. For the smaller connections, Blue Point makes a pretty good iron, they are owned by Snap On.

However, if you are just trying to set up a little something something, crimping the ring/spade terminals and covering them in shrink will work fine.

 

[Bassin Buick]

I like to solder on speakers the use slide terminals , but other than that just crimp it.

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

Hydrolic crimper for the big stuff...works so well.

 

[Bob Saget]

For 8 gauge and larger you don't use a soldering gun, you use a torch

for 8 gauge & larger you use a hydraulic crimper & closed end terminals //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 

[Canaan 10+ year member]

For DC connections, I solder all terminals 4ga and larger. For data connection, I solder.

I find it easier to solder larger DC connections when working under the hood. 8ga terminals can be crimped easily w/ my Klein crimpers, but 4ga+ under the hood I just strip the wire and bend the terminal tight on the wire w/ a pair of channel locks. Then I break out my pocket torch and solder the lead. Also, when I solder I do not like to use the normal insulation for terminals. I already have the torch lit, so I heat-shrink the terminals. 2mins tops and a solid connection.

For basic installation w/ aftermarket to stock harness adapter...I use crimps. For instance, Hu install using a metra harness to the stock HU harness.

Some people want to solder these installs, but look at it like this. You are using a molded plug for the harness...how much difference will a crimped connection make given that you are going thru a pin/plug?

I do like to make a dedicated ground to vehicle body for DDin and flip-up HU installs, just to keep from picking up ground noise in the screen.

 

[brandinooooo 10+ year member]

I would choose soldering anyday except of course on terminals and other areas that don't need it. Super easy to do.

 

[nateberrier 10+ year member]

solder is easy and a must for door speakers i think, too much opportunity for corrosion and poor connections, solder iron is easy to man. for big wire i just get the copper lugs and smash dem in da vice using all my weight.

 

[Bassin Buick]

Nate , you need to change that siggy , you know you gonna keep that ES in there instead of the SS. LOL

 

[Sleeklsc 5,000+ posts]

solder is easy and a must for door speakers i think, too much opportunity for corrosion and poor connections, solder iron is easy to man. for big wire i just get the copper lugs and smash dem in da vice using all my weight.

x2 exept i use a hammer. Those bish's aint going anywhere.

For door speakers i use solder..I'm running a factory h/u now but if i change i'll take the extra 5 min and solder the new harness in..Though i have never had a problem with the simple strip and twist connection. Your fine either way just make sure there strong enough to handle some minor abuse if fiddled with.

 

[Suicide Bobb 5,000+ posts]

For connections that I mess around with a lot, I stick to crimp connections or my screw on banana plugs. For Power wire that I want to stay there, I crimp, solder, and heatshrink it to ensure that it won't pop and and blow and amp/start a fire. It's worth the extra couple minutes.

 

[Bob Saget]

if you people would invest in a decent hydraulic crimper you'd never touch another vise grip or soldered/torch gun again w/ large wires

 

[Suicide Bobb 5,000+ posts]

if you people would invest in a decent hydraulic crimper you'd never touch another vise grip or soldered/torch gun again w/ large wires

Even with hydro crimpers, I would still solder. It's the details that count