Spades, crimping and so forth!

[blue_misfit 10+ year member]

Hey all,

So I've got my sub and amp, and I've run a set of 4 gauge, remote, RCA etc...

Now I have to get the connectors on the wires.

The set I bought came with 2x 4 gauge spade crimps, and 2x ring crimps. It also came with a nice 4 gauge ring screw-down connector for the battery->fuse wire.

Problem is, I mangled the crimps //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif I was using some run-of-the-mill pliers, and wasn't able to get good crimps on them. I can easily pull the wire out of the connector with a little force //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

How the hell do you guys do a good crimp?? Is there a special tool I need, or am I just an idiot?

Also, I need to find some more spades, preferably somewhere local. I live in the south S.F. bay area. Any ideas where I could get some more? A tool at the same place would be bonus points.

Halp! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Thanks,

~MiSfit

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[loopkiller 10+ year member]

Hey all,
So I've got my sub and amp, and I've run a set of 4 gauge, remote, RCA etc...

Now I have to get the connectors on the wires.

The set I bought came with 2x 4 gauge spade crimps, and 2x ring crimps. It also came with a nice 4 gauge ring screw-down connector for the battery->fuse wire.

Problem is, I mangled the crimps //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif I was using some run-of-the-mill pliers, and wasn't able to get good crimps on them. I can easily pull the wire out of the connector with a little force //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

How the hell do you guys do a good crimp?? Is there a special tool I need, or am I just an idiot?

Also, I need to find some more spades, preferably somewhere local. I live in the south S.F. bay area. Any ideas where I could get some more? A tool at the same place would be bonus points.

Halp! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Thanks,

~MiSfit

Not sure about a local place, but http://www.parts-express.com/ is a great resource for most stuff like that. Also http://www.harborfreight.com/ is very reasonable as well and does have stores as well. Check the site to see where the closest one is.

As for the crimping, some people here prefer just crimping with the appropriate tool, some use a hammer and center punch, and some prefer soldering. I am with the soldering camp. I just think that a good solder job is the best method.

 

[blue_misfit 10+ year member]

Thanks for the quick reply!

So you mean literally soldering the bare wires directly onto the amplifier terminal eh? Sounds fairly hardcore, but perfectly doable.

It also sounds like a total nightmare to remove when the time comes.

How would you handle that?

~MiSfit

 

[x1le 10+ year member]

I think he means he crimps the connectors on and then solders them, not literally soldering onto the amp lol. I don't know anyone in their right mind who would do that.

As for a tool, harbor freight is where I got mine. I bought both the crimp/cutters and ratcheting crimpers. Each was $8 I think and both work great.

 

[blue_misfit 10+ year member]

Doh! How could I not have thought of that!!! It's so simple...

So what's the exact procedure. Let's say you have a stripped 4 gauge end, and a spade to crimp on. Do you simply bend open the crimp, solder the wire in place, then crimp it down a bit to protect the solder joint, wrap it in electrical tape and call it a day?

Thanks guys //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

~MiSfit

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

I would first cut the wire to length and put a piece of shrink tube over the end. Then remove the amount of coating that is necessary. I would then dip the bare wire and the metal parts of the connector in some flux. Now put a good amount of solder on both the wire end and the connector (called tinning). Once both are tinned pretty well, I use a vice to hold the connector for the next step. With the connector in the vise, heat up the connector with your iron / torch. Insert the wire and wait for the solder on the wire to begin melting. Add more solder if needed to fill any voids. I usually will loosen the vise while holding the wire and then dip the connector into the flux to rapidly cool it. Next slide the shrink tube over the bare wire and connector and apply heat until it is shrunk tight.