The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay dash lights

Is there some place to buy the ends, that go on the pig tails, for the dash lights? Don't want to spend $3 for each pig tail, just need ends and will make my own. 53 3100 root

you should be able to get sockets at a local parts store, although you'll mostly find the plastic ones - if your metal sockets are salvageable, you can also get the actual inside electrical bits to rebuild them .... or you can try a post in the parts wanted and see if you can find some good originals

Bill

Item #23. They have a $20 minimum order for first time buyers.

I think he just wants the little ends. So at 25 cents each, I think you will have to buy 80 of them. lol.

you can get those "button" contact ends at most parts stores, bare or with wires attached, also as a complete set, 2 contacts with wires and the round cardboard/plastic they sit in

Bill

I have been looking for those things for a long time so that I could just crimp them on myself. I finally picked up a set at advanced auto. They come as part of a tail light replacement part but you'll get two ends out of the deal.

Keep your sockets, they are much higher quality than replacements. I get the individual pieces from American AutoWire, they have the little nubbins, springs, insulator board etc to rebuild the entire light.

Thanks for all the input, looks like i will look into American Autowire tomorrow. ynz,s yesterdays parts has them at $.25 each but shipping is $12 plus calif. sells tax. Root

If you can't get them give me a shout, I have extra and can send you enough.

I ran into that the last time I ordered a few. I called them directly (they have a third party that handles their shipping) and they put them in a standard envelope for a couple of bucks shipping. Of course I'm a return customer so the $20 minimum doesn't apply. I prefer the solder on type of terminal that YNZ sells over the crimp on.

In general, crimp gives mechanical strength and can be soldered for electrical reliability. You can see in Bill's link that the contact has a strain relief crimp for the insulation and a bare wire crimp. This bare wire crimp can be soldered if you wish but is not necessary. Very reliable without solder for automotive use. But it will not "fly".

any wire terminal can be soldered, and in a lot of places should be, but terminals designed for crimping on bare wires work fine, if properly covered with good heat shrink, and mechanically strain relieved as noted, which is usually accomplished by making the crimp catch both bare wire and wire coating, with a long enough 'barrel' or 2 separate crimps - heat shrink tubing adds to the security

Bill