The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Wire Crimper

I bought a nice wire crimper last week. I am about to order and install all new wiring in my 1965 C10 (AAW Classic Update Kit). This wire crimper comes in several different packaging options. Some have 5 crimping dies and mine has 7 dies. It was only $7 more for the extra 2 dies. I think this will be the only wire crimper I will ever need.

Wire crimper - ratcheting style

Link to all the photos in my Photobucket album HERE.

I have the same one, actually, 2 of them. One to keep at home, the other for work.

So where did you get it? I have one just like it, but no extra dies. Mine just uses the red/blue/yellow. It was a HF special, but I like it alot. I can see the need for other dies. I have not heard of the ability to adjust tension, so I will learn something new too.

My friend had model 18920 which has 5 dies. I looked for the same 18920 on eBay and found that they sell the 18960 which has 7 dies for only a few dollars more.
Here are a few pics of the adjustment wheel.

Wheel location

[size:11pt]Close up of adjustment wheel.[/size]

Cool tool! But I don't think that I can wait until Father's Day for it.

As much as I don't like crimp on connectors, I end up using them anyway for shop stuff. I never understood how one of those really thin crimpers were sufficient for crimping those connectors. I guess if you crimp them a few times in different places.

This tool is wide and crimps everything very securely. Its ratcheting action stops in just the right place. The handles feel comfortable too. Lugnutz, it looks like you just loosen the phillips head screw enough to lift the wheel and put it in the next hole. My HF special doesn't have that, but works great anyway.

I have a half a dozen crimpers that I bought from Del City many years ago.

http://www.delcity.net/store/Ratchet!Style-Crimping-Tools/p_10382

If I were the only one using them, I would probably consider a crimper with changeable dies, but the dies would get lost around our shop pretty quickly. For repairing engine harnesses, bulkhead connectors and weatherproof connectors, crimping is the only option and it takes the correct crimper for the type of connector as well as wire gauge. I used crimpers a lot back in the early 90's when I retrofitted trucks that were born with mechanical engines with electronic N14 engines. When you use the proper crimper for the terminal, you don't worry about tension. With the proper ratcheting crimper, you just squeeze as far as it goes and you will have the proper crimp. We always do the "tug test" just to make sure.

I contacted the company that made my new crimper. I asked for instruction sheets. They replied within 24 hrs. I was impressed. Then very disappointed with their reply. They showed me a link to a very poorly made video made by them. The video showed 2 different tools in use. That was it. I already knew that you put the end of the wire into the connector and squeeze. A moron would know more than they explained on the video. So, they need to hire a new man for their public relations position. I guess I'll just figure out the details by trial and error.

I think I saw a good instructional wire crimping video on American AutoWire web site at one time. Take a look.

I agree. They have good customer support. I've seen that video.

As an old Air Force technician, I got in the habit of soldering the ends before crimping them. I also use heat shrink tubing alot. HF has tons of that stuff in colors, longer lengths, etc. It is a great tool!

Another issue I am resolving just now is stripping and crimping spark plug wires. I am seeing in forums and how-to's everywhere that you just purchase the tool. Its another crimper/stripper, but
specialized for that purpose. I gotta get a bigger toolbox, or just break down and do what John did and get cabinets!

Deve, Not bragging here, but this crimper tool says on the box label for die #18929 "For 8mm and 8.5mm spiral core spark plug wire. Strips the insulation, crimps the spiral core to the spark plug terminal, and crimps the terminal to the spark plug wire insulation."

You would not need another tool, just this one. Look for the Master set which has even more dies.

I have well over $1,000 worth of 3M crimpers that I purchased from Del City as I needed them. It looks like this little gadget is capable of making all the crimps I am capable of doing. The only difference is that I can just grab the correct crimper and make the crimp and don't worry about any setup time. If I were doing an occasional crimp as a hobby, I would certainly get one of these crimpers. I still use old Packard 440 and don't worry about the neighbor's TV set. It strips with just about any stripper.

I have a one of those style crimpers and it does a good job.
I have soldered the connections but in recent years I have stopped doing this, I've found that the flux in the solder must cause some long term corrosion issues and the connections seem to deteriorate with time.

Interesting. One of those cases where you think you are doing a better job and maybe you are not. I can see flux being a problem over time. Another opportunity to do research! Goody!