crimping wiring bullitt male terminals?

[joel]

I have to add some wiring connectors to the harness that runs to the taillights. the 'bullit" on the tail light look like they have been crimped. Is there a tool to do this?

[Lawson Cox]

Yes, but you also want to solder the bullet on.

[joel]

Thanks Lawson. do you know where I could find a crimping tool ? Is it a special tool?

[Cecil/WV]

Forget the crimping tool and solder them on.

[cmbrucew]

Joel
I only soldered mine. I used a hardwood block with three holes drilled about 3/4 inch apart, set Fahnestock connectors in holes, insert wires one at a time into connectors and solder. Hold still until solder turns dull. move on to next one. Heat shrink tubing to finish the job.
Bruce

[corvette8n]

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You can get them in Walmart, Harbor Freight, etc, I crimp first and check out all my connections then go back and solder.

[KiWinUS]

Originally Posted by corvette8n

You can get them in Walmart, Harbor Freight, etc, I crimp first and check out all my connections then go back and solder.

Pure junk......just solder.If you must crimp use Thomas&Betts crimpers only.

[JSeery]

I'm not following this at all, how would you crimp on a bullet connector with one of these type of crimpers? Do not see how that could be accomplished without destroying the bullet at best.

[rotorwrench]

Some of the early terminals were wrapped around a tinned wire end for soldering but most bullet types were just shoved over the wire and insulation then only soldered at the tip. The OEM bullet terminals were tinned soft copper. Those turned brass ones are crap. Some suppliers still have the tinned copper available since those are the best ones to use.

[cmbrucew]

Jerry
I believe they are talking about the ones with the blue plastic insulators.
The Fahnestock connectors are solder only. The Fahnestock Bullet is bigger diameter than the Thomas and Betts insulated connector, so not interchangeable.
C and G early Ford Parts has them in a package of 10 part number B-14486-S.
Bruce

[Ralph Moore]

I've built my entire harness with cloth wiring and old style connectors, and as said don't waste your time crimping the bullets, just solder them. They can be crimped inside the groove, but it takes a special crimp tool, and as said the brass ones are much thicker than original style. I tried using a $300 crimp tool on them and it still did not work right.

[AnthonyG]

I'm guessing there have been enough connection issues with using the bullet connectors as they were designed to just snap together so many have decided to solder them? My '35 was a pretty nice survivor except for paint and interior. I put a fresh engine, trans, clutch, PP, & FW. At the same time I removed all the old harnesses and none of the bullets were soldered. I installed all the new harnesses and the new bullets all snapped into place with the female counter parts. It's been over a year and all are still making good contact with no problems. I'm assuming after reading this thread that others have tried snapping them together as designed and had problems so soldered them? Those who have and decided to solder, how long before the problems develop?

[Lanny]

Originally Posted by AnthonyG

I'm guessing there have been enough connection issues with using the bullet connectors as they were designed to just snap together so many have decided to solder them? My '35 was a pretty nice survivor except for paint and interior. I put a fresh engine, trans, clutch, PP, & FW. At the same time I removed all the old harnesses and none of the bullets were soldered. I installed all the new harnesses and the new bullets all snapped into place with the female counter parts. It's been over a year and all are still making good contact with no problems. I'm assuming after reading this thread that others have tried snapping them together as designed and had problems so soldered them? Those who have and decided to solder, how long before the problems develop?

================================================== ======


hi Anthony, just a note to say that others are talking about soldering the
bullet connector to the wire for the best connection. They would still just
plug the male bullet into the female counterpart. No solder needed there.









.

[JSeery]

Just pulled out some original wire harnesses and they are crimped and then soldered from the hole in the tip. So both crimped and soldered. Looks like the way to go, but would think just solder would work fine if done in moderation. The crimps are small depressions on each side of the neck of the bullet across from each other.

[Mart]

I made a pair of bullet crimpers by taking a large pair of pliers and welding two pieces of metal into the jaws, drilling from each side to leave about a 3/32 piece in the middle and then filing the remainder into a small hexagon. The handles are long and I can get good leverage. It might be possible to do the same with some vise grip type pliers to get the required leverage without having to be too long.

Mart.

[tiger.1000]

There you go lads. Mart has a solution once more

[Jim in Wisconsin]

In my working career, I maintained a fleet of electric lift trucks so I dealt with d.c. connections a lot. A good crimp is a better connection than a solder joint if the lug is desiged for that. If a wire is a loose fit in a lug and the gap is filled with solder, that would not be considered a good connection, and letting the solder wick up into the wire is also not good.
If these bullet connectors aren't designed to be crimped, then solder is the only alternative. Copper conducts electricity better than lead (or tin or whatever modern solder is made of).
If the wire was a loose fit in the lug I needed to use, I would sometimes strip the wire twice as long and double it over to make a tight fit and a better crimp.

[Cecil/WV]

I have had many crimped joints pull apart and have never, ever had a properly soldered joint pull apart!

[BILL WZOREK]

Originally Posted by Mart

I made a pair of bullet crimpers by taking a large pair of pliers and welding two pieces of metal into the jaws, drilling from each side to leave about a 3/32 piece in the middle and then filing the remainder into a small hexagon. The handles are long and I can get good leverage. It might be possible to do the same with some vise grip type pliers to get the required leverage without having to be too long.

Mart.

Morning Mart:

You know / No Pictures = DIDN'T HAPPEN <<

Can we please see what you made .

[Kube]

Originally Posted by JSeery

I'm not following this at all, how would you crimp on a bullet connector with one of these type of crimpers? Do not see how that could be accomplished without destroying the bullet at best.

This type should be soldered only.

[joel]

I want to thank everyone for their responses. Marts tool idea is good , but I would probably solder them anyway. I was thinking solder in the first place, but figured I should ask, just in case there was something easier. There are many who have done it ,so I'm going to tin the leads and solder the bullits on . Once more , Thanks to all.

[rotorwrench]

[QUOTE=Jim in Wisconsin;1023453]In my working career, I maintained a fleet of electric lift trucks so I dealt with d.c. connections a lot. A good crimp is a better connection than a solder joint if the lug is desiged for that. If a wire is a loose fit in a lug and the gap is filled with solder, that would not be considered a good connection, and letting the solder wick up into the wire is also not good.

I work with crimp type almost exclusively in aviation so I know where you're coming from. A wire really has to be tinned prior to soldering or it can get contaminated. Soldered connections can get brittle & break easier when they are under vibration or stress loading so they aren't used much in aviation but there are always exceptions.

I have a pair of crimpers that my Pop purchased in a terminal set back in the early 60s when crimp types were still crimped bare and then heat shrink wrapped to finish. Those crimpers have a little concave shaped into one jaw and pointed end on the other jaw. They leave a pretty deep depression in the terminal if you crimp them too hard. They will work better if a person partially crimps one side then flips the tool over and crimps again from the other side. The OEM tool may have just had a concave shape with a small point on each jaw but it is not so easy to crimp a cylindrical shaped terminal and keep the tool centered properly unless it was shaped that way. Crimping the neck of the bullet always deforms them too so a person has to have a happy medium there to get successful results. Soldering the bullet tip would leave the terminal in much better shape as long as minmal solder was used so as just to get an acceptable joint with no cold solder.

[satelite]

I solder all of mine. I learned the hard way on my first Model A. The 2nd Model A I owned had every connection soldered and I never had a problem with it.
Don in SC

[G.M.]

There are special crimpers for the bullets. I have several that I had for years. These have plier type handles, there is an open circle in the middle of the complete round end. There are 3 or 4 little sliders that move into the center of the hole when squeezed. The wire is striped inserted in the bullet with the stripped end sticking out the end of the bullet about 1/8". The bullet is inserted into the round hole in the crimper and the sliders line up un the groove right behind the bullet end. As you squeeze the handles the siders move in and crimp the connecter to the wire. I always solder the wire end with small diameter solder and trim the end with a sharp cutter.
G.M.

[V12Bill]

Originally Posted by Cecil/WV

I have had many crimped joints pull apart and have never, ever had a properly soldered joint pull apart!

I have salvagead many bullit connectors from old harnesses. All were soldered and I put the wire in a vise, heated the solder and pried the bullit off with wire cutters. When reinstalled, I soldered them on. When I put the bullit connectors in the connecting tube, I use channel lock pliers to grip the base of both bullit connectors and force them into the tube. Most of my problems were because the bullit connectors were not deep enough into the tube connectors.

[rotorwrench]

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Originally Posted by G.M.

There are special crimpers for the bullets. I have several that I had for years. These have plier type handles, there is an open circle in the middle of the complete round end. There are 3 or 4 little sliders that move into the center of the hole when squeezed. The wire is striped inserted in the bullet with the stripped end sticking out the end of the bullet about 1/8". The bullet is inserted into the round hole in the crimper and the sliders line up un the groove right behind the bullet end. As you squeeze the handles the siders move in and crimp the connecter to the wire. I always solder the wire end with small diameter solder and trim the end with a sharp cutter.
G.M.

Those crimpers are described to be similar to Daniels Manufacturing crimpers. I have several sets of them with different dies & positioners. They are generally a 4-way crimper and have a variety of position tools for different pin sizes & types like are used in Cannon plugs for aircraft & military equipment. Thes types are getting to be very expensive now days.