Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Tool...

http://www.gsparkplug.com/durite-crimpi ... 04-50.html



You can get the crimping tool a damn sight cheaper than ?48..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/High-Quality ... SwMVdYGh0t

and then this can be modded to give a much better crimp..

John

I bought one of those cheap crimping tools and tried it, then binned it! I then bought a proper one that crimps the neck of the bullet into a hexagonal shape as per the original crimps. The ones that just crimp the two sides deform the bullet and can over crimp them causing cracks. The proper ones are hard to find and expensive, but at the end of the job you could always sell it on. I got mine off a stand at the classic car show, it was his last one, he had been doing a good trade in them

Thanks for the link to the bullets with the smaller bore, 100 ordered!

...as I said..

and then this can be modded to give a much better crimp..

John

Just grind the head of one of the rivets,pop it out , don't loose the spacer , grind a SMALL knotch into the flattened areas,,,little at a time,,,,, too much and it's in the bin , replace the spacer , test , re-assemble with a few centre-punches to hold the rivet in place.

Old crimp II new crimp {} sort off..

John

Thus..





Now I've got to get back in the shed Morris is waiting for me...

John

JonB wrote:I'll have to look up to see how the crimping tool works with those, John. Too used to spade connectors.

Edit: Found this. The item has a good picture that shows the tool and crimp result.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321134873420

Jon

Yes, the crimp should be spelt c r a p not c r i m p...read on..

John

What is the general opinion on this style? Better/worse than the crimpers in the links above?

http://www.britishwiring.com/Ratchet-St ... p/tt85.htm

snowyelan wrote:What is the general opinion on this style? Better/worse than the crimpers in the links above?

http://www.britishwiring.com/Ratchet-St ... p/tt85.htm

The hexagonal crimping tool appears to be the best, but it is expensive. If in doubt, crimp then solder. Looking at my loom, that's what was done when it was made.

snowyelan wrote:What is the general opinion on this style? Better/worse than the crimpers in the links above?

http://www.britishwiring.com/Ratchet-St ... p/tt85.htm

Looks better , depends on the size of the Hex.

John

The crimp, solder, crimp then solder debate has gone on for ages. What it all boils down to is no mater what you decide to do, do your homework and do it right and any of the three will produce a reliable connection. Doing your rewire right is just as important as any other thing you've tackled on your car and the details count.

With a properly crimped connection (right connector for the wire, crimped with the correct tool), the wire will break before the crimped connection fails during a pull test and it will break somewhere other than the crimped connection. This is a quality control test required during production runs of some aircraft wiring harnesses. I was skeptical going into my first test, but that was the normal test result.

The same goes for a properly soldered connector. Same pull test same results.

The problem is that it is considerably harder for the average, untrained person to properly perform the solder connection and get satisfactory results than it is for the same person performing the crimping operation. There are more variables in the solder job that you have to be aware of and control. This is not just a heat the connection and glob on the solder. A bad soldered connection will be just as bad as a bad crimped connection and maybe harder to find later.

If you are in doubt about your crimp connection, fix that process. Don't compound your problem by adding solder.

That's JMHO from experience in the aircraft wiring business and on my own projects.

I proposed crimp then solder as a sort of belt and braces approach to the problem, and because it appeared to me that the Lotus loom on my Plus 2 has soldered bullets. Fortunately I have a semi professional soldering station (Hakko FX-888D) and enough experience to use it. I can certainly spot a bad joint!

On the subject of doing one's homework, I agree entirely. Apart from the situation whereby you ask a simple question and get a bunch of different opinions. Or doing an Internet search and having to look at all X hundred thousand results. Where do you stop? Life is too short to wade through that quagmire, trust me!

It was just a heads up. I wasn't trying to lecture, even if it looked that way. The biggest problem isn't usually "a bad joint", but solder wicking up the wire under the insulation causing a failure point no readily visible. The use of Anti Wicking Tweezers or a clip on heat sink will prevent it from happening and protect the insulation at the same time. I'll go away now....

No, no, Bud, that's fine.

Good point about the solder wicking. I'd clean forgotten about that!

soldered wires are often a source of problem in applications with vibrations, the reduced flexibility of the wire at the end of the solder resulting in localized mechanical constraints which hasten failure : the bullets I used have a hole at the tip, and if I feel the crimping might be dubious I push the wire through and add solder only at the tip, making sure there is not enough to go to through pass the crimping zone (then cut off the wire flush at the end of the tip).

So, if one wasn't too fussed about originality in a new loom, what would be the connectors of choice for reliability in the cabin? I fancy using the waterproof Superseal ones in the engine bay.

I am using them under the bonnet where I have made up a custom harness, but I need to use the bullet connectors where this harness interfaces with the dashboard harness.