[TR] Soldered Wire Connections in Cars

Jeff Scarbrough fishplate at charter.net
Fri Jul 11 13:33:40 MDT 2008


At 02:01 PM 7/11/2008, Brian.L.Jones at gsk.com wrote:
>I have previously read of this caution, regarding soldered wire
>connections in cars

<snip>


>Is this urban myth, or is there truth to it?

<another snip>

>The protocol for joining wires among the motorcycle
>groups I knew (online and in-person) was to solder and protect with
>heat-shrink wrapping around the joint.

The heat shrink tubing will go a long way toward relieving the strain 
at the joint, preventing the wire from flexing in and around the solder.

Having said that, I'm not sure I see the difference between a 
properly crimped tight joint and a properly soldered joint.  Either 
one will flex where one can least afford it; I suspect it's easier to 
properly crimp a joint rather than solder it, and maybe this is where 
the difference lies.  I have always soldered wires where possible, 
and don't recall any failures.

Back when I was a Schmieraffe, the major German auto maker whose 
vehicles I serviced sent out a wiring repair that consisted of a new 
relay socket and a handful of insulation displacement connectors 
(IDCs, aka ScotchLok).  That was one of the worst ideas ever 
conceived for an automobile...

My advice is either solder or crimp, but make sure you have the 
proper tools for the job.  Hint:  that pressed-steel crimp tool from 
Harbor Freight is not the correct tool...

<http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92410>

These might do for the home mechanic - I'll have to look next time 
I'm by the HF store:

<http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93977>

<http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=97420>

Cheers!




Jeff Scarbrough      75 TR6 x 1, 76 1500 x 2, 78 1500 x 1, 80 1500 x 0.5
http://www.fishplate.org/vehicles/
Athens, Georgia         #354 


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