Im tired of my spliced wires coming apart. Where can I get a soldering iron (gun, whatever its called) so that this wont happen, or is there another way to join the wires other than the electrical tape method Ive been using?? TIA

Toney
'97 RS 5 Speed (totaled)
15.4606@88.42 Mph
96 Toyota Celica GT
88 Toyota Supra NA-T (w/ sports package)
Got Boost?? Hell yeah I-6 turbo powah baby!

I saw an inexpensive one at Wal-Mart for like $5. I think Radio Shack and other places should have better ones as well.

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Black 96 GS

-Manny

man...you gotta get these things. i just discovered them recently and they work great. theyre called connectors or something. you twist your wire together right...then you just screw this plastic cap over it. the cap is lined with metal, kinda looks like a weird nut or something...its almost cone shaped...about half inch tall, quarter inch in diameter at the bottom...hollowed out and threaded...i was like whoa i am never using twisting and electrical tape again!

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Soldering is a great skill to have! You will be surprised how many projects that will become handy once you learn.

You gotta use the right tool for the right job. If your putting wires together solder em!


John

LOLOL, it's like you guys just discovered aliens by finding out there are crimp connectors lol.

yes, i realize this was back in '02, but still.

Soldering is the best, but you can also use those twist connectors. They are shaped like a cone, and you put the wires into it from the bottom, then twist the whole thing, and it holds the wires together real well. There are also butt connectors that you can crimp, but you need the right gauge connector depending on the gauge of wire you are using.

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2004 WRX - WR Blue Pearl
1997 Eclipse GS - Royal Sapphire Pearl

if you are going to buy a soldering iron... spend some cash and get a good one. The cheap ones take 9 years to heat up and they generally piss me off. Also buy electrical solder as small of diameter as you can get. The thick stuff does NOT work at all.

Tim
trwebb26@yahoo.com
White 1999 GS - Manual Tranny
Mods: B&M Shifter, Symbroski Shifter Kit, RRE SS Clutch Line, AEM Short Ram Intake, Clear Side Markers, GS

Yep soldering is the best electrical connection, but you can also use things called T-taps. Basicly, its a crimp on connector that you put over the wire, crimp the two halves shut, then use a male spade connector and plug into the t-tap. There are 3 basic colors used for different guage wire. I use them alot, and as long as you use the proper color, it will be a fine substitute for soldering. You can use butt- connectors, but i personally don't like cutting any wire in half that i don't have to...

13.5 @108 MPH-2.2 60ft(stupid FWD!)
S16G @ 18 PSI/FMIC/Running on MegaSquirt II (Now with sequential
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-1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS-T- "Toy"
-1992 Plymouth Laser Turbo AWD(SOLD)
-2000 Honda CR-V(daily)

i use these little clear things with metal inside it. kinda hard to explain. they kinda are like the screw on things you guys were talking about. you twist the wires together and push it all the way in and then you crimp it with a crimper

ive used about all of the other things before.

well i bought some of the little colored connectors you guys told me about. Ill install them this weekend, cuz when I was splicing into one of my rear speaker wires I cut one of the wires in half and now they are slipping apart and the speaker started to crackle. So now Im riding around with the sound coming from one side.

Toney
'97 RS 5 Speed (totaled)
15.4606@88.42 Mph
96 Toyota Celica GT
88 Toyota Supra NA-T (w/ sports package)
Got Boost?? Hell yeah I-6 turbo powah baby!

Wish I was home right now, could hook you up, I have a small arsenal of crimp caps and connectors.

OMG learn to solder guys!

it's really not that hard. your electrical connections will be 1000x better. do you know how much of a PITA it is to track down an electrical problem when one've your little twisty things fell off? also depending on how permanent an install is going to be, it's better to solder just for the sake of keeping your wires neat. i usually only use some type of plastic connector or tap as a temporary connection if i'm not sure I want to keep something a certain way. once i'm set on how i want something wired i go back and solder and wrap everything. nice and clean.

btw anyone tried those new 'cold heat' soldering irons? the ones that're supposed to heat up in a split second and cool down just as fast. it looked neat and VERY useful but i'm curious how well it works.

-marc

Why are we bring posts back from 3 years ago?

97 RS- Runs, but never driven
2000 Subaru Outback- Daily Driver

I have a cold heat iron. They suck for anything other than quick-and-dirty SMD rework. You can't get much heat out of 4 AA batteries. Stick to a good Weller or Pace iron.

2016 WRX STi Limited (current)
2001 A4 1.8tqms (donated)
1991 GVR4 #1933 (sold)
old.dsmregistry.com/detail.php?carid=218 (dismantled)

Im reading through this post and Im beating myself silly. You cant tell me some of you guys are actually using wire caps. What are you installin a freakin ceiling fan in your car!! You dont use those. By far the best way to connect 2 wires if needed, is by soldering it. There are some occasions soldering is virtually impossible. This where you use crimp connectors or spade connectors. Please dont twist 2 wires together, then wrap them with tape. Thats just abusing your car. If you do, I would suggest in buying a fire extinguisher, a big one.

-marc

i was taught to use those insulated butt connectors at an early age. thats all my dad ever used. i have used them up untill about 2 months ago...then i decided to switch. when im making a connection between 2 wires, i now opt for the UN insulated (no plastic) butt connectors with the solder holes in the middle. i have found that if you use the insulated butt connectors, you sometimes tend to not crimp as well because you cant really see how well your doing. in all actuality, you just smoosh everything pretty much flat...with is not all that great. but with un-insulated connectors, you can crimp much tighter (i prefer to roll crimp mine) and solder it so its definately in there. a bit overkill, but its worth it to do it once. then just use some electrical tape or heat shrink tubing...whatever is appropriate. i just really got into soldering...and ill never go w/o it again.


on splices (one wire off an existing line) i use those light blue box looking connectors. it has a gillotine (sp) type peice. you run the existing wire through the front side, put in your splice wire, crunch everything down and it completes the circuit. im lazy when it comes to splices. i HATE cutting out those little chunks of insulation.

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2011 Nissan Xterra Pro-4x

2007 Kawasaki Ninja 650R

1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS-NX 75 shot, AEM CAI, P&P t/b and intake mani-SOLD

1964 Buick Electra 225-all original, all power options, 325hp, 445ft/lbs tq

i have one also, commercial looks real enticing, but yes it sux real bad. Makes sum really really ugly solders, wish i could do it like the guy on the commercial, lol. My favorite brands are weller and craftsman myself. Can find both at sears.