I have been stocking my brain up with infomation on car audio installation to get ready for a relatively large project I have planned for my CRX. My question is, what are some tools nessary for my systems wiring and electrical connections to be done correctly and cleanly? I searched and came up with this thread https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=403322. I do realize you can never have to many tools, and I already have ratchets, screwdrivers, drills, wrenches, ect, i was just wondering about stuff like wire cutters, crimpers, ect. thanks

 

As was stated in the link, there are many tools you can use, but not all are needed

For car audio/security/video installing there are some basic tools you need...

1- A good multimeter, [DVM], $20 will get you one that works, $100 will get you a good one, $300 will get you a real good one, a good meter will have a lot of other uses for your car troubleshooting.

2- A good solder station/pencil and soldering gun.

3- A good combination crimper/stripper/cutter, this is the one I use... http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog...talog

4- An assortment of side cutters, like this for cables... http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog...talog and this for other things... http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog...talog

5- A pick set... http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog...talog

6- A "panel popper".

And the list goes on 94

 

A "wire grabber"

Cordless drill with screwdriver and socket adapters

A razor blade

Unibits, one with a long extension

Holesaws

I like the Channel Lock 909 crimpers/cutters

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fcm &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> As was stated in the link, there are many tools you can use, but not all are needed

For car audio/security/video installing there are some basic tools you need...

1- A good multimeter, [DVM], $20 will get you one that works, $100 will get you a good one, $300 will get you a real good one, a good meter will have a lot of other uses for your car troubleshooting.

2- A good solder station/pencil and soldering gun.

3- A good combination crimper/stripper/cutter, this is the one I use... http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog...talog

4- An assortment of side cutters, like this for cables... http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog...talog and this for other things... http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog...talog

5- A pick set... http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog...talog

6- A "panel popper".

And the list goes on 94</TD></TR></TABLE>

what would you use picks for? thanks for the reply

 

 

101 things, you will know when you need one and don't have them. 94

 

Window crank removal tool, Large Torx bits (for seatbelts etc), and my personal favorite, although I lost mine months ago (waiting to see if Santa brought me a new one), Sears Cotter Key Extractor tool. It's like a large pick, but it's great for bending tabs on deck mounting cages...



And FCM, you really use a stripper/crimper like that one? I had one when I first started, but tossed it soon after in favor of these:


and


Klein 1005 cutter/crimper for me... Cutter at the tip and good crimps every time. Lots of leverage with that guy.

 

I can't believe no one recommended a bfh

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A "wire grabber"</TD></TR></TABLE>

??? Explain???


And on the subject of cordless drills, I love my 9.6v DeWalt... When I first started installing, the other guys laughed at my tiny drill/driver, but I was laughing when I didn't have to stop and take a break when working upside down or laying in a trunk installing rear speakers or what not because I wasn't fighting to hold up a 7 pound 18v or higher drill... It works fine for most applications... And if it didn't, I'd break out the air drill...

 

go ahead and make fun of me, but what do you use a crimper for again?

 

for connecting like butt connectors and bullet connectors onto wire.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by turtleman321 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">for connecting like butt connectors and bullet connectors onto wire.</TD></TR></TABLE>
\
hmm that probably works better than my hammer method. ehh
thanks for all the input people

 

I have the Klein, the Snap On one is the one I have been using for 30 years, [well not the same one, it's been replaced 3 times] and like yours it has the "needle nose" tip, diff. gauge strippers and a wire cutter on the jaws the crimper is behind the pivot, and has two sizes of "D" crimps, a double "D" crimp and an insulation crimp, I actually had the Klein before the Snap On ones, but use it much less. 94

 

I don't know what the real name for a wire grabber is because none of us use it for it's intented purpose. It's difficult to describe, but it's a spring loaded reaching tool. You push on the little handle on one end, the other end has these four little fingers that extend and retract. The center portion is long and flexibile. Basically you use it to pull wire through grommets in the firewall or fish it under carpet.

Seriously, I could go through a whole day using only an angle pick, some small cutters, and a soldering iron. A pick has a billion uses, especially for pulling aftermarket stereos.

I don't have either of those crimping tools in my toolbox. We never use butt connectors at Circuit City. I just use my channel locks which are a lot like his Klein 1005 for ring terminals when grounding amps.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It's difficult to describe, but it's a spring loaded reaching tool. You push on the little handle on one end, the other end has these four little fingers that extend and retract. The center portion is long and flexibile. Basically you use it to pull wire through grommets in the firewall or fish it under carpet.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ohhhh!! Gotcha... I always thought that was for grabbing screws that you dropped on the ground..

As for getting wires through the firewall, I use my trusty Chrysler antenna with the ball end cut off and ground to a slight point. Tape the wires to it and push/pull it through.

 

Ahhh the trusty broken car ant. I have a try full of solid masts, [diff. lengths and "shapes"] and just as many of the "hollow" tube, telescopic ant, [in diff. diameters and lengths] need a hole in an existing rubber/plastic dummy grommet, sharpen the hole at one end of a hollow tube ant, insert other end into a cordless drill, instant hole saw, leave the unsharpened end alone, [the rolled over part that the smaller stage comes out of] and it can be used to push through, [along side the wires] of an existing fire wall harness/grommet without damage to the wires, do it from the engine bay , then insert wire(s) into tube from inside as far as you can, then pull tube out, bingo, wires run into engine bay without having to cut a grommet, damage wiring, or drill new holes.

Just a couple of the 101 uses of of the broken car ant. 94

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by suspendedHatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't know what the real name for a wire grabber is because none of us use it for it's intented purpose. It's difficult to describe, but it's a spring loaded reaching tool. You push on the little handle on one end, the other end has these four little fingers that extend and retract. The center portion is long and flexibile. Basically you use it to pull wire through grommets in the firewall or fish it under carpet.

Seriously, I could go through a whole day using only an angle pick, some small cutters, and a soldering iron. A pick has a billion uses, especially for pulling aftermarket stereos.

I don't have either of those crimping tools in my toolbox. We never use butt connectors at Circuit City. I just use my channel locks which are a lot like his Klein 1005 for ring terminals when grounding amps.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Circuit City installers Unite

 

Hell anyone who installs the gear period. Add to that list the nylon dash/pry tools
(soft med and hard)...basically a requirement now if you work on cars and remove a lot of 'sensitive' dash pices/panels. They dont scratch or mar the car like a metal tool can.