I'm working on a project car, and I'm doing a wire tuck on the engine harness. For this, I am making my own custom harness. Now, a friend of mine says not to solder the connections, cause it ruins the integrity of the wire, and I say it's better to solder and shrink wrap than it is to use crimp connectors. Can anyone out there back me up??

 

solder and heat shrink always... just use electrical solder and your good. I dont know where hes getting that info from, you have a better chance of bad connections with crimp connectors. plus it just looks better/cleaner

 

it's easier to make a good solder joint than a good crimp, but crimping is better. But I've never had a problem with a wire I've soldered either.

If you're going to crimp, get good crimping tools. I use uninsulated crimps with adhesive lined heat shrink, looks alot cleaner and less bulky.

If you're going to solder, use good heak shrink and make sure the wires are properly supported

 

Crimping is only as good as the supplies and the tools.

Soldering is only as good as the end user.

 

I've seen both processes work very well, and both fail miserably. Do it right or do it twice!

I'm a big fan of soldering, but make sure you have the right soldering equipment, not those cheap $4 soldering irons you find at ACE.

 

Crimping is what most race car guys do with adhesive shrink of good quality. If you are using the crimpers from Ace or Home depot, sears, etc....and connectors from an autoparts store.....Solder it. Crap crimping goods yields crap results.

 

solder/heat shrink>crimping! it looks alot better also..

 

Some factory Honda repairs call for using heat shrink butt connectors!
It's easier to make a good butt connect than a good solder. A bad solder job is worse than a bad butt connector. Like said before..do what you are better At as both can be horrible

 

Slip on a crimp to one end of the wire, the slide a bigger heat shrinking tube on the other end, then solder. Next you slide the crimp over the solder and crimp that then heat the tubing. Best of both worlds!

jk lol, I like soldering more since they're a lot stronger when done right where crimps the wire can be pulled out once in a while

 

I prefer non-insulated crimps + solder, then self adhesive heat shrink.

 

Channel Lock 909 crimpers are the best crimper you can buy imo.

I prefer to solider when at all possible.

 

i say solder...crimping is aight...but solder is better(if you know how...).....

 

Sone one should state that on most aircrafts there is not 1 soldered wire. All they use a crimps and connectors. That alone should tell you something.

For my chassis harness for lights and cluster I soldered, but for my harness that I will take apart I will crimp with my DMC crimpers.

 

show me proof that all aircraft wires uses crimp......

 

Wait a minute, when did I say "ALL" aircrafts?

 

just checking......you worked on aircrafts????

 

Uncle works for Boeing but used to work for another company who built the Bomber jets.

He was under the engineers who basically made the schematics and he built it to there specs. But who cares right?

 

I should also mention that there are connectors that are meant to be heated with a heat gun and have solder in them that allows you to connect the wires without actually using a solder gun.

 

with that...you're using both methods.....best of both worlds.....

 

exactly, but be ready to pay cause those are not cheap.

Plus you have to buy quantity at a time.

 

unless you work somewhere you have acess to them..hehehe....

 

Most airplanes also cost more than the average house, that alone should tell you something. Most high-end electronics, like F22 radar boards, will be soldered. That alone should tell you something.

The backyard mechanic rarely has $100 in crimping tools, or high-end crimp connectors. The average airplane has FAR more wiring than the average car harness, thus time saved with a expensive tools & connectors is money saved.


The problem with soldering is that its more of an art than crimping. Some people are so proud that they can melt metal, they overlook the fact their soldering ability is absolutely abysmal. I've been soldering since I was 10, so I have a slightly skewed perspective. Regardless, a well-soldered joint will always conduct better & be stronger than a good crimp joint.

 

Not trying to be a dick, but do you have any sort of empirical evidence that supports that?

The absolute best connection would be to ultrasonically weld it, but that isn't exactly economical for most people.

Reference SAE 931174

 

a solder joint will fail before a cold crimp.

I do not solder anything on the vehicles I wire.

On a solder joint the wire will break where the solder stops.

 

Crimping is absolutely the best way to make a reliable connection IF the right tools are used and the person doing it does it correctly. That said, most people are better off with a soldered joint with 2 layers of shrink to take any strain off the joint.