Wire harness plugs

[jaydonaldson]

Where do I find male and female plugs for my wires to plug into my harness. Need for my headlights,fan, running and brake lights and many more. Most of my wires need ends. Any help on where to get ends would be appreciated. I have a classic cobra wire harness. Thanks jay

[FWB]

Cole-Hersee makes switches, indicator lamps, connectors...etc


Literature | Cole Hersee - Littelfuse

link to their PDF catalog

[bobcowan]

For places you're not likely to remove often - headlights, tail lamps - solder and shrink wrap. Inexpensive and extremely durable.

For external connections that need to be weather proof, look at Weather-Pack and Deutsch. Those connectors are not cheap, though.

[Luce]

I would advise against soldering unless you make some heroic efforts to strain relieve all of your connections or the constant vibration will work harden and break the copper conductors at the solder boundary.

Weather packs are available through many sources on the web. Just be sure you have the correct and a high quality crimping tool.

I really like these guys... http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/w...c77cd165fc08e6

[jaydonaldson]

Thank you

[bobcowan]

Originally Posted by Luce

I would advise against soldering unless you make some heroic efforts to strain relieve all of your connections or the constant vibration will work harden and break the copper conductors at the solder boundary.

Weather packs are available through many sources on the web. Just be sure you have the correct and a high quality crimping tool.

I really like these guys... Weather Pack Connector Kits Megasquirt Kits / Assembled Engine Management Systems, Wideband o2 Sensor Systems and tuning products - DIYAutoTune.com

I've heard that before about soldering. But I don't really believe it. I'v been doing it for decades and I'v never had a joint failure due to that. I cover them with liquid electrical tape, and then shrink wrap. Maybe that's enough to provide strain relief.

I purchased a Weather Pack kit from DIY. Has all the parts needed for some pretty big jobs. Be sure and get their crimper, too. You get a perfect crimp every time. It's not cheap, but good tools never are.

DIY also built my Megasquirt ECU.

[Jaydee]

Have been involved with light aircraft for a few years, soldering has been discussed many times. If you solder a terminal that goes onto a solid mount, like gauges or whatever, the strain on the solder will eventually crack the joint. Whereas, crimping allows flex, especially with the proper crimper, then the terminal plastic sleeve will support on the wire insulation. But solder joining a wire together, with shrink tubing, then taped to the rest of the wiring, won't crack the solder as there is no stress. If anything, if you crimp it, and moisture gets into, you'll get resistance, overheating etc.
JD

[tirod]

Traditional auto wiring is value engineered. It's good enough to get out the factory gate and 50,000 miles down the road. The connections are all crimped, never soldered. The connections themselves are rated to survive assembly, and weatherpaks are officially rated at ten disconnects. I'd rate them far less, simply because a 15 year old connector usually breaks first.

Deutsch is rated at 100 disconnects.

Nothing about an auto harness is designed to resist corrosion. Atmospheric moisture will condense inside connectors and capillary action will draw it under the insulation down it's complete length. Immersion will total the car. Nobody buys flood cars because of it.

Those of us who drive cars older than 15 years can recite a litany of electrical faults plaguing us. And the rest of us who drive cars will sell, junk, set on fire and roll down a hill a car with intermittent wiring failures. Add EFI to the mix, and things haven't got better, they've gotten worse. We now suffer from a .25VDC volt drop on a 5VDC computer sensor feed - which can substantially alter how the injectors are controlled.

I drive old stuff, a '66 Mustang for 18 years, a '90 Cherokee the last 15. Factory wiring isn't a standard to hold up to, it's one to avoid. It's cheap junk. It's the major reason why owners sell a car and buy new(er.) Which doesn't bother the factories one bit.

[Luce]

Can I get an Amem!

The first little electrical gremlin is when I ditch a car. And yes, here in the Texas heat, connectors crumble at 150K miles. I was poking around under the hood on m y 05 Durango with 155K miles, and the corrugated plastic wire looms turn to dust when you touch them... It runs flawlessly, but it's days with me are numbered for that reason.

I think moisture will be less an issue on a Cobra, but vibration a big one.

[kitcarbp]

I recently used Spectro wire and cable to source many wiring components to install my battery and wire all the exterior lights on the car. Really pleased with quality and its all wholesale pricing. Weather pak pricing like no other I could find. Great service too.

Spectro Wire and Cable: Weather Pak Connectors