How do I crimp a 4 guage wire connector?

[JTang]

Hi everyone,

Any of you who have done this already, I know I shoulda gotten a screw on type terminal connector, but there weren't any readily available, so I'm stuck using a crimp style instead. The connector is really THICK! How did you go about crimping it (will a just a hammer do the trick), and did you have to solder it also? I've had other suggestions to solder with a torch, but I don't have one.
Any ideas?

Jon

 

[rock883]

Maybe a hammer and a screw driver would do the trick. Just sort of put the wire w/the connector on the end on a block of wood, put the screw driver around the metal part and smack the end with a hammer. I had to use a crimp on for my 8-guage (i know its smaller, but I didn't have a crimper for that size) and I just used my crimper tool and used the biggest size on the crimper and just squeezed the handle really hard to get it good and tight. You may also be able to use some type of pliers to do it.

 

[4Wheelin]

For mine I just used pliers to crimp the connector down, it's a pain in the @ss but it works. I had a friend hold the connector and wire together while I squeezed it together.

 

[Ru Dawg]

to do it properly you need a hydraulic crimper....VERY expensive tool! just use some vice-grips and a little elbow grease!

 

[mattadams]

I used 4 guage to run to my fuse block in the back... not sure if this is the best way of doing it, but to crimp it down we of course stripped the wire (not as easy as it sounds, thats tough coating on that thick wire!). Basically we tried to do it the same way that a hydraulic crimper would do it... we use pliers to crimp one side, then we rotated it 90 degrees, crimped again, rotated 45 degrees back, crimped again, then rotated another 90 degrees and crimped again. Then a few final crimps and it's not going anywhere . Basically what it looks like if the degrees confuse you is an octagon of crimps, evening it out so that you don't wreck the connection or the connector.

 

[RFR2212]

I've got a set of nippers..pliers with the cutting portion on the tip, and not on one side...and crush the hell outta it..it works, and unless you're superman, you're not gonna cut through that much metal with those tools.
Pete

 

[JTang]

Thanks to everyone...

Thanks to everyone that replied. It seems like a ton of work, more than I'm willing to do for a stupid wire; since my car'll be in the shop for a few days, I opted to break down and just buy one of those allen screw types via online. They're usually expensive, like $5-$10, but I found them at http://www.tms-electronics.com for $2.50 a piece. Quite a bargain, so it gave me incentive to buy a few other things while I was at it.

Jon

 

[Nowincolor]

Wimp...

 

[JTang]

LOL! Yup, that's me! Heh heh! I'd argue that's it's for the aesthetics, but with the assumption that I'm all thumbs, I'd prolly mess up the same amount of crimp connections it would cost for a crimpless!

 

[FlyingButtmonkey]

I would reccomend getting some bigger crimpers. Go to a electrical supply store and buy some. My brother is a Electritian and has a few pair of them and they only cost like 10 bucks it makes crimping wires a sinch, We have crimped 2 gauge spade conectors several times with ease.

 

[JTang]

FBm-

Dude, I haven't seen you on here in a while, where you been? Okay, I'll check out the Electrical supply store. Someone else was telling me that they cost quite a bit, similar to a big crimping arm and an anvil. I'll look it up, thanks. I figured that if I'm running more power, I'd better put a larger wire to ground the battery as well.

Jon