# Wiring repairs



## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

I am sometimes disappointed with wiring repairs that do not hold up on trucks and trailers. A trailer I bought about 6 years ago needed completely re rewired due to clip on devices and crimp on solderless connectors that just did not hold up and I'd be the first to admit sometimes our crimp solderless connectors that we install do not last as long as they should. I have already used orange wire nuts with a dab of RV in them and I think it holds up better than solderless list connectors. I am wondering what type of wiring connectors for trucks and trailers you use and the tools to install them


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## pede58 (Oct 27, 2015)

I use nothing but crimp/solder/seal connectors from Fastenal, you may chock on the price but they're permanent, they come in eye and butt. I also try to run every thing in plastic loom and use insulated mounts.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

For T connections I remove some of the insulation, wrap the other wire around it, solder, heatshrink, then smear the whole thing in a few coats of silicone.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

endrow said:


> I am sometimes disappointed with wiring repairs that do not hold up on trucks and trailers. A trailer I bought about 6 years ago needed completely re rewired due to clip on devices and crimp on solderless connectors that just did not hold up and I'd be the first to admit sometimes our crimp solderless connectors that we install do not last as long as they should. I have already used orange wire nuts with a dab of RV in them and I think it holds up better than solderless list connectors. I am wondering what type of wiring connectors for trucks and trailers you use and the tools to install them


Ifn I had time, I'd share a few tips.....but I ain't got time this am, but will respond a bit later.....it probably comes down to using the wrong connector (or type) and/or the wrong crimpers and/or using the crimpers wrong. Not to worry, it's something that happens more often than using them correctly....
I use Panduit connectors, rarely solder anymore...rarely use heat shrink any longer, depends on the usage.


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## ozarkian (Dec 11, 2010)

I'm old school. I solder and heat shrink everything. Working on my goose neck trailer right now with corroded wire and bad "short cut connectors". I will never understand why trailer makers seem to go the cheap route when it comes to trailer wiring. Wiring is one of the most critical parts in a trailer.

Sometimes I think it's cheaper to re-wire the entire trailer than to constantly fight the never ending problems.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I agree, but most of the better trailers use a molded harness nowadays that is much better than the old "hard/hand wired" connection....


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## HayMike (Mar 22, 2011)

Crimp, solder and seal from DelCity, decent prices, work great.


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## NewBerlinBaler (May 30, 2011)

As ozarkian mentioned above, those cheap multi-tools that strip wire, crimp terminals and cut small machine screws are worthless for crimping. If you want a solderless terminal to hold, you need to use a crimper like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Betts-WT111M-Insulated-Terminals/dp/B0018LD2PU/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1502930481&sr=8-7&keywords=Thomas+%26+Betts

Kline Tools also sells a high quality crimper.

Another common mistake people make when using solderless terminals is using a terminal that's too big for the wire gage. The stripped wire should just barely fit into the terminal. I use the red & blue terminals mostly and almost never use the yellow ones.

I have a 12,000 lb, 20-foot flat bed trailer that I had to completely re-wire shortly after I bought it. I'm talking from the tow vehicle connector back to the tail lights. After I did that, it hasn't given me any trouble - and that was 14 years ago. I remember at the time being pissed-off that I needed to re-wire a new trailer and a co-worker cheered me up. He said: "they did an excellent job on the welding but screwed up the wiring. The wiring can be fixed, the welding can't."


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

somedevildawg said:


> Ifn I had time, I'd share a few tips.....but I ain't got time this am, but will respond a bit later.....it probably comes down to using the wrong connector (or type) and/or the wrong crimpers and/or using the crimpers wrong. Not to worry, it's something that happens more often than using them correctly....
> I use Panduit connectors, rarely solder anymore...rarely use heat shrink any longer, depends on the usage.


Theres something I haven't heard in awhile, Dad did accidentally bring a Panduit tool home for cinching those big zip straps, mighty handy as it cuts the extra off in the process.


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## pede58 (Oct 27, 2015)

I use the Klein crimpers, highly recommended, also have a specialty crimper I found in a box of stuff I bought from the government that does a correct crimp if you know how to set it. Now they just to come up with a descent 4flat plug.


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

You can get those crimping pliers from Harbor Freight for a fraction of that cost! Get your connectors from Fastenall! Or beware! Most all others dont fit the wires very well and could slip off even when you think the crimp is perfect, if the terminal metal is paper thin it just doesnt hold the crimp. 
Also a big no no, soldering a wire splice on mobile equipment!
Solder components only never wire splices or terminals! 
This was straight from a Delco Delphi engineer .


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Has anyone found a complete LED wiring harness for a typical single axle trailer that includes front and rear running lights? 
I have only found ones for taillight, turn signals.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Agreed, those multipurpose pliers are crap for crimping. Those wire strippers that just pull the insulation off are crap as well. I leave those out in the farm toolbox for the "help" (Dad). My good ones are locked in my toolbox.

I have the Mac master crimp set, anything from doing those itty bitty Amp pins and sockets up to spark plug wires.

My preferred wire stripper:

https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-11063W-Katapult-Stripper/dp/B00BC39YFQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1502985803&sr=1-6&keywords=wire+stripper

Preferred crimp tool if not using the Mac:

https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-Insulated-Non-Insulated-Terminals/dp/B0006M6Y5M/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1502985884&sr=1-1&keywords=Klein+wire+crimper

You can buy your stuff from harbor freight if you want, it's your knuckles after all.


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

I will on some things! Mac tools has some good things and some real crap! As does the others as well.. I make my money turning them EVERYday! There is no substitute for a quality tool, and yes, I too have all the crimping tools from Mac and Snap-On and Harbor Freight/Eclipse for flag terminals. I worked for GM as a Field Service Engineer for many years and accumulated experience using many special wiring tools from Delco/Delphi NOTHING COMPAIRS to these for terminal crimpers! Amazing. 
I now work in a manufacturing environment(less stress and people to deal with).
Big difference in how wiring is done..Mobil equipment requires flexibility and vibration resistance but at a limited life span. Industrial application is the same but designed for a longer service life..WAY LONGER... Soldering spliced wires in both cases is a major no no! It forms a stress point at the ends of the solder joint that will fail pre maturely on stranded wire. Also the solder will melt and fail under high current and actually blow out potentially causing more damage.
When making a slice it is better to use a crimp connector than solder and if "tapping into" a wire strip back carefully and remove a small section of insulation and seperate the wirestrands equally to form a keyhole, insert your stripped back long enough to wrap around twice to constrict the split strands and then wrap at least 4 rotations around tap base. Pull tap wire to tighten spice/tap to firm a tee. Wrap qith quality tape or coat with liquid tape.
Soldering should only be done on low current applications like a circuit board.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I've yet to have the issue with terminals or other solder joints breaking at the end of the solder, but I always fasten those or only do it in a terminal box.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

mlappin said:


> I've yet to have the issue with terminals or other solder joints breaking at the end of the solder, but I always fasten those or only do it in a terminal box.


Yeah, I've done mostly soldered joints with shrink tubing for years, and haven't had any issues like that...

If your wires are flopping around everywhere THAT bad, OF COURSE they're going to break, solder or no solder...

Oh well... there's "how the book says to do it" and "how it's usually done in real life"... LOL I once read a NASA study on bolt torquing and that was funny as heck too...

Later! OL J R


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

All my tail light connections are soldered and heat shrunk where the pigtails meet the truck harness, like I said, need to fasten everything. Especially here if they aren't fastened well 10 pounds of frozen slush from the road are going to pull em loose anyways.


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## shortrow2 (Sep 25, 2017)

Scotchlok connectors hold up well, filled with dielectric grease. Not cheap, but time isn't free.


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## labdwakin (Jun 21, 2016)

Just a few thoughts from an old telephone switch builder that has probably crimped enough terminals/lugs and splices in his life to completely wire over 100 new cars...

1. theres a product called "no-ox-id-a" that when properly used prevents corrosion that is promoted when you have two different alloys mated together that carry an electrical current. You cover all mating surfaces with a thin film (not really visible but you can feel it if you run your bare finger over it then rub your fingers together).

2. crimp style connectors are just fine when you use the right crimper and the right size of barrel on your terminal or splice for your wire size. A little dab of no-ox on the bare wire before crimping will help prevent corrosion and water invasion. I don't have a chart handy that delineates the color code, but all insulated connectors are color keyed to a certain size range of copper wire. BE ADVISED: when dealing with larger cables such as 1/0 or 4/0 for batteries, the lugs for heavy stranded rigid cable have smaller barrels than the lugs for "flex" cable which is supposed to carry the same current but is more flexible and has myriad tiny wires in it.

3. When wiring for hard use, (ie. trailers, dump trucks, tractors, farm trucks etc.) you should protect the wire at any rub point with something like the plastic wire sock, no-mex paper wrapped and secured in place, or in an emergency at least 3 layers of electrical tape. Another option i've found effective is if the wire is passing through a hole, it takes some effort, but 3M makes a rubber tape that is moldable and you can force it into the hole and will prevent the wires from moving around and wearing the insulation off.

4. LEAVE A SERVICE LOOP IN ANY WIRE YOU PUT IN. In the event that a connector goes bad (which even the most meticulous of us will have happen at some point) you need to be able to cut back to clean copper so you get the best connection possible.

5. Everything I've said here may be totally irrelevant to 90 percent of you because you really don't mind having to mess with wiring over and over again. I'm just of the mindset that if I can make it forgettable for the next 15 years, I'd really like to, I have enough to think about. LOL


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

labdwakin said:


> Just a few thoughts from an old telephone switch builder that has probably crimped enough terminals/lugs and splices in his life to completely wire over 100 new cars...


Just curious--where did you build switches? I worked for GTE 10 years in Northlake building central office equipment.

Ralph


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## labdwakin (Jun 21, 2016)

rjmoses said:


> Just curious--where did you build switches? I worked for GTE 10 years in Northlake building central office equipment.
> 
> Ralph





rjmoses said:


> Just curious--where did you build switches? I worked for GTE 10 years in Northlake building central office equipment.
> 
> Ralph


well, I built switches for a lot of different vendors and customers in every state EXCEPT: Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Hawaii and Alaska.

By the time I was forced to quit, I had built: Ericsson, Nortel, IBM, Cisco, Tellabs, Alcatel, Lucent, DSC, Sycamore, Cienna and probably a few others I can't remember at this point.

I was a contractor for most of my career but picked up the most varied experience base when I worked for Sprint as an in-house installer/vendor supervisor. It was fun, but I have no wish whatsoever to ever be in Corporate America again, LOL.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

labdwakin said:


> I was a contractor for most of my career but picked up the most varied experience base when I worked for Sprint as an in-house installer/vendor supervisor. It was fun, but I have no wish whatsoever to ever be in Corporate America again, LOL.


Did 10 years in GTE's corporate environment---Went on my own--never happier---not easy, but never happier.

Ralph


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