What is the best way to crimp 4ga wiring?

[touringcamry]

What's the best way to crimp 4 ga wiring onto a terminal? I had some crimp connectors and a crimper for 8 - 4 ga wiring but the terminal would not crimp at all. This crimper was a big mofo, it weighs like 3 lbs at least and has about 12 in of leverage. I put a big welt on my hands through work gloves and still nothing but little nicks on the terminal. I probably put all of my 150lbs down on the crimper and still nothing...

I'm thinking about using a hammer and a piece of rail to smash it down, but there has to be a better way to do this.

[swegyptian]

I would smash it with a hammer. They have tools for the stuff too, but I doubt you want to buy one. You could just go to a car audio shop and ask them to do it really quick.

[touringcamry]

I had something similar to this tool and it wasn't going.

My car is disassembled right now, front driver side wheel off, wheel well hanging by two or three screws, interior panels disassembled, driver seat removed, etc.

I would go to a shop as a last resort since that's my only car and the stereo place is 5 mi away.

[Tommy]

best way to do it is with a bench vice, you wont get a good crimp without one. Ive seen some audio shops us a punch down type tool that you hit with a hammer, but a vice is much better because you can sqeeze down one fold of the crimp, then do the other ontop of it. perfect crimp, bugger WILL NOT come loose.

[thoughthard]

These hammer crimpers work well...

[Anshu]

vise grips hands down unless you have access to a bench vise. Hammer just doesnt do the job well enuf

[cam2Xrunner]

I've always used a hammer. Then solder. Then heat shrink tubing.



I want to get one of those, looks like it will work good

[Silver Streak]

You're not supposed to crimp those 4 gauge terminals...like those gold plated ones. Simply heat it up and fill it up with solder, and slide the wire in there...and put some heat shrink tubing over it.

[touringcamry]

^
Uh...too late. I already crimped them. I found a vise and crimped them down.

Thanks for the help. I'll probably flux them and flow solder in there later.

I have 63/37 solder. Will that work? I prefer it to 60/40 solder.

[eddiem67]

Originally Posted by Silver Streak

You're not supposed to crimp those 4 gauge terminals...like those gold plated ones. Simply heat it up and fill it up with solder, and slide the wire in there...and put some heat shrink tubing over it.

Are you retarded, always crimp! Use a vice or vicegrips

[Knailgun]

Ball peen hammer works well for a crimp...I agree..ALWAYS crimp, unless it is a set screw terminal...or centerpin

[DrtySthV6SE]

your connectors need good crimps so use a crimping tool, but it will be a big one(looks kinda like bolt cutters), i got one from my dads work to crimp my 4 2 and 1 gauge

[Super Kaioken]

i think i'm gonna use a vice grip and crimp one side down and then crimp the other....like the one folded over other thing......i saw in a picture...

humm....yep

[profuse007]

certain terminal are designed for soldering like the dude mentioned above, works good and looks clean.

Originally Posted by eddiem67

Are you retarded, always crimp! Use a vice or vicegrips