Soldering copper-cores to wire ends.

dahermit · Oct 9, 2018

1948 8N Front Mount. I have ordered some new spark plug wires (stranded copper core), wire end clips, boots to replace my spark plug wires. Using the old wires and clips, I have been practicing cutting the insulation back, tinning the wire and the end of the clips, re-crimping and soldering the wire to the end of the clips as per owners manual and recommendation to do such by those knowledgeable of the subject.

However, I have found that soldering and re-crimping the wire ends (where they fit in the distributor), sounds a whole lot easier than it actually is. It is difficult to get it done without distorting those wire clips.

Is there a utube video that actually demonstrates the process? Is there a crimping tool that someone can recommend that does not distort the clips?

Farmer Dan · Oct 9, 2018

I have never found a need to solder or crimp the distributor end. Just feed a 1/2" of wire thru and bend the wire over. Shove it into the cap and your done. The cap with do all the required crimping and hold it in place.

souNdguy · Oct 9, 2018

If you are talking about the little fold over brass ends, all I've ever used was dykes/wire cutter pliers and electrical 60/40 solder and a hi-watt pen.

Tin, solder, bend, go. Brass bends easy... Easy to make it fit.

Tall T · Oct 9, 2018

(quoted from post at 05:16:56 10/09/18) 1948 8N Front Mount. I have ordered some new spark plug wires (stranded copper core), wire end clips, boots to replace my spark plug wires. Using the old wires and clips, I have been practicing cutting the insulation back, tinning the wire and the end of the clips, re-crimping and soldering the wire to the end of the clips as per owners manual and recommendation to do such by those knowledgeable of the subject.

However, I have found that soldering and re-crimping the wire ends (where they fit in the distributor), sounds a whole lot easier than it actually is. It is difficult to get it done without distorting those wire clips.

Is there a utube video that actually demonstrates the process? Is there a crimping tool that someone can recommend that does not distort the clips?

I built a copper cored wire set using liquid solder i got from a rad shop and a small propane flame. I brought the yellow wire into the crimping zone but then ran the length of bare wire up through a hole in the fitting and splayed it out over the back of the fitting and even a little folded over the open end if the wire was too long. The angled cap ends already had the holes but for the plug ends I drilled the holes.

Anyway . . . with the soldering, the crimping doesn't have to be technically perfect anyway so just improvise. Obviously I had a long punch in a vise to hold them for soldering.

PLUG END

PLUG END HOLE

DIST CAP END

Den N Ms · Oct 9, 2018

Dahermit,Yep I always solider the brass ends on the wire and crimp them,makes for a good connection. Most flat style wire strippers have a big hole to crimp plug wire ends.Nothing more aggravating than pull a wire out of a cap and have the brass end stay in the cap and then try to fish it back out.

Ken(Ark) · Oct 9, 2018

Summit Racing® Ratcheting Crimp Tools SUM-900399

They will curl the ends over and force them into the jacket material like the factory made sets .

I did not get the ratcheting set and I don't think I got the summit brand , but they do make a special tool .

Hobo,NC · Oct 9, 2018

I accumulated a cable tool for that it was made by Belden it probably made the plug wires for the mayflower..

I prefer a Coaxial cable Crimper... You could split a nut and crimp it in a vice it does make a nicer job when they are crimped.

Tall T · Oct 10, 2018

(quoted from post at 17:51:43 10/09/18)
You could split a nut and crimp it in a vice it does make a nicer job when they are crimped.

Hobo,
Crafty idea there!

T

dahermit · Oct 10, 2018

I should explain what I am trying to do. Due to a current infirmity, I do not want to thread my spark plug wires through my 1948 8N front mount, conduit and THEN strip the ends of the wire and solder the clips etc. It is just too hard to do that in the confined space of a front mount distributor arrangement.

What I want to do is, attach those flimsey little clips, solder them, tape them with duct tape to protect them when running through the conduit, remove the tape, push the boots on over the clips and plug into the distributor. In short, I want to process the spark plug wires on the bench (sitting down, with good light), not to struggle with wire stripping, soldering hunched-over, trying to work in a confined space...I am 75 years old, just gone through chemo to deal with multiple occurances of Lymphoma. Between the chemo, Lymphoma, and age, I am no longer up to bending over and doing the wire work on the tractor and I know that without soldering the wires to the clips, they have a tendency to remain inside the distributor the first time the wires are pulled.

Hobo,NC · Oct 10, 2018

Cable tool in the middle will do what you are looking for...

dahermit · Oct 11, 2018

Now all I need is the name of the manufacturer (to do an internet search), or a link to a site so I can order one. A picture alone
does not help much.

R Geiger · Oct 11, 2018

i JUST DID a search on ebay for tv cable crimping tool and got a lot of results. did the same search using google and got a lot of results. go for it!

Hobo,NC · Oct 11, 2018

The one on the right is a cheap version I don't like it.
The one in the middle I got from radio shack it was around $40

google

Hex Series Crimping Tool,RG6,RG59 Coax Cable TV Stripper ,Hex Connector Crimp/Crimping CATV Tool

https://www.ebay.com/b/Crimpers/184641/bn_746072

They are outdated the new style is puch on ends maybe someone you know has one. I always ran my own cable so tooled up...

HFJ · Oct 11, 2018

[i:40204f5bcb]"the new style is puch on ends"[/i:40204f5bcb]

i'm a fan of the screw on ends (for coax) - no tools needed, beyond whatever wire strippers u use.

HFJ · Oct 11, 2018

aha, nice to see someone reset the server clock. i will assume that happened yesterday evening during the "YT refused to connect" period.

Caryc · Oct 11, 2018

(quoted from post at 05:16:56 10/09/18) 1948 8N Front Mount. I have ordered some new spark plug wires (stranded copper core), wire end clips, boots to replace my spark plug wires. Using the old wires and clips, I have been practicing cutting the insulation back, tinning the wire and the end of the clips, re-crimping and soldering the wire to the end of the clips as per owners manual and recommendation to do such by those knowledgeable of the subject.

However, I have found that soldering and re-crimping the wire ends (where they fit in the distributor), sounds a whole lot easier than it actually is. It is difficult to get it done without distorting those wire clips.

Is there a utube video that actually demonstrates the process? Is there a crimping tool that someone can recommend that does not distort the clips?

I started making my own spark plug wires back in 2012. Napa sells everything you need, including timmed metal core wire by the foot. Here is how I make them.

http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=882884&highlight=making+spark+plug+wires

Caryc · Oct 11, 2018

My 8N is still running the same set of wires I made back in 2012.

Hobo,NC · Oct 11, 2018

Nice post... cable crimp-er I lost it came back home sometime this year. I am the worst to grab a box fill it with tools when I am working on house stuff, it was in the bottom of a box in a storage building RAT were I left it...

I forgot about the drill bit trick 8) I believe the ends he is using that trick won't work...

Soldering copper-cores to wire ends.

dahermit

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Farmer Dan

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souNdguy

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Tall T

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Den N Ms

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Ken(Ark)

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Hobo,NC

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Tall T

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dahermit

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Hobo,NC

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dahermit

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R Geiger

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Hobo,NC

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HFJ

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HFJ

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Caryc

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Caryc

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Hobo,NC

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