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Thu Jan 22, 2009 11:48 pm

i have to replace a few of these. what do you ask for?

any special tool needed for attaching them?

Thanks!

Thu Jan 22, 2009 11:55 pm

They are called spade connectors, available at the hardware store, etc.

There's different ways to attach them, crimp/solder/etc depending on what kind of spade connector you get. I usually just use what type I have on hand, but I'll let other people comment on their preferred method of attaching the connectors to the wire.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:05 am

Also called male/female connectors. Yeah, like ^he^ said. You can even pick em up at wal mart, but careful, there ARE different sizes, but 95% on a bug are the same.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:42 am

The new ones are aluminum and crap. The crimping often does not hold so you should solder.

However some electronics stores and the following website sell the original which are brass and far better. They don't simply crimp, they roll the edges inward. The special tool is quite expensive but I found one at Circuit City (formerly Radio Shack) for $20 that works fine but is not ratcheted.

You need to clean up the ones you don't replace. You need electrical spray cleaner, fine sandpaper, emery boards, fiberglass pencil etc.

Spade connectors> These have the locking tabs for the T connectors.

http://www.germansupply.com/home/customer/search.php?substring=terminals

jim

Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:02 am

Take the tme to solder the connectors worth it in the long run.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:16 am

I normally see them advertised as 0.25" spade connectors (male or female).

As Jim mentioned the aluminum ones (I actually thought they were made from tin but aluminum makes sense) are more common in the states with their yellow/blue/red insulated skirts that you crush to hold the wire in place.

The type in the pic are sometimes referred to as "uninsulated F-type spade connectors". You crimp them in two spots... One roll crimp holds the wire while the other roll crimp holds the insulation. Because there are two crimps they stay on much better.

Funny thing... here in Japan the F-type are more common in the parts stores. They usually come with a silicone insulation sleeve that slides over them.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 5:34 am

They are also called non-insulated open barrel terminals.

The preferred tool is one that will handle non-insulated open barrel terminals. See the pictures below:

For non-insulated European style electrical terminals I would add the following two parts suppliers to your list:

1. German Supply
2. Source Products, Inc.

If you live in the United States, I would recommend Source Products since their terminals and shipping is about one-half the cost of German Supply.

Pat (66foot)

Look closely - It is the identical terminal manufactured by KS

CRIMPERS

STRIPPERS

YOU SNIP

YOU STRIP

YOU CRIMP

Some also add a dab of solder, a heat shrink, or a pvc/nylon/vinyl sleeve - personal preference on all three.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:26 am

Thanks Pat.

I only use the open barrel type and crimping them is all that's needed. It was good enough for VW and the military.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:51 am

Thanks PAT!

I saw so many different kids, mostly the aluminum ones... are the ones on the beetles 4mm then?

Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:57 am

Those crimpers are awesome. Source for those?

Wiring Works, the guy that makes VW wiring harnesses, sells the copper ends in little baggies at CA shows. I can't remember the price but I don't remember the cost being as high as what is listed from German Supply.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:09 am

Yeah - where can a person get a set of those crimpers?

Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:10 pm

EverettB wrote: Those crimpers are awesome. Source for those?

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/ta18920.html

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/TA-18920.html

http://wesco-enterprise.amazonwebstore.com/Tool-Aid-Ratcheting-Terminal-Crimper-Kit/M/B0002STTTI.htm

Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:57 pm

All the cheap aluminum ones usually come insulated these days.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:23 pm

The cheap ones from hardware stores with colored insulation are coded.
Red is for 18-22 gauge wire.
Blue is for 14-16 gauge wire.
Yellow is for 10-12 gauge wire.

I use a different type of tool for crimping. Probably much cheaper than the ones shown in the photos above.

It's a Klein Cat. No. 1000. It strips wires, crimps connectors, cuts wire and cuts screws without damaging the threads.

There's a list of similar tools here:
http://www.mytoolstore.com/klein/kln02.html#wire

I've had mine for 25 years and use it regularly. I have wire strippers like the one shown above, but find the Klein more comfortable and prefer to carry one multipurpose tool than a handful of special purpose tools.

ONE IMPORTANT NOTE: If you soldier, use rosin core soldier not acid core.

Terry

Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:49 pm

WOW!
What a great post, can we make this a stickie?
Thanks Guys!!!!!!!!

Fri Jan 23, 2009 2:09 pm

Actually most manufacturers refer to these as simply push-on terminals.

This page will show what a "spade" terminal actually is:

http://www.wiringproducts.com/index1.html?lang=en-us&target=d44.html

Fri Jan 23, 2009 2:43 pm

Careful about using solder with these terminals. If you are using properly adjusted, high quality crimpers like those shown, the crimp on the wire closest to the end compresses the connection enough to make it gas (air) tight. If you were to cut a section through it, you wouldn't see the individual wire, just a single piece of metal. No air, no moisture, no corrosion (from the inside).

The second crimp grabs and supports the insulation adding physical strength and avoiding fatigue.

When you solder, two things happen. First, solder has a (slightly) higher resistance than an air tight conductor to conductor connection. Second and more importantly, the solder wicks up the wire past the second grip and makes the wire rigid to that point. This becomes the hinge when the wire flexes and promotes fatigue.

There is nothing wrong with the terminal ends shown and the fact that there are millions of them still working fine after 50+ years attests to that. Those terminals and the tool shown take a bit of skill and some care to use. If you NEED solder to secure the wire, you’re not doing it correctly. Practice some more. I’d suggest putting two pieces of heat shrink tubing over the connection. One that’s about 3/8” longer than the length from the wire end of the terminal to the shoulder where it widens out. This seals the outside and adds corrosion protection. Follow with a second one that goes 1/8” from the end of the first on the wire side and all the way over the wide end of the connector to act as an insulator. If you use clear heat shrink, it doesn’t prevent you from checking the condition of the joint.

All that being said, these were engineered to be the cheapest adequate design and there are better solutions available today. I prefer to use insulated connectors. The best are made by Tyco/AMP/3M and are called PIDG (Pre-Insulated Diamond Grip). They are two piece with an inner barrel that goes over the wire inside the connector. Then the where the connector is bent around into the round section the wire goes into, it has a bell that is compressed around the insulation to grip it and the is soldered together so it doesn’t open up when it’s crimped.

The most commonly available terminals have PVC insulation. It is opaque and more prone to splitting and has low resistance to heat and aging. The superior insulation is nylon. You can recognize it because it is translucent.

Here are a few of on-line sources:

http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=sGAEpiMZZMt7ScBeCnc0e0uirc8SdFNT

http://www.terminaltown.com/Pages/Page10.html

http://www.digikey.com/

http://www.newark.com/tyco-electronics-amp/640905-2/terminal/dp/72C7789

Here’s some nice little “How to”:

http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/terminal.pdf

http://www.terminaltown.com/Pages/Page7.html

Fri Jan 23, 2009 4:13 pm

I bought a wiring harness out of Hot VWs and I had to spend the time to add wiring and connectors to the harness. I tried the GM brand to save some money and ended up taking a knife to it all, so much for 250.00 of perfect wiring to update your VW. I ended up calling VW Germany and got ahold of Classic Parts and paid 450.00 for an OEM wiring and installed it. Worth the money and time invested in the OEM harness. I have heard too many horrors stories on wiring harnesses made here in the US from "proffesional" auto wiring companies.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 4:33 pm

I have heard them called bayonet connectors I think.

The $20 Radio Shack crimpers work fine for occasional use. They just are nor ratcheted and require two crimps. One for the wire and one for the insulation. Ends up the same. No need to solder.

I will not use the new aluminum ones and when forced to always soldered.

Does anyone know where to get the T connectors in their various forms?

jim

Fri Jan 23, 2009 5:52 pm

jamesdagg wrote: I have heard them called bayonet connectors I think.

The $20 Radio Shack crimpers work fine for occasional use. They just are nor ratcheted and require two crimps. One for the wire and one for the insulation. Ends up the same. No need to solder.

I will not use the new aluminum ones and when forced to always soldered.

Does anyone know where to get the T connectors in their various forms?

jim

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=111937079