Avionics Wiring Harness: A Tutorial

[napierm]

The problem I have with these crimpers is that there isn't a calibrated adjustment for the depth of crimp. If they are adjustable at all then you could use set of pin gauges (go/no go) to set them. The crimp depth is set for the size of terminal as well as the wire gauge.


"3. D-SUB CRIMPER

You can spend many hundreds of dollars on tooling to crimp d-sub pins and sockets, but it’s definitely not necessary. Note that we’re going to be using turned contacts, not stamped-and-formed (I’ll explain why in Part 2). This means you want the 4-way indent type of crimper with a rounded head, not the type with replaceable dies in jaws that hinge open. I use a clone of the Greenlee or Paladin PA1460 that I got on Amazon for $27, and it works perfectly."

This is super useful information. I currently have a Daniels AFM8 on my ebay watch list. I used one previously when I installed the COM and TXP equipment in my Citabria and the T-6 (under supervision of course). It is also mentioned in the aircraft electrical book I bought, so I thought it was required equipment. That Daniels AFM8 is $250-ish used, and it doesn't come with the "positioner" which is an easy $55-80 each. With the Daniels tool you don't adjust anything, it just works flawlessly.

Now with your recommendation I would say that for 1/10 the cost I can fiddle around adjusting for a moment or two.

[Eric Page]

The problem I have with these crimpers is that there isn't a calibrated adjustment for the depth of crimp. If they are adjustable at all then you could use set of pin gauges (go/no go) to set them. The crimp depth is set for the size of terminal as well as the wire gauge.

Well, I'm not sure what to say about that except that I've pull tested the crimps that mine makes on standard density d-sub contacts with 22AWG wire and found them to be plenty strong enough. How strong? I didn't put a scale on it, but given that the backshell provides strain relief I'm not at all worried about wires pulling loose from their contacts.

B&C sell the Paladin PA1460 ($49) and SteinAir sell a crimper ($38) identical the one that I use. I'll bet a lot of E-AB aircraft have been successfully wired with them.

I wish I had the budget to buy NASA-spec tooling for every task, but sadly I'm just not that builder. I sure envy the guys who do.