What wire connectors do you use?

The PO gutted some of the wiring from my bike. So I just picked up a new tail light and turn signals. I'm going to have to rewire all the turn signals. I bought some cool little signals that have bullet connectors. But I'm having a hard time finding the female ends for them.

What do you all use when wiring from scratch? I'm telling ya, POs really know how to mess up a groove. Ha. There's always something lurking here and there.

Thanks.
LH

Those are just round brass terminals. You can find them at any auto parts store.

I use the basic connectors butI like to remove the plastic insulators and use about 1.5" of shrink tubing instead.

Kidkawie wrote: Those are just round brass terminals. You can find them at any auto parts store.

I use the basic connectors butI like to remove the plastic insulators and use about 1.5" of shrink tubing instead.

I went to seven different places that have the female bullet ends. None had the right fittings. I'm going to have to cut those ends off now. But I thought the same thing about removing the plastics and using heat shrink tubing instead. Just a bummer having to cut off these bullet ends already on the wire. The bullet connectors on the new tail light fit great to 16 gauge connectors, though.

WAIT, WAIT - Don't cut them. Take a look at Home Depot or Lowe's or Radio Shack. They all sell male and female bullet type connectors.

Also, they can be found at:

www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Elec__Product...llet_connectors.html
and
www.hvccycle.com/electrical-connectors.html

Ed

Most of the terminals on that Eastern Beaver page are the open barrel type & require an open barrel crimper to make a proper crimp: done correctly, they are very strong. I already had a Harbor-Freight ratcheting crimper but the crimper dies were wrong, so I got an open barrel die set on amazon.com.

CycleTerminal.com sells the crimper n stuff & they have a very nice terminal pin extractor tool set with white handles.

Tin plated terminals have a higher conductivity that plain brass, so if possible those are probably recommended for at least the ignition system connections.

CycleTerminal.com --- Crimp tools

CycleTerminal.com --- terminals . 10-pack of waterproof bullet connectors at bottom

CycleTerminal.com --- connectors sets include term. pins. extra pins are handy for crimp practice

CycleTerminal.com --- how to stuff

The ebay item id given is invalid, no result has been sent

650ed wrote: WAIT, WAIT - Don't cut them. Take a look at Home Depot or Lowe's or Radio Shack. They all sell male and female bullet type connectors.

Ed, I had to buy different male female bullet connectors. I couldn't find the female ends that fit the ones on the aftermarket turn signals. I bought them at True Value. Plan is to pull back the plastic cover, crimp on wires, pull plastic cover over, heat shrink on top.

The places that I couldn't find the right size ends was at True Value, O'Reillys, Radio Shack, Wal Mart, Home Depot, Advanced Auto, and Auto Zone. That's why I chose to go with a different size bullet connector.

When I visit San Antonio, I may go check out Harbor Freight for spools of wire and bulk connectors.

The stock terminals are the open barrel type & those connections are very strong.
I've never seen open barrel terminals at the auto parts store, walmart, HF or even radio shack.
On a motorcycle it seems like a bad idea to do crude mash crimps.
Consider getting the proper tools, terminals & connectors to make up good connections.
Z1Enterprises.com has the stuff. (some of it anyway).

martin_csr wrote: Consider getting the proper tools, terminals & connectors to make up good connections.
Z1Enterprises.com has the stuff.

The female ends are out of stock... and have been for a while. Oh, I even checked NAPA.
www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDetails.aspx?i...Pk&item=KS01-0002-10

Ohhh wait a minute. So the tail light and signals came with bullet type terminals. The above link is to the female bullet ends. I see what you said about the open barrel type. Z1 does have those. But again, I will have to cut off the bullet terminals.
www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDetails.aspx?i...Pk&item=KL34-1869-10
www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDetails.aspx?i...Pk&item=KL34-6940-10

LH

If Z1Ent doesn't have everything, then there's CycleTerminal.com, Eastern Beaver, Oregon Motorcycle & VintageConnections.com. CycleTerminal had all the various connectors & terminal pins I needed for a low fuel switch, voltage regulator & homemade igniter, and I got spare stuff such as the waterproof bullet connector 10-pack & extra term. pins for practicing. The connectors I got are the same as stock.

+1 for Vintage Connections or Cycle Terminal - I have used them both for crimps an crimp tools - highly recommend them! Here in Oz we have the same trouble getting good quality crimp (open barrel or bullet) terminals and most auto shops/Radio Shack shops down under stock only those crappy red/blue/yellow mash/squash type terminals which are an insult to any half serious repairer/restorer!!!!!

Also, the crimps done properly look professional & the personal satisfaction is a plus.
In addition to the crimper, the terminal pin removal tools are handy for popping the pins out of the connectors --- better than fumbling around w a small screwdriver or paper clip.

Here's a good how-to-crimp page. credit to Belrix over at kawasakimotorcycle.org who provided the link for me a couple of years ago. Ratwell.com --- Wiring Harness Terminals --- by Richard Atwell

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