Terminal Test Kit

[IFMJohn]

Has anyone here made their own terminal test kit? I don't see why I should spend almost $300 on an OTC terminal test kit when I can just make my own.

If so, post pictures and/or tips of your homemade kits?

 

[PBCampbell]

I'm pretty sure I've seen a thread here on this in the past. It seems like it's been a year or two ago though, so hopefully this will take off with maybe some fresh ideas.

 

[signcrafter]

I don't have a "kit" but I have clipped some connectors off at the junkyard of things I have needed to test. I have some for fuel injectors and other sensors. I also just picked up a nice terminal release kit so have been also pulling wires out of the connectors to have a "terminal kit" of sorts. Not really a kit but just odds and ends that have come in handy. Usually if I have needed to test something were a terminal or connector would have been handy I write it down and the next time I go to the junkyard I pick up that connector or wire terminal off all the cars I typically work on.

I did get lucky buying a used multimeter and it came with a set of GM terminals from these guys, http://www.jumperkits.com/.

 

[IFMJohn]

In my training I have access to bags and bags of the different terminals. I don't see why I couldn't make my own.

We have the OTC kit (very nice) and a kit from jumperkits.com which literally looks like something I could make in an hour.

 

[Fedwrench]

You don't have to spend $300. The jumper kits linked above are like $53. You used to get those free at GM electrical classes. They do lack banana plugs.
For a little over a $100 you can buy the waekon versions of flex probes in round or spade.

http://www.tooltopia.com/waekon-77202.aspx

You can also buy direct from these guys who make the ford kits. They also offer a universal kit with common adapters.

http://www.nu-di.com/store.htm

Back to your original question, Yes you could make your own kit but, only if you had free access to the latest GM/whichever brand you work on terminal repair kit. To me the jumperkit is the best bang for your buck.

 

[pi_guy]

I use a Cirrus Harness tester with 256 connection points, and have several drawers of connectors. I have made a few break out boxes for Sure Seal and Deutche connectors mostly for wheel speed sensors. <as they regularly fail>
Bosch, Weather pack and few different Honda pins for connector repair, have most of the pins male and female that are found on race cars and Binder which is used on AIM data systems.
Mostly make them up as needed. Carry a digital microscope to check crimps in a 128 pin high density connector there is not much room for error as one strand can reduce your work to ****. I use a aircraft style wire stripper it removes the insulation by heat on 28 gauge and smaller wire it is to easy to nick a strand which will cause connection failure.
The proper tool for Deutche connectors is $600 and pins fit certain gauge wire only and missing two strands of wire the connector falls off the wire.

 

[IFMJohn]

Back to your original question, Yes you could make your own kit but, only if you had free access to the latest GM/whichever brand you work on terminal repair kit. To me the jumperkit is the best bang for your buck.

Terminal repair kit? If we have to replace a pin we just cut the old pin off and repin the wire. I'm not sure what you're referring to as a terminal repair kit because all you really need is a pin and proper tools.

I don't see why I don't just grab a couple of each pin and crimp them to a wire. I could then solder a banana socket (is that the proper terminology?) to the other end and call it a day.

 

[Ruger_556]

Has anyone here made their own terminal test kit? I don't see why I should spend almost $300 on an OTC terminal test kit when I can just make my own.

If so, post pictures and/or tips of your homemade kits?

Ours are shop supplied. Anytime I need something oddball I just charge a terminal out to the work order and make my own. We have International's "Connector repair kit" that comes with various terminals crimped onto a 6" piece of wire with a seal installed. Those work awesome for making a test lead in a pinch

 

[signcrafter]

Terminal repair kit? If we have to replace a pin we just cut the old pin off and repin the wire. I'm not sure what you're referring to as a terminal repair kit because all you really need is a pin and proper tools.

I don't see why I don't just grab a couple of each pin and crimp them to a wire. I could then solder a banana socket (is that the proper terminology?) to the other end and call it a day.

Right I think he meant if you have a repair kit(just the metal terminals and rubber grommets to crimp onto wires) that you can just crimp a terminal onto a wire. Then put whatever terminal you want on the other end, banana, round, spade, etc.

 

[IFMJohn]

We have International's "Connector repair kit" that comes with various terminals crimped onto a 6" piece of wire with a seal installed. Those work awesome for making a test lead in a pinch

Ah. I have heard of those. From what I am told, Peterbilt does not use those kits. They expect us to repin connectors by hand.

 

[Ruger_556]

Terminal repair kit? If we have to replace a pin we just cut the old pin off and repin the wire.

That's what I usually do but we do have a repair kit, consists of about 10 compartmentalized boxes with both connector halves, release tools, and terminals crimped onto 6" pieces of wire with a seal already installed. Covers almost every connector I've come across. We have one for IH and one for Cummins.

 

[Ruger_556]

Ah. I have heard of those. From what I am told, Peterbilt does not use those kits. They expect us to repin connectors by hand.

Most of the time that's what I do but we don't stock a lot of specialty terminals other than Metri pack & Weather pack so that's when I go digging through the repair boxes.

 

[IFMJohn]

That's what I usually do but we do have a repair kit, consists of about 10 compartmentalized boxes with both connector halves, release tools, and terminals crimped onto 6" pieces of wire with a seal already installed. Covers almost every connector I've come across. We have one for IH and one for Cummins.

We've got all that in our training program minus the pre-assembled terminals on the wires.

Sounds like I'll be just fine making some myself and seeing how it goes. Worst case scenario, I waste about $5 in materials and an hour of time messing with this project.

 

[1949 caddyman]

When working at GM dealer I made jumper wires & test lights with terminals we had in stock.