Help me build an automotive wiring Tool Box!

[SportsmanJake]

Hello!

One of my deficiencies in auto-modding has been my wiring. I would like You to help me build a do it all base kit for working on the electrical system for my truck! I just read the "Wiring Don'ts" thread and came away with some good ideas, but I also think a lot of that thread is preference/experience based. My wiring has been shoddy so far, so any help you can offer will be an improvement.

Tools
I definitely need some recommendations here. I am assuming I need a dedicated wire stripper, connector crimper(Insulated or non-insulated?). The Powerwerx/Powerpoles seem like a luxury. Better alternatives?

• Irwin Wire Stripper - for stripping wires
• PowerWerx Tri Crimp - for anderson power poles
• Powerwerx Tri crimp die set - for crimping everything else
• Wagner Heat Gun

Connectors/Connections
My biggest area of confusion. The 3 I know I need are butt, Ring, and the female spade type for relays.
Should I invest in insulated or non insulated + heat shrink ? Any recommendations? Should I use anderson powerless for disconnects?

• Adhesive lined Heat shrink
• Heat Shrink Butt Connectors
• Electrical Tape (its all the same stuff, right?)

Organization

• Wire Labels
• Cable Tie Mounts
• Zip Ties
• Braided Sleeving

Wire

• Can I use stranded wire from Lowes?

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Thanks for any help! I would love to hear what you use/recommend. I want to get good tools, but am on a budget. My largest area of confusion is in the realm of tools and crimping connectors.

 

[jgardiner]

You would be better off getting primary wire from an auto or farm supply. I have it in various gages and colors and I keep it in the bottom of a fishing tackle box. All of the connectors go in the different compartments that fold out.

 

[tacozord]

• Wire cutters. I prefer a dedicated tool versus the integrated cutter in most wire strippers.
• Needle nose pliers. These help in certain situations
• Soldering iron
• Quick disconnect male/female connectors, various gauge sizes, insulated
• Wire taps and wire splices connectors
• Fuse taps
• Fuses
• Butt splice connectors, ring terminals, spade terminals - the basic rule of thumb is insulated connectors for anything with a positive power signal. Grounds don't have to be, but I tend to always use insulated. Also note that with regards to ring terminals, you have to choose the gauge size for the wire and the hole size for the stud.
• Wire loom, braided and corregated
• Electrical tape - there are definitely different types. Some have a sticky backing and some don't. I like to use dry vinyl tape as the base layer with standard electrical tape on top. This way, the sticky residue doesn't get on the wiring. Of course, this is personal preference and situation dependent.
• Waterproof connectors such as Weather-Pack and Metri-Pack, associated terminals, cable seals, and crimpers.
• Wire - I recommend using automotive wire. The insulation is rated at a higher temperature and chemical resistant versus what you might find at Lowes. SXL, GXL, and TXL automotive wire are good choices with GXL probably more commonly used. Check out Wire Barn.

 

[Italia64]

Another source for good quality tools, wire, connectors, relays, switches, etc is Del City. No connection (no pun intended), just a repeat customer.

 

[Higbean]

I rewired my truck last year and came away with a few things. First, insulated connectors kinda suck. Go with non insulated butt connectors of good quality. Some have a split in them and you have to avoid crimping on it or it will be compromised. Second, use good 3M marine shrink wrap with adhesive. You can see I'm a bit low on supply. Third, good strippers, cutters and crimpers are a must. I bought those Irwins and gave them to a friend. Not a very clean cut, more like pulling it away from the wire. I ended up with a Klein stripper, crimper and Knipex cutters. Here's my kit and tools.

 

[Retired Tanker]

Assuming you'll be off-roading, in a remote area, and might have to do electrical repairs in the field. Not just installing light bars and sound systems in the garage...

ROSIN core solder (NOT acid core)
A tube of RTV for waterproofing the BACK sides of connectors.
WD-40 for chasing water out of wet connectors (especially sensors, CAN, and ECU connectors).
Make some jumper wires with alligator clips and male / female spade connectors on each end. Make multiple sets of each with different colored wires.
Get the accessory kit for your multi-meter with the alligator clips, probes, etc.
Assortment of small wire brushes for removing corrosion.

Practice soldering until you get a feel for it. You heat the wires until the solder melts on THEM, not the iron. If you watch carefully, you'll see the solder start to flow onto the wires without globbing up. It takes practice, especially in the field where you can't control the environment. If you're soldering close to an ECU, use a heat sink between the joint and the component, or better yet, disconnect the component if possible. A heat sink can be an extra alligator clip or two. I think the biggest mistake folks make is not understanding how long it takes to heat the wires to get a good, solid connection. Be patient, or you'll end up having enough time on the second try...

 

[JamesW]

Get a selection of wago connectors for quick prototyping and testing without making anything permanent.

Good soldering gear, a gas iron is very handy, a good solder sucker, and soldering wick.

I also find self healing tape useful for tidying stuff up. I also managed to score a sample box of AMP super seal connectors, which are a bit of a fiddle to set up, but work really well for automotive

My profession is in electronics, and asides from the specialist equipment, I swear by having good wire cutters, and a big set of small screwdriver bits that have all the security bits. All my tools for home use are pretty crap, and I've no complaints, I've done huge jobs with them. I've a huge stock of multimeter's but my most used one is a €55 one with a DC current clamp, if it gets wrecked it isn't a big loss, and there's no need for super accuracy for most automotive or domestic work.

 

[jonyjoe101]

To strip wire I been using the 5 inch wire stripper from harbor freight (cost 3 dollars), its all I use for all type of wires been using for years. I got other strippers but i always use that one for convenience.

For connectors I been using the xt60 connector for everything on my van solar system. it handles up to 60 amps, they make a larger xt90 if you need more amps. They are cheap you can get 10 sets for under 10 dollars and they are easy to solder, they make a nice solid connection.


xt60 connectors

 

[AFBronco235]

For a field kit, a good butane torch, soldering wire, lengths of wire for splicing, wire cutters, wire strippers, multi-meter and a roll or two of your choice of electrical tape should be enough to get you home with some temp repairs.

For a home kit, you'll just have to build it as you go. A good starting point though would include a set of needle nose pliers, side cutters, precision screw drivers, heat shrink tube, sharp knife, electrical tape, cable ties (aka Zip ties), decent soldering iron and an assortment of connectors. And of course, a tool box to keep it all in. You'll also want to buy wire of course, but buy it as you need it, in large spools so you have plenty to use on future projects.

I will say that I prefer to use soldered connections over crimp connections and use some shrink tube to seal it. The butane torch in the field kit can double for both soldering and heating shrink tube.

 

[jham]

Finally, something I can actually contribute to!

I've been doing automotive wiring on a professional and hobby level for years and I've tried every mid to low level tool out there. I would borrow a colleagues' high end tool on occasion, but I almost always try to get the best mid-range tool unless I require something better.

That being said, I've been consistently impressed with Irwin's Vise-Grip line. Solid tools, the handle grips don't slide off like my other tools, and my 8inch wire cutters have cut everything from 20ga to binding wire and are still going strong.

When soldering isn't an option, the crimp connectors with shrink wrap built on work beautifully. They actually don't just shrink - they melt to form a completely waterproof seal. I always double up on the shrink wrap and add my own, but it's overkill when using those.

Spend a few hours on YouTube looking for technique videos. A good wiring job is only made easier with good tools - they can't cover your *** if you don't know what you're doing. Learn to solder properly, and for heaven's sake don't use electrical tape unless you're taping up connections AFTER they've been properly sealed.

I'm on my phone, but here's some screenshots of my go-to tools. I have several other specialty tools and like others have said, a good set of pliers is a must. My suggestion - don't skip these tools, they'll do 90% of what you need if you learn good practices.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SportsmanJake]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

Can anyone recommend a good set of ratcheting crimpers for uninsulated terminals?

I bought a pair online but they are for insulated terminals.

 

[Mwilliamshs]

...Can anyone recommend a good set of ratcheting crimpers for uninsulated terminals?

Greenlee #45505 but I use my klein 1005 for almost everything unless it requires something special.