Crimper for large terminal lugs

chris snell

Administrator
Callsign: NW5W
Staff member
Does anybody know where to find a crimper for one of these cast terminal lugs? This one measures 15 mm OD. The 0 AWG hydraulic crimper I bought at Harbor Freight is too small.
CE095D12-563C-4867-9A76-855D708A3CB6.jpeg
 

Z.G

Well-known member
We've been using one of these(not this one, but one that functions the same) for decades at RN for all our winch kits, never been an issue.

Screen Shot 2020-05-29 at 7.38.31 PM.png
 

SARTech

Well-known member
Pretty sure that cast lug is designed to be soldered on. If crimped in might crack. Soldering is super easy. Put the lug in a vise, Heat it with a torch, start adding solder until its melted and about half full, then push in the pre fitted and trimmed cable. Careful to not splash out hot solder onto your self. Bam you are done. I also like to add some shrink wrap after. Makes a professional job.
 

chris snell

Administrator
Callsign: NW5W
Staff member
Yeah, I've soldered them before but moved away from it because I was concerned that the joint might get hot and release. I gave up on crimping and just soldered anyway. All is good. Thanks for the help guys.
 

O2batsea

Well-known member
I have the hammer type crimper it's cheap as f and works fabulous. Pow! Done. I don't have a press but if you do I would use that as the results can sometimes be a little off center which for us anal retentive ADD types is very unsettling. I hide it all with adhesive-lined shrink tube.
 

partsguru

New member
The type pictured is indeed a solder type. Used with heat shrink, it will probably make the most original and HD connection. A bit bulky though... I chose the military "block" on the battery post, then crimp w/ the hammer type tool a copper 3/8" lug then soldered and heat shrink! Offers alot of options for add-ons while staying clean and electrically sound.th.jpeg
 

NPT90

Well-known member
the smash type is ok if you are doing a few crimps, the hydraulic ones are great for tight spaces.

For speed and accuracy I use this:

FTZ Correct Crimp Heavy Duty Lug Crimp Tool

Disclaimer some days I make 20-30 lug connections so while I keep both the hydraulic and smash type in my truck I almost always end up with the FTZ
 

NPT90

Well-known member
Yeah, I've soldered them before but moved away from it because I was concerned that the joint might get hot and release. I gave up on crimping and just soldered anyway. All is good. Thanks for the help guys.

The larger concern with soldering is that the solder joints tend to break with vibration and are really hard to diagnose later. Unless it's a static install it's going to let you down.
 

pmatusov

Technical Excellence Contributor
Callsign: AK6PM
The larger concern with soldering is that the solder joints tend to break with vibration and are really hard to diagnose later. Unless it's a static install it's going to let you down.
That's why you wouldn't fill the entire depth of the lug with solder, but leave about 1/8-1/4" of strands loose, and stress-relieve it with heavy-duty shrink tubing.
Factory battery terminals are soldered.
 

NPT90

Well-known member
That's why you wouldn't fill the entire depth of the lug with solder, but leave about 1/8-1/4" of strands loose, and stress-relieve it with heavy-duty shrink tubing.
Factory battery terminals are soldered.
Yeah, everything is great from the factory on a land rover...
 

NPT90

Well-known member
Solder is great from an electrical standpoint when done correctly. You need a clean connector, flux, and ideally you need to heat the mass and let the solder flow into the wire and connector. Most folks take a blow torch and dump and bunch of solder in the lug and call it a day. Will it work? Sure. Can an improperly soldered battery lug cause an alternator to charge at less than it’s intended output or cause poor contact resulting in heat dispersion? Definitely. Is it going to cause an engine fire? Super unlikely (but batteries and alternators ain’t free).
I replace oxidized and compromised “factory” battery cables every week. Some of them I pull right out of their lugs, some of them look completely fine but have unbelievably high resistance on the meter. Almost always I get called in after an alternator replacement or failed new batteries.
As with everything in life, just because you’ve ‘always done it that way’ doesn’t make it the only way (or the right one). Free advice is worth what you pay for it. I wouldn’t trust a blow torch solder joint, but again, that’s just my professional opinion.
 
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NPT90

Well-known member
Has anyone ever seen a soldered wire connection break from vibration?
Oh they don’t shatter like glass, in fact they look completely fine, but they “break” in the sense that they weren’t properly heated, they’ve degraded, or their contact area breaks free (or always was) resulting in high resistance. All issues you don’t get with a crimped connection.
In that respect I see it 2-3 a month.
 

NPT90

Well-known member
Okay, battery terminals are soldered from the factory on nearly all vehicles.
They are utilizing this method to mass produce cables and likely have a robot dropping a pre-measured pellet into an induction heated lug. As stated above, when done properly, a soldered terminal is fantastic and will provide years of service. You can do both if it makes you happy (although it’s sort of unnecessary if you make a decent crimp and use ALST).
I’ve personally seen home jobs and oem cables fail from soldering (and, in fairness, I’ve seen some awful crimps) but a decent crimping tool can produce reliable contacts without compromising conductivity.
You do you though.
 
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Mack

Well-known member
On a previous defender years ago I had a soldered cable that “broke” or came detached from the lug at the alternator causing the battery cable to arc in the engine compartment and caused a fire. I was driving on the freeway at the time but I was able to stop the truck, pop the hood, and use an extinguisher to put it out. Looking at the other end of the effected cable after it happened, it was a crappy job and I don’t trust any previous owner battery cables anymore. I use a hydraulic crimper and haven’t had any issues.
 
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