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VP-X terminal crimper problems

bruceh

Well Known Member
I'm upgrading my VP-X sport to a pro. I have the additional J8 connector and pins (thanks, Chad!). I purchased the Molex tool that Steinair sells for these terminals. It comes with a slotted guide (silver part in the photos) to hold the pins securely, but the problem I'm having is the pins don't fit! The rectangular section of the pins are just a tiny bit too wide.

So, do I just take off the guide, or do I get out the jeweler's files and make the guide slots a bit wider?

i-MH2DsPm-M.jpg


i-3tvHpkP-M.jpg
 
Bruce,

I think I would go the Molex site and make sure you have the correct tool for the terminals that you have. That would seem to me to be a strange oversight on Molex's part if it is the correct tool.
 
I'm upgrading my VP-X sport to a pro. I have the additional J8 connector and pins (thanks, Chad!). I purchased the Molex tool that Steinair sells for these terminals. It comes with a slotted guide (silver part in the photos) to hold the pins securely, but the problem I'm having is the pins don't fit! The rectangular section of the pins are just a tiny bit too wide.

So, do I just take off the guide, or do I get out the jeweler's files and make the guide slots a bit wider?

i-MH2DsPm-M.jpg


i-3tvHpkP-M.jpg

I have the same tool, and I had the same problem.
It’s been a while, but I believe I used the larger 16-14 side, and the pins fit through the silver guide on that side. The crimps came out perfectly.
 
It's been a while since I did my VP-X harness (5 years? wow), but that was the crimper I used. I'll have to look next time I go out to the airport, but I think I might have removed that guide before using it and I think it was for the same reason you ran into.

EDIT: Just out to the airport and confirmed that I took the guide off to crimp mine.
 
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I had to remove the guide as well on my new pair of Molex crimpers. I used a friend’s pair for a while and the square Molex pins fitted the guide in his, but put a slight bend in the pin. I also removed the guide from his. Works just fine without it. Just a little more tricky.
 
I had the same problem and contacted Stein about it last week. Apparently the official Molex recommended solution is to remove the die from the tool. So, I took it off and it works just great without it.
 
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