alpinelakespilot2000
Well Known Member
Based on a suggestion from Ron Leach, I found an inexpensive crimping tool from www.weldingsupply.com.
![](/community/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg530.imageshack.us%2Fimg530%2F8414%2F1636396r11om7.jpg&hash=4739c1f41d27e112928bce4a4de2faf5)
It is the LENCO 840 and it costs $8.24 (+ $7.95 shipping). It will handle wires from bigger than 2AWG to at least as small as 8AWG. It's designed to be hit with a hammer but I found that using a vise works great. There are even indicator marks on the tool showing you when you've crimped sufficiently. It ends up crimping not just from one side, but actually crimps from three sides, so the load is distributed pretty well around the circumference of the wire. It also has a built-in spring to hold the terminal in the proper place until you get the wire inserted and begin squeezing.
I know some people are very passionate about soldering vs. crimping, and others about using a $300+ crimping tool for these instead of a "cheap" crimper, but my crimp easily passed the 40# test that Van's suggests in one of their service bulletins for their own battery/starter cables. I guess time will tell whether $8.24 was enough.
Hope this helps the next person save a few bucks. Thanks again to Ron.
![](/community/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg530.imageshack.us%2Fimg530%2F8414%2F1636396r11om7.jpg&hash=4739c1f41d27e112928bce4a4de2faf5)
It is the LENCO 840 and it costs $8.24 (+ $7.95 shipping). It will handle wires from bigger than 2AWG to at least as small as 8AWG. It's designed to be hit with a hammer but I found that using a vise works great. There are even indicator marks on the tool showing you when you've crimped sufficiently. It ends up crimping not just from one side, but actually crimps from three sides, so the load is distributed pretty well around the circumference of the wire. It also has a built-in spring to hold the terminal in the proper place until you get the wire inserted and begin squeezing.
I know some people are very passionate about soldering vs. crimping, and others about using a $300+ crimping tool for these instead of a "cheap" crimper, but my crimp easily passed the 40# test that Van's suggests in one of their service bulletins for their own battery/starter cables. I guess time will tell whether $8.24 was enough.
Hope this helps the next person save a few bucks. Thanks again to Ron.