Harness Connector Tips

[hrosenthal]

Is there some sort of tool or trick for connecting and disconnecting the connectors that are used on the Ron Francis Harness?

I am connecting the dash harness to the main harness to test my connections, but with the cramped space, it's hard to get any leverage to slide the connectors together. I'm thinking of using clamps to squeeze them together, but I don't want to risk damaging anything. I'm also concerned about getting them apart again, which I will need to do. Is there any lubrication I can use that won't damage the harness.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks

[edwardb]

I experienced the same thing with the larger connectors in the RF harness. Some take a real hard squeeze to get together. More than my office hardened body can provide. I really don't think any kind of lube would help. I think they're just really tight with quite a bit of mechanical interference. For those I couldn't get together, I found a pair of straight jaw Channel Lock style pliers works pretty well. Slip it out to one of the wider settings, and you can alternate squeezes on each end, etc. to persuade it into place. Doesn't take a lot this way, and the ends of the jaws hook on the side of the connectors pretty easily. To get them apart, I found just slipping a thin flat blade screwdriver between the halves again lets you go around them a couple times to open. (After lifting the locking tab of course!). The best strategy is to minimize the number of times you put them together and apart. Aside from how tight they are, they aren't designed for continuous plugging/unplugging.

[j.miller]

The first four or five times plugging and unplugging are a bear....just working with that last week.....elbow grease...Bat

[skullandbones]

I've had several harness types and most of the connector types are generic. I found some better than others as far as quality appearance. One thing to note on the multiple plugs say 6 or 8 is to make sure the individual male and female parts are centered in the plug space. Sometimes I would remove one or two of them (slide skinny screw driver up to the connector to release), bend it a little and re-install until it clicks back into place. Once you have them all centered they usually fit better or at least will close completely. I actually had one circuit not work once because the male/female were to much out of alignment on a brand new body harness. I think you are going to have to use mechanical advantage as suggested above for the stubborn ones. But aligning everything makes it somewhat easier. Good luck, WEK.

[hrosenthal]

Thanks for the advice.

I wired my whole dash only to find out that I installed one of the indicator lights about 1/8" too high and it interferes with the upper tube (that was with the pre-cut dash, so I only had 6 holes to drill). Also, after wiring all the connections, the back of the dash looks like a rats nest.

I'm going to test all the connections with the current configuration, then label everything, buy a new dash and reinstall the gauges and wiring neatly.

With any luck I'll be done with the dash and wiring by next week.

H

[DaleG]

The first four or five times plugging and unplugging are a bear....just working with that last week.....elbow grease...Bat

I usually buy elbow grease in 55 gallon drums at Costco; comes in handy.

[carlewms]

A little late for you now, but you can also sort of wear in the connector before it goes into the cramped spot by connecting several times using a spare connector to do this...since, like on weatherpacks, the plastic to plastic or weather proofing part (the soft green stuff) is what makes it hard to work with in tight spaces.

This is a little bit of a double edged sword...you actually want a tight connection!

Carl

[j.miller]

You can epoxy a patch over the holes you don't want and drill new ones...fill the divet left on the front side with epoxy and trim it flat with a razor blade before it fully hardens. Save yourself a couple bucks...Bat