Removing bullet electrical wiring connectors

P

Paul Bennett

Well-known member
I've finished repairing the head/parking light wiring and the tail light wiring where the cotton insulation came off. Only to discover the turn signal wiring insulation where it plugs into a 'multi' bullet block, is abysmally bad.

I don't want to start that repair job now, I only want to sleeve the wires as they occasionally 'talk to' their neighbor. Next year I'll put in a new harness. Until then ...

Given no help, all I can see to do is put tape bandages on the 7 wires which emanate from the steering column.

What I'd like to do is remove each of the 7 bullets and sleeve them with shrink tube or equiv. But the bullets are obstinate.

QUESTION - How does one extract a bullet from insertion in it's connector which it's probably been unmoved for 80 years? It won't take pulling force as I know the copper wire itself will break. Is there a secret tool or method which can grab the tail of the bullet to rotate it then apply removal force and avoid breaking the wire?
 
Penetrating oil and a flat plier on the outside of the sleeve once you move it around a bit to get the oil in between sleeve and bullit they usually give away.
 
Once apart, you can slip on multiple sections of shrink tubing to areas of need, and you'll do well by soldering the bullet connectors upon reassembly, and don't forget to solder inside the bullet itself.
 
As flatheadmurre said, you need to grip the bullet with a tool. Think about trying those Mini-Needle Nose, Vise-Grip pliers. (I usually keep mine with my wallet and keys.):):)
 
I need to replace one of the bullet connectors. I have a box of original bullets. Is there a crimping tool that crimps the connector like the factory did or do they just need to be soldered?

Thanks
 
I have a new connector for connecting 2 to 18 wires, I use them on my merc for dash lights and etc. take a look diddco.com
 
I had this problem way back when so I took a close look at the plastic terminal block and found that a person can insert a tool in the connector socket gaps and wedge them open a bit. A very narrow chisel type point or a large needle point will go in there. This allows the bullet tip to be extracted much more easily.

The machined bullet tips should be soldered but if you can get the stamped metal ones then they can be crimped easily. I have 4-way crimp tools to do these but then I do a lot of aircraft wiring with pins & sockets.

Replacing the wires in the steering column can be a bear. A lot of purists might poo-poo the idea but I think I will use the modern plastic insulated wire to go up in there the next time I do one. The reproduction wire that is cloth covered it fatter than the original stuff and doesn't like to go in there at all. It can be done but it's hard to keep from damaging the insulation when doing it. I soldered the new wires to the OEM turn signal switch and later found an NOS replacement switch that had the plastic insulated wires with correct color codes & bullet tips and wished I'd had that before I tackled the last one.
 

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What I did for a TEMPORARY fix for something like this was to find the smallest size heat-shrink tubing that would fit over the bullet and slide it on. I then took the next smaller size heat-shrink tubing, cut it a little shorter than the first piece and slit it length wise. I positioned that where I wanted it, and then slid the larger piece back over it until it just overlapped the bullet connector, and hit the whole mess with the heat gun. Tightened up nicely. I have even used this technique successfully on spade and ring connectors.
 
tubman said:
What I did for a TEMPORARY fix for something like this was to find the smallest size heat-shrink tubing that would fit over the bullet and slide it on. I then took the next smaller size heat-shrink tubing, cut it a little shorter than the first piece and slit it length wise. I positioned that where I wanted it, and then slid the larger piece back over it until it just overlapped the bullet connector, and hit the whole mess with the heat gun. Tightened up nicely. I have even used this technique successfully on spade and ring connectors.
Click to expand...

I hope I can remember that one.
Thank you.
Bruce
 
Rotorwrench has the answer, a small diameter pointed scribe pushed into the female part of the bullet to spread it enough to pull the male out. Used that method on the original '40 Ford under hood wiring.
 
BOB C has the correct temporary solution . It worked great for me. So good that I have let the job go for a while, untill a problem shows up.
 
I've never had great success with the "Liquid Electrical Tape" product. No matter how careful I was, I could never get the end result to be as neat as the multi-layer heat-shrink tubing
 
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