How do you get the pins out of a female harness?

[Bob98SR5]

Installed some new shocks and in the process ripped out the wires out of my e-locker harness. Wires came right out of the pins in both harnesses :shake: How do you get these pins out so that I can reconnect the wires to them?

Thanks,
Bob

[Crinale]

good job Bob... lol :chair: usually on female ends the pins are bent a bit and are just held in with the spring-ish properties of the metal itself.. i usually can get them out by kinda prying at them a bit with a really small pocket knife

[corax]

There should be a little plastic tab that locks the terminal in place, access it from the "open" portion of the connector. Use a safety pin to gently pry the tab away from the terminal and pull it out.

[corax]

this is the type Crinale is talking about
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll224/decosse01/terminal_removal.jpg

[corax]

this is the type I'm talking about
http://img.neons.org/AGN/connC_3.jpg

[Bob98SR5]

gents,

shouldve posted a pic. this pic i found actualy gives me a clue, sorta (attached)

[corax]

OK, pry the white bit out and the plastic detent tab holding the terminal should be obvious

move the tab slightly with a pin and push the terminal out the back with a pocket screwdriver

[Bob98SR5]

actually its not obvious to me. pry where?

[Bob98SR5]

ok got it..i had to use a pick w/ a curved tip and put some upwards force on the corners and it came off

[4x4mike]

What shocks did you go with? Were the old ones hard to get out? Mine took forever because the tops were rusted.

[Bob98SR5]

crappity crap crap: got the pins out, but the crimped portion is so tiny that its nearly impossible to bend them back and remove the existing wire :bang:

mike: i traded with fenrix and got the 99 tall springs and tokico green shocks that schaeffer recommends. much softer for sure. as far as getting the shocks out, ask lance :p

[4x4mike]

Cool. I like the ride of my '99 springs and Trekmasters.

We have a local electronics store that sells the pins. They come in different sizes but I'm wondering if it might be easier to get something from a junk yard.

[corax]

Can you remove the silicone weather seal from the terminal and use the rear portion of the terminal to attach/solder the wire? when you reassemble use some black RTV to seal it all up again

I've also had good luck in opening the original crimp with a strong straight needle or t-pin, just slide it under the ears and very gently pry a little bit at a time till it opens.

[Bob98SR5]

corax,

yeah i was able to remove everything into its own little piece. I'm gonna try your idea, i'll have to find a strong enough pin to do so. i have some hypodermic needles somewhere. otherwise i'll have to use the rear part of the terminal and seal w/ something, i have some silicone somewhere

i have some molex harnesses too from a stereo install kit though i think those pins are not the same shape and diameter as these

mike: yeah the ride is softer which i like. now the next thing i need to do is tighten up the steering. there's this joint I think is the culprit. i feel rattle/shake *inside* my steering column which transmits these little vibrations through the steering wheel. its my #1 pain in the ass when i drive