MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - TF Wire Connector Quantity?

I will be replacing the harness in my '54 TF and also need to order the wire connectors but I don't know what quantity to order of each type. Is there a list somewhere that I can reference or can someone tell me what I should order? I'll need the 1, 2,4 & 5 wire connectors. Also, should I order any bullet tips?
Thanks, Lou
L Staller

I just bought a new complete harness from Moss. Might be a connector list somewhere, but I never heard of one. PJ
Paul S Jennings

I called Moss and inquired about them having everything I need in stock then asked about the connectors and was told I have to count whats on my car or just guess the quantity I need. Typically over the years these car's harnesses have been cut with wires spliced and taped in place making it difficult to properly determine what is actually needed. I'm hoping I can be a bit more precise then a guess.
If there isn't a list available once I receive the new harness I'll lay it out and determine what connectors I'll need then order them. I just thought that it would be nice if I could order all the pieces necessary at one time.
Lou
L Staller

Lou,

If you have the Workshop manual you can count how many connectors you need on the wiring diagram. It shows single and double connectors, some are labeled "snap connectors"
I can't comfirm that it is accurate for the TF but it work for me on the TD.


John
J Scragg

Lou, I am currently in the middle of wiring my TF and with the car came a very old (80's I think) wiring loom from Moss. In the unopened package came far more connectors than what is needed. I followed the diagram in the book and so far everything is coming out just fine. Depending on how many options/accessories your car has may determine how many mutable connectors you will need. I highly recommend you purchase a few extras. Good to have around when you want to make a modification/addition.
If you would like a copy of my diagram shoot me an email and I will send you one.

Dan
TF7946
DHN Nordstrom

Thanks for your input, recommendations and tips on determining the number of connectors I need. I took a look at my old harness, what's left of it and couldn't determine anything from it except that it's worthless! I then counted the 'snap connectors' indicated on the wire diagram in the workshop manual but didn't see the 5 wire connector for the headlights wires so what I'll do is wait until I have the harness in hand then lay it out, tag the wire ends then see what I need and then order them from Moss.
Thanks again,
Lou
L Staller

Lou

Another thought that I have used in the past. Find a wrecking yard near you, look for a newer British car and remove all of the old connectors. Some will be unusable but you should be able to get enough good ones to do your car. Most wreckers will practically give them to you! Stripping a couple of these wrecks will provide you with spares as well.

Brian
Brian Smith (1950 TD3376)

Is it possible Lou is confusing snap connectors with multi-pin plugs? Pin plugs would be a good idea for future dissassembly.
DHN Nordstrom

What I'm asking about are snap connectors as used on the MG from the factory. They are used to connect a wire to another wire or wires to other wires. One wire would push and snap into one end of the connector and the other wire would snap into the other end of the connector. They are available through most of the vendors in multiple configurations. I was simply asking if anyone knew what quantity of the different types a TF requires.
There is another thread on this forum where someone is looking to locate a 5 wire connector. In his posting is a photo of a snap connector, the type I'm looking for but in different configurations.
As I mentioned in a earlier post I'll wait until I have the new harness in hand then see what exactly I need.
Thanks everyone!
L Staller

Lou,

If it helps I received in my kit (again from the 80's) 6-4-way and 12 2-way snap connectors. No 5/6 way. As I am not finished yet, I do not know if this is adequate or not. Upon reviewing the diagram that was included with the loom it appears to be about right.

I'll be quite now.

Good luck with your project.
DHN Nordstrom

Lou - It won't help you determine how many connectors you need, but I think that you can get the connectors at a better price through British Wiring http://www.britishwiring.com/ Also keep in mind that a single connector connects two wires together, a double connector connects 4 wires together, a 4 ganged connector connects 8 wires together and a 5 ganged connector connects 10 wires together. I have never had a need for anything more than a double connector and if I did need more that 4 wires together at one place, I would just tape a single connector to the double or 2 doubles tapped together. As for how many to get, make a rough count and add half again as many as you counted. I also opted to get the bullet crimper - it is expensive ($50+), but it makes assembling things so much easier than soldering them and it makes a better connection in the long run. Cheers - Dave
D W DuBois

Dan, your count of the connectors is what I am looking for. I used the factory workshop manual wiring diagram and came up with 11 single and 5 double connectors. Looks like I missed a couple or Moss use to provide extra in case of a screw up. Just for fun, could you e-mail me a copy of the diagram that was included with your harness? If so please send it to: stallerl@socal.rr.com.
Dave, thanks for your suggestion about ordering extras which I will do. I would be very pissed if I ordered only what I think I needed and screwed one up and had to wait for the replaement to arrive. I like the idea of crimping the bullets onto the wires better then soldering them. I'll ask the fellow members of the Vintage MG Club here in Southern California if someone has a crimper I can borrow so I can put the $50.00 towards something else!
Thanks again for all your help and guidance. Lou
L Staller

Dave, can you post a picture of your crimper? I have electrician crimpers for spade, ring and forked connectors and am wondering what features yours has to justify the extra $30 - $40 bucks. Thanks. Jud
J K Chapin

Dave, can you post a picture of your crimper?

Me too Dave, Like Jud, I have crimpers also, but probably not the correct ones. PJ
Paul S Jennings

Can't really give you "a count" as I did a number of modifications to my wiring. (Extra circuits, extra fusing, and disconnect points that make things easier to trace a problem.)

I can pass along a good source that I used.
Triple C had most everything I needed at very good prices.
http://www.triple-c.com/Products.cfm?page=1&pa=List&zsb=0&zhcb=1&psearch=lucas

I chose to soldier rather than crimp (they have the crimp tool for $40.)
Looking over the site this morning I noticed there is no longer a "4 way" connector listed so you may have to ask about that one. Pretty sure they had those when I ordered...but it has been quite a while ago.
David Sheward 55 TF1500 # 7427

Here's the top view of British Wiring's Bullet Crimper:
Bud


Bud Krueger

And the backside. BTW, if anyone would like to borrow it (for a short time), just ask. Bud


Bud Krueger

Impressive. Double lever enhanced squeezing power. Sort of all around instead of poking in on one side crimping action. Looks like the tool to use. Thanks. Jud
J K Chapin

Bud - Thanks for showing those pictures. That is the only crimper to use on the bullet male connectors. Anything else will deform the bullets resulting in less than a proper connection. By the way, if you are going to use the crimper, be sure to get the proper crimp bullet rather than the solder connecter. Unfortunately, these a single purpose crimper and can't be used for other crimp on items, meaning that it is a lot of money to spend on the crimper. That said, using the proper crimper will result in perfect crimps every time. Cheers - Dave
D W DuBois

I'm going to solder mine. Too much money for a tool that will only get used a couple times. Nothing hard about soldering them and guaranteed a good connection. PJ
Paul S Jennings

I'm with you, Paul. Although the crimper is pretty neat, I'm a 'belt and braces' sort of guy - I'd use the crimper to get a strong hold on the wire and then solder the tip, just to be sure. I never really trust crimped connections - they always retain the chance of corrosion between the two metals, whereas a properly done soldered joint does not.
Kevin McLemore

Kevin, that's my preferred technique. Solder alone is not a adequate mechanical connection, IMHO. Bud
Bud Krueger

Question: how do you solder the tip after it's crimped? I don't have a bullet tip on hand to look at. Is there a hole at the tip where the solder would flow inside the tip down onto the wire? Lou
L Staller

Yes, in the connectors I use there's a hole and if you tin the wire first, then insert and crimp, it's really easy to flow a little solder into the tip and make it set nicely.
Kevin McLemore

This thread was discussed between 18/01/2015 and 24/01/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.