Crimping

Crimping Tool

Use the wire crimper from the BMW Electrical Repair Kit. This crimper is designed for the specific connectors found in BMW automobiles. Proper use to the tools will provide consistent good quality connector crimps.

The crimper is designed to apply just the right amount of pressure based on the wire gauge and connector size.







The tool has removable crimper jaws (3). This feature allows for an unlimited number of connector types for future compatibility. The repair manual refers to the different sized crimping slots as "Nests". The gauge of the wire being crimped determines which "Nest" is used.

Nest Wire Cross-Section Size
1 0.035....0.50sq.mm
2 0.75....1.0sq.mm
3 1.5sq.mm
4 2.5sq.mm


Example:







A 0.75 - 1.0 mm gauge wire requires nest 2 for proper crimping.

Throughout the Electrical Repair Kit instruction manual are illustrations of various connectors being crimped. The highlighted box of the 16 box grid in these illustrations refers to the storage compartment in the electrical kit drawers in which that specific connector can be found.







Insert the "crimping end" of the connector into the appropriate "nest". Illustration provides example of comb replacement connector (4) and inline splice connector (5).







Squeeze the tool handle slightly to set the tool in the first ratchet latch position. This will hold the connector in the tool without closing the crimp (6).







Insert the stripped wire into the receiving end of the crimper tool making sure the wire is inserted far enough to ensure that only the wire insulation will be inside the insulation support barrel (7).

Properly crimped connectors exhibit the following characteristics:







- The insulation support barrel will be crimped consistently and snug against the insulation. The insulation will not be crushed (8).
- A bellmouth crimp will be visible at the wire end of the of the wire barrel (9).
- Wire strands will be visible at the contact end of the wire barrel (10).
- Insulation end will be visible in this area (11) (Fig. 27/1).







The following are examples of unacceptable crimps: (Fig. 27/2)
- Excessive or no wire strands at the contact end of the wire barrel (10)
- Excessive or no insulation end in the acceptable area (11).