Heat shrink - what do you use?
Curious what everyone is using for heat shrink. I get 3:1 shrink ratio tubing with internal sealant from a local supplier and it does pretty good but not near as good as some of the stuff supplied with some of the OE wiring pigtails that has a crazy high shrink ratio. Anyone found a good source for that stuff?
Alan
I agree, I would love to find the vendor that makes the butt connectors in AcDelco, Motorcraft, GM, and the like that come with pigtails. They split less often and the glue in those is amazing. The ones I find to use or just good but not amazing. I save those from the pigtail kits for special jobs.
Those are DuraSeal splices. The Tyco Electronics AD-1522 crimp tool and HL1910E/ HL2010E heating tool are recommended.
Michael: Thank you for all the information and links posted in this thread. There's a lot of really neat stuff out there! It's nice to see you're still around and active. Take care, Alan
Thank you, Alan! Yup, I am still around. Good to hear from you, and tell your dad hello for me!
I like NSPA OptiSeal for all crimp connections and heat shrink.
motorcraft.com/content/dam/fo….pdf
Thankyou, Martin! Page 3 of the catalog shows the Motorcraft reorder numbers for butt connectors and heat shrink. The three different kits (WT-56814, WT-56815, and WT-56816) come with different diameter butt connectors but the same diameter heat shrinkm (.250"). And my local vendor shows they have them in stock at the warehouse. Our cost is nearly $10 for a set of 5 but it would be nice to have…
They are expensive, but that is extra high. Our two main suppliers sell them for under $8.
If you find the right picture of that Motorcraft stuff you can see ES-1 on the tubing which is from Tyco. strancoproducts.com/downloads/ES-1….pdf
What Geoff posted is what I use the most, I buy it in 4' pieces.
Glen, do you get it from Mouser? mouser.com/ProductDetail…
I love the heat shrink that comes with the motor craft pig tail. If y’all find a source to that please post it.
I use dual walled NTE Electronics' heat shrink and personally like it alot. I also find myself using the Haisstronica solder seal connectors more and more each day. Speedy and easy (just wait for it to cool before attempting tug test).
nteinc.com/hs_tubing/pdf….pdf haisstronica.com/collections/he…
haisstronica.com/products/340pc… Moreso these. I don't use use butt connectors.
Very interesting. I'd never heard of those before but I'll be looking into them. Thanks!
Michael Is the haisstronica same as the GM butt connectors?
Glen, No - the GM splices are DuraSeal from Tyco Electronics. I had not heard of the Haisstronica products at all before Jared Jennings' mention of them. I will be trying this set of CoSolder Seal Wire Connectors out on the 25-year-old wiring harness on my motorcycle based upon his experience with them. If those work like he says they do (and I have no reason to believe they don't…) I will also…
The 4:1 ratio is great but unfortunately the smallest size they have is ¼" and what I'm currently using with a 3:1 shrink ratio is 3/16" so either way I'm going to end up with 1/16" after shrinking. I'm looking for something that can handle the smaller diameter wires while still fitting over my butt connectors before shrinking. I have 1/8" tubing but it won't quite fit over the butt connector. I…
I use 1/8tubing and fits over my butt connectors. I like these because they are seamless and don’t get deformed when compressed
Thanks. I should probably get some more (smaller) butt connectors for the real small gauge stuff. Then my 1/8" tubing would fit too. Seamless would be nice but I'm so used to ones with seams I don't even think twice about locating the seam before crimping. Alan
We use Mopar p/n 4778570 shrink tubing does not split and sealant seals tubing great.
I've been impressed with the Mopar stuff in the past when it's come with pigtails. Thanks for the part number! Do you remember how it's packaged? Looks like it might be a 4 pack? Alan
Hello Alan, I buy Mopar #5073038AA. Comes 100 pieces per package. It's the same thing that's in the Motorcraft wiring kits, but I can buy this cheaper. Tim
I bought from a supplier in China on ebay. 10meter lengths per size. 3:1 with sealant. It was as good as any other that I had had and much lower cost. I stocked several sizes.
delcity.net has 4:1 adhesive lined shrink tubing. We also use a ton of their non insulated crimp terminals and battery cable ends.
Commenting so I can come back to these sources. Thanks. I've used some I got on amazon but some of these sources are likely much better.
Raychem ATUM is what I use, purchased from Digikey. It’s adhesive-lined and comes in 3:1 and 4:1 in many different inside diameters. I buy 48” lengths and cut them to size. — Dave
Try the marine heat shrink tube from Harbor Freight. it comes in a variety pack, and its got the adhesive in it too. not crazy money too.
I have been using these from Chrysler for 15+ years 10 to a bag same quality as the motor craft ones. We usually buy 100 bags at a time. has the sealer and fits most repairs.
Thanks for that part number. We've been buying them from Chrysler in packs of 100, but the price each for these is quite a bit less.
Timothy Yesterday afternoon I checked with my local Mopar parts department and a bag of 100 in my remote area would cost me 61 beans. Probably in the big city with competition it’s going to be less
Hi Mark, We're paying about 17% less than your number, but the part number that Robert provided cuts that cost by more than half. Tim