Headlight Wiring Broken

[BasikFilly]

Looking for help or guidance on how to repair my headlight wiring. This is a picture the wiring the headlight would be plugged into. If additional information helps, I installed the alpha Rex headlights less than a year ago and just recently my blinker stopped working. Took apart the entire thing to find this. Which I guess I’m thankful for but ford quoted me $600 because they said my aftermarket grill and headlights would take longer to remove haha. Any guidance would be most appreciated!

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[PWillette]

Not many options. For temporary could peel back the outer jacket and solder a short section of wire & heat shrink on the broken wire and just tape up the chaffed wires.

 

[Ducati1098]

You can try and repair that, or you can just order a new pigtail connector which will give you a lot more wiring to work with.
Also, that looks like rodent damage so you may want to look out for any other signs.

 

[Headsong]

Ah, mouses, little bastards. Stick some green killer blocks in the engine compartment, find a cat, set some traps, lock up birdseed...

 

[BasikFilly]

Rats! I would have never thought but this is a new challenge for me. I’ve never dealt with wiring, is there a video I could watch?

 

[flip]

Rats! I would have never thought but this is a new challenge for me. I’ve never dealt with wiring, is there a video I could watch?

The connector is a Molex MX150 series. White locking shell is basically pulled forward until it hits a stop then a small round pin is inserted into the small hole below the square opening which is then pushed in and will release the terminal. You will have to unravel some of the insulation to splice in the new pigtails which isn't a huge deal but you will need to be able to cut the wire, strip back some insulation, crimp some small butt connectors and apply some heat shrink over the connector.

If you feel froggy, DM me with your address and I'll either make a few ends up or take some off a donor harness with the heat shrink and butt connectors.

ETA: The Ford repair kit that @Ducati1098 posted is over $100.00 just for the part.

 

[Neps]

Quick search of Automotive Electrical Repair shops in Dallas shows quite a few in the area.

That type of repair isn't too difficult, but it's 1000% easier with some level of experience. A local shop who specializes in electrical repair is your best bet.
Although Flips offer is very generous, and crimp connectors can work for years. A solder repair is much preferred over the crimp (butt connector).

 

[Bill K]

Looking for help or guidance on how to repair my headlight wiring. This is a picture the wiring the headlight would be plugged into. If additional information helps, I installed the alpha Rex headlights less than a year ago and just recently my blinker stopped working. Took apart the entire thing to find this. Which I guess I’m thankful for but ford quoted me $600 because they said my aftermarket grill and headlights would take longer to remove haha. Any guidance would be most appreciated!

I can help you with that and live in Allen. DM me. I have the tools at my house to solder and fix that (hate the damn rodents, will be the third vehicle I've had to fix).

--Bill

 

[fourdayoff]

Quick search of Automotive Electrical Repair shops in Dallas shows quite a few in the area.

That type of repair isn't too difficult, but it's 1000% easier with some level of experience. A local shop who specializes in electrical repair is your best bet.
Although Flips offer is very generous, and crimp connectors can work for years. A solder repair is much preferred over the crimp (butt connector).

I hate to start an oil thread here but crimp connectors are preferred over solder in FAA and NASA. Have you ever seen solder joints in wires in vehicles from the manufacture? Solder creates a brittle point in the wire. I always use bare butt connectors with glue heat shrink. Yes takes more time but good prep allows you to finish the race. Haters please chime in. Jim.

 

[Brian_B]

Solder creates a brittle point in the wire. I always use bare butt connectors with glue heat shrink. Yes takes more time but good prep allows you to finish the race. Haters please chime in. Jim.

Just like there being a "right" and a "wrong" way to use crimp connectors, there's also right and wrong ways to solder connectors.

I would say soldering "right" would be better than crimping, but it's hard to do that and I have absolutely no evidence to support that. I'd say the same thing about welding versus bolting on - welding - correctly - would be stronger than bolting, but if you weld it poorly it could be worse.

 

[HP11]

A Western Union Splice soldered with shrink tubing would be ideal but I don't think you have enough exposed wire on the connectors to completed that repair.

 

[Rydfree]

I hate to start an oil thread here but crimp connectors are preferred over solder in FAA and NASA. Have you ever seen solder joints in wires in vehicles from the manufacture? Solder creates a brittle point in the wire. I always use bare butt connectors with glue heat shrink. Yes takes more time but good prep allows you to finish the race. Haters please chime in. Jim.

Unless he plans for his Bronco to take flight or go into space a soldered connection would be my preferred fix. Looks to be a 10-15 minute job.

 

[Bill K]

I hate to start an oil thread here but crimp connectors are preferred over solder in FAA and NASA. Have you ever seen solder joints in wires in vehicles from the manufacture? Solder creates a brittle point in the wire. I always use bare butt connectors with glue heat shrink. Yes takes more time but good prep allows you to finish the race. Haters please chime in. Jim.

I used to wire military aircraft for a living. J-hook and solder along with sleeving was the preferred repair method assuming sufficient service length was available. Also use crimp, but prefer solder. Good sleeving will help reinforce that brittle point...

 

[Neps]

If I follow the FAA guide, do I then have to worry about my doors falling off?

Too soon..

NASA allows for both soldered and crimp, but the type if crimp we use for space components is not the Autozone / Walmart type of crimp

 

[Roger123]

You could solder it but then it would be the only solder joint on the entire vehicle (but for the printed circuit boards).

Strip back some wire, use some good quality butt connectors, a little heat shrink and call it a day.

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