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DSUB Pin will not latch into place

blueflyer

blueflyer

Well Known Member
I am installing standard female DSUB pins into a DSUB connector. I am using the standard 4-way DSUB crimper. 90% of the pins insert into the connector, click into place when inserted into the housing, and can not be pulled out with a gentle tug. But, when I insert a few of the pins, i will hear an audible click upon insertion, but the pin will pull out with a gentle tug. What gives? Am I doing something incorrectly?
 
Last edited:
blueflyer said:
I am installing standard female DSUB pins into a DSUB connector. I am using the standard 4-way DSUB crimper. 90% of the pins insert into the connector, click into place when inserted into the housing, and can not be pulled out with a gentle tug. But, when I insert a few of the pins, i will hear an audible click upon insertion, but the pin will pull out with a gentle tug. What gives? Am I doing something incorrectly?
Click to expand...
How are you inserting the pins, i.e. are you using the special insertion tool, pointy end? And what size is the wire and type? (large insulation may be an issue)
 
I am just pushing the pins into place with my fingers, no tool being used. Let me confirm about the wire size and get back to you. You may be on to something there. I'll report back here after I look at it again tomorrow.
 
blueflyer said:
I am just pushing the pins into place with my fingers, no tool being used. Let me confirm about the wire size and get back to you. You may be on to something there. I'll report back here after I look at it again tomorrow.
Click to expand...
I doubt it's the wire gauge. D-sub will only fit up to 20AWG. Wire goes in no problem. It is possible to crimp 18AWG if you peel away about four strands of wire. The wire still goes in but it's not easy to remove. My guess is bad terminals. Post a photo of them. AMP will have a color code. Cheap ones no color.
Had a similar problem and tossed them after changing them all!
 
This may be a mix & match issue? Pins from one source (Spruce / SteinAir...) and housing from another (Amazon, eBay...) ?
There's lots of standards for the D-sub connector, but I don't believe the snap holes in the housings have a spec? Or that some generic parts follow the spec?
 
The pins are from Stein Air. I can't say where I got the DSUB connector from. I tried using 22 gauge wire that matched the wire size of the other wires in the harness, but again, the pins pulled out with ease. Not sure whats going on. My first thought was an issue with the DSUB connector. I'll try a new connector and report back.
 
Pay close attention to the depth of the pin when put in the crimper. If it goess in too far, the shoulder of the pin will be crimped in addition to the hollow ferrule. If the shoulder is crimped it may not lock.
 
You also need to be sure they are going all the way in. Usually I can fully seat the pins with just finger pressure, but occasionally get a tight socket and it requires the insertion tool to seat it.

Larry
 
It appears the DSUB housing is junk. I inserted the pin into another pin location on the same housing and it locked into place.
 
So I reinserted the pin in the housing and rotated the wire (like rotating a door knob to open and close it) a little bit. The pin has now locked into place. Thank you all for your tips. It helped me move forward.
 
I have also run into this problem on several occasions. The problem was with the D-Sub connector housing and not the pins. I discovered the problem by removing all of the pins from the connector. Next, I drilled out the "hollow" crimp holes in the metal housing that surrounds the plastic parts that hold the connector together. Once that is done, throw away the metal housing halves and you can now separate the two plastic parts that hold the pins. In one of those plastic parts you will find a small metal widget that is supposed to capture the pin when it is inserted into its located hole. In my case, the offending pin location had a deformed metal widget that was different from the others.
 
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