# how strong is solder?



## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

I guess this would work in the audio section since I'm talking about alarms. My viper alarm has been programmed with a trunk popper, but I haven't had the opportunity to place or wire in the solenoid. I had trouble placing the cable onto the latch and keeping the cable tight. 

I was wondering, is it possible to solder the puller cable to itself to make a loop or would the solder break? If not, I'll try my luck with crimping.


----------



## ga16freak (Dec 31, 2004)

Ninety-Nine SE-L said:


> I guess this would work in the audio section since I'm talking about alarms. My viper alarm has been programmed with a trunk popper, but I haven't had the opportunity to place or wire in the solenoid. I had trouble placing the cable onto the latch and keeping the cable tight.
> 
> I was wondering, is it possible to solder the puller cable to itself to make a loop or would the solder break? If not, I'll try my luck with crimping.


I doubt it would be strong enough.


----------



## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

solder may be strong enough, but you can get crimp sleeves for just a few cents from most hardware stores that are designed for this... go to the section where they sell rope and steel cable by the foot and you should find some in that area.


----------



## Punkrocka436 (Jul 8, 2003)

unless you are badass at soldering, i would use crimps. 9 times out of 10 a crimp will make a better connection, and they are stronger too. Hell, most stereo shops use crimps instead of soldering. Usually they are better, take a hell of a lot less time, and are stronger.


----------



## superfro86 (May 15, 2002)

i would say you would have a better electrical connection with soldering if done properly ie not just dripping melted solder on the wires but making the wires hot enough that the solder melts on the wires themselves. but is this electrical conection that much better to make a difference is another question. but i woud a gree you are better of crimping in your situation.


----------



## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

I'm not trying to make an electrical connection. As you know, a little metal wire/cable runs from the lever to the trunk latch to pop the trunk from the driver's seat. I'm hooking in a solenoid so I can pop the trunk by remote.

The issue isn't wiring up the solenoid, it's hooking up the puller to the main trunk cable. I'll prolly look for that crimping stuff in the steel cable isle.


----------



## superfro86 (May 15, 2002)

thats why i said in your situation you would be better off crimping. but let me know how the install goes. i want to do the same thing to my trunk but first i would have to come up with a airstrut system since i got rid of the torsion bars.


----------



## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

Punkrocka436 said:


> unless you are badass at soldering, i would use crimps. 9 times out of 10 a crimp will make a better connection, and they are stronger too. Hell, most stereo shops use crimps instead of soldering. Usually they are better, take a hell of a lot less time, and are stronger.



The reason installers use crimps is simply for speed and ease of use. the GOOD installers still take the time to solder and wrap connections.. 
if you spend the money for good crimp connectors, they are reliable.. but you will never see the good 3M wire connectors used in a cheapo shop.
I used to work at a shop in tulsa, OK and probably spent 30% of my time troubleshooting bad connections from installs done at the shop down the street.
the connections were always done right, but they used cheap crimp and splice connectors that died 3 months later and the alarm wouldn't work.

so I'd rip it apart, solder all the joints, and the alarm would work perfectly again. charge them $150 for my time and send them on their way.


----------



## Punkrocka436 (Jul 8, 2003)

i did the trunk release solenoid....are you hooking the cable to the part of the latch on the trunk LID or the actual piece that the cable conencts to. What kit did you buy? Mine came with a split bolt and a nut. All i had to do was wrap the new cable around the place where the old one went, and secure it down with the split bolt, and i was good to go.

this is the kit i bought --> http://www.autotoys.com/x/catalog/C...EASE_AND_DOOR_POP_SOLENOIDS_page_1_c_107.html


----------



## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

yea, I bought one like that. It didn't work so well for me, no instructions or anything, and it came broken. I'm thinking of jus pulling one out of a junked maxima


----------



## Twiz (Aug 24, 2004)

You could use solder for the electric part but not mechanical. Solder won't even bond and hold onto a stainless steel cable... you'll have to weld it.


----------



## captain_shrapnel (Sep 10, 2004)

Twiz said:


> You could use solder for the electric part but not mechanical. Solder won't even bond and hold onto a stainless steel cable... you'll have to weld it.


Partially true, solder CAN be used to make mechanical connections (soldering copper piping) and can support a decent load. However, as previously stated, a crimp would be far superior in this situation. In fact, Twiz is right... you can't solder or braze stainless steel, so a crimp is your only alternative. Btw, if you need an impact crimper be sure to check welding shops in your area. Impact crimpers sold for "car audio" work go for like $40, whereas "welding" crimpers are like $7. Same chunk of metal, different price.


----------

