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Just blew $150 on a 'universal' coax crimper that wrecked my connectors
I was in a rush to finish a job on a Cessna 172 and grabbed this cheap crimper online, thinking it would handle all the common sizes. It mashed the barrel on a dozen RG-400 connectors before I gave up and had to replace them all. The wasted parts and my time added up fast. Has anyone found a crimper that actually works well for the smaller aviation coax without costing a fortune?
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roberts.aaron6mo ago
Oh man, that's rough. I've been there with a bad crimper. One thing I noticed, RG-400 usually needs a specific die size, like a -3 or -4. Those "universal" ones with the adjustable jaws almost never get the pressure right for the small stuff. I ended up biting the bullet for a proper P tool style crimper with the right die. It hurt my wallet once, but it saves so much headache and wasted connectors.
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perry.jessica4mo ago
Reminds me of the time I used a pair of pliers on some RG-174 and the whole thing just crumbled.
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martinez.ryan6mo ago
Aaron's right about the die size being key. I learned the hard way trying to use a general aviation crimper on RG-400, and the crimps just wouldn't pass a pull test. The connector would look fine but the center pin was always loose. Getting the exact die, like a -3 for those tiny pins, makes a perfect hex crimp every time. It's one of those jobs where the right tool isn't just better, it's the only thing that actually works.
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