Civillian Electrical Connectors for Military Wiring

[houdel]

I was messing around under the dash of my truck yesterday installing a keyed ignition switch in place of the original accessory switch. I needed a way to connect the new switch to the original wiring. I didn't have any military wiring connectors, and no way was I going to cut and splice into the wiring of my beloved Deuce.

I found the following connectors at my local NAPA store (I'm sure you can find similar connectors at any decent auto parts store) and they worked perfectly! The one on the left side of the photo is a NAPA/Belden #784341 .157" Blue PVC male snap terminal, it snapped into the female military connector as well as, if not better, than a military male connector, and the price was only $1.83 for a pack of 20.

The one on the right side of the photo is a NAPA/Belden #784353 .157" Blue Nylon female snap terminal, it also fits as well as, if not better, than a military female connector, and the price was only $1.83 for a pack of 10.

Don't know why the female connectors were more expensive, probably Nylon insulation vs PVC insulation, but they only had the males in PVC and the females in Nylon.

With military connectors going for $1.00 each, these are a pretty cost effective substitute. Of course for exterior applications they are not watertight, but for locations where they won't be seen a juducious use of a quality electrical tape will solve that problem!

BTW, DON"T try to find these connectors at NAPA on-line, neither the part number nor a keyword search for Belden will find them!

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=5982

 

[Recovry4x4]

I bought these the other day. Great for tapping power for another item or using the small pieces to extend another wire.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MILI...076271184QQcategoryZ33578QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[houdel]

Those look pretty good, lots of connectors there to play with. I like the splitters too, they can be pretty handy at times. Saturn gets a buck each for connectors and I think two bucks for a splitter.

Have you ever run across a 24V in line flasher, similar to what are used for the turn signal flasher in civvie vehicles? I want to put a in-dash low air pressure warning light on my Deuce, but I'd like it to flash instead of a steady burn. The standard Deuce electronic turn signal flasher is a bit too pricey for what I have in mind.

 

[73m819]

try a flasher for heavy equipment, most are 24v

 

[cranetruck]

That link, Kenny, it looks like Memphis Equipment Co in Chambersburg, PA. Didn't know they had so much M37 stuff.....

 

[Recovry4x4]

You're exactly right Bjorn, it's Memphis. Between these and the other taps, like I sent you. I can do all kinds of power tapping. The main reason I bought these is I found a NOS M342A2 rear harness. I'm going to put this on the wrecker but the lights on the 342 are pretty close together. The longer wire on these is male/female and would make a great extension. Also plan on adding packards on the trailer plug harness so it can be removed. A pitfall of the wrecker design is they have the trailer plug wiring exposed at the rear. I'm going to hammer a hole in the back if the bed and feed the trailer plug wires through it, not possible with the original harness desgn.

 

[cranetruck]

The trailer connector is mounted on a plate extending below the frame on the M49 tanker too (my cranetruck now). I never had a problem with it, cutting a hole in the frame cross member for it could be a task.

 

[cranetruck]

Here is a picture of it.

 

[Recovry4x4]

You know Bjorn, I was thinking that hole sawing that might be quite a task. I just happen to have that same bracket on the tractor. Matter of fact, the pipeline used the same thing and although bent, I still have it.
Attached is a pic of it now. If I can't drill the pilot hole for the hole saw easily, I might resort to that bracket. Would be really cool if I could keep it where it is now though.