Yes, I know. I should not even attempt this if I am even asking this question. But I am going to attempt it anyways because the best way to learn is to do it yourself.

Here's the question. You ready?

How do you attach these wires together without soldering (Easy to undo for uninstalling)? All the wires!

Thanks!

 

Butt connectors.

 

You could use bullet connectors or spade connectors, or anything like these. You will need the insulted type since you said you want these to connect/disconnect easily and occasionally.

Another way to do this is fabricating a multi-plug connector. You can buy these at places like RadioShack. The connectors usually come in 6, 9, and 12 wire configurations with male and female plugs. You solder the wires to a metal insert that you install in the plug using a special (but inexpensive) instrument. This way all the wires go to a single plug on either a male and female side, so you simply connect the two plugs feeding the individual wires. It looks as though you have about nine wires to connect, so this would be a neat installation. It’s like building your own wiring harness-connectors (male and female). This does involve some soldering, but soldering low voltage wiring is easy and fun. It requires only a little practice and the equipment is inexpensive.

--Spike

 

I solder and shrink wrap.

 

i say solder.. because even if you use a butt connetor or spade connecters.. you are going to end up cutting the wire anyway to remove them.. personally i like soldering.. i take the things i need to a desk in the house and slowly take care of what i need to take care of.. then i wrap electric tape around it..

Soldering Iron's are pretty easy to use.. the problem most people have is they are not patient enough to let it heat up before trying to work

 

A-freakin-men.

 

The other consideration, which you probably haven't realized... YET, but you will, is space. There is NOT a lot of it behind the radio once you shove a double-DIN sized unit in place of the stocker.

With all those wires it's really a tight fit and requires a little patience and creative arrangement to get them all back there nice and neat. That is with all the wires cut to length, stripped, soldered, shrink wrapped and wire-tied into neat bundles. If you add in a dozen freakin' butt connectors to that equation, the gigantanormous bundle of wires you end up with is going to be a royal PITA to get behind your head unit.

Not to mention, butt connectors are crap. Eventually one of them is going to come loose. Probably sooner than later.

If you really wanna learn to DIY, then you're going to need to learn to solder. It's NOT that hard. Go to Rat Shack and get an inexpensive pencil type soldering iron, some rosin-core solder and some flux. Look up a soldering how-to online and give it a go. You'll get the hang of it. Just remember, when you solder... heat up the wires and let THEM melt the solder.

Good Luck.

 

^ Agreed.

I prefer the solder and heat shrink method...

 

I've been using the same soldering iron from radio shack that I bought 18 years ago. It was like $8 then. I use silver solder (usually buy it from parts express). I have been using the shrink tubing from parts express as well and an old black & decker heat gun that I bought 18 years ago as well for like $10 then.

 

i have two heat guns laying around i bought like 8 years ago when i used to clear out maxima rear tail lights

 

Pfffft! Heat guns are for sissies. Like a REAL man I use...

...my wife's blowdryer.



Ehhh, it works and saved me a trip to Lowes to get a heat gun. That's one of the things I'm always "just about" to go get yet never do. So, when I need one the NEXT time?

...hey baby, can you bring me your blowdryer?...

 

I tried a blow dryer to open up tail lights.. it was taking a little over a hour and i cracked the light because the glue wasn't melted enough.. heat gun worked like a charm

 

Hey I have an extra with the clips built into it. If your interested. It was an additional 20 bucks or something.

 

I agree that soldering the wires and shrink wrapping for insulation is the best way, but the OP mentions he wants the ability to disconnect the wires (an easily reversible setup).

--Spike

 

Yes, I get it I'm just not sure the OP's worries about the "disconnect/reversible" stuff are justified. Perhaps, being a self-professed audio newb, he doesn't actually understand the entire issue. I mean, once you solder up the new harness:

aftermarket HeadUnit harness ==> Metra/etc adaptor harness

...everything IS disconnectable/reversible right? It is in my install anyway. What else would you want to disconnect? There's no modification to the oem side of the wiring. Go back to stock? Unplug your old, soldered, shrink wrapped and wire-tied custom harness which you lovingly crafted and which gave you YEARS of trouble-free service and reinstall/plug in your old OEM headunit.

Wah-lah!

 

Thanks guys! I installed everything and when I went to power up the system it all went well... Until I tried to listen to the radioo/iPod. No sound whatsoever going to the speakers ;( There were some wires I did not connect on the harness I bought, but I can't think that one of them would be the problem. The only thing I used on the 'power' harness was the mute and I grounded it with the ebrake.

I have Bose and when I was connecting everything, I never noticed these types of plugs.



Those two components. I have them on my harness but I did not see anywhere to plug them in!

 

BIC lighter FTW... Don't need anything else

 

Oh and I soldered the wires together. It was actually pretty fun trying to get the lead stuff to stop falling off the wire. Once it's on, I just push the solder tip on it and spread it around the wires.

 

You’re right. We often see questions here that are not really “the question.” When answering these, you need to read the question and figure out what the poster is trying to accomplish.

--Spike

 

Hell figuring out what they asked versus what they REALLY want to know is half the fun.

@OP - Glad you got it going. DIY is sooo much more fulfilling that writing a check. And I know, I've written a LOT of checks.