Wiring Tools

Buy Motorsport Wiring Tools in Australia

The crimp is the harness. Every connection in a race car lives or dies on whether the terminal was formed with the right tool, and no amount of expensive wire fixes a bad crimp. 12Volt Motorsports stocks the tools professional harness shops actually use: Sargent crimpers from the USA, genuine Aptiv terminal removal tools and 4 indent crimpers for the Deutsch and Amphenol families, all in Melbourne, all shipped Australia-wide.

Why the Right Crimp Tool Matters

A proper crimp is a gas tight cold weld between the terminal and the conductor, formed when the correct die profile compresses the barrel to a specified shape and depth. Get it right and the joint is stronger than the wire itself, sealed against oxygen and unbothered by vibration. Get it wrong, flattened wings, cracked barrels, strands outside the crimp, and the connection works on the bench, then fails at the track once heat cycles and vibration find it. Terminal manufacturers publish exact crimp specifications for every terminal, and the tools on this page exist to hit them.

Match the Tool to the Terminal

Crimping is not one tool fits all. Unsealed open barrel terminals, sealed OEM terminals and solid barrel contacts each need their own crimp profile. This is the map.

Genuine Tools and the Cheap Crimper Problem

The $25 generic crimper and the Sargent look similar in photos. The difference is in the dies. Sargent machines its cavities to the terminal manufacturers' crimp specifications and has supplied professional shops for decades, while generic tools approximate the shape, and approximate crimps are where intermittent faults are born. The same logic applies to removal tools: the genuine Aptiv picks release the terminal tang cleanly where improvised picks and screwdrivers destroy the housing. On a harness that has to survive a season, the tools are the cheapest component that can never be allowed to fail.

Where These Tools Fit in a Harness Build

Strip the wire, and every termination that follows runs through one of these. Deutsch and Amphenol connectors get their solid contacts crimped with the 4 indent tool before clicking into DTM, DT or DTP housings. Factory sensor plugs, fuel pump connectors and Metri-Pack terminals get crimped with the 3306 MPCT, their insulation wings closed over the cable seal. Open barrel terminals and wire splices get the 1026, 1028 or ratcheting 3128 CT. And when a factory loom needs repairing rather than replacing, the Aptiv removal tools take the connector apart without a single broken tang. Seal the results with Sumitomo W5DL and the joint outlives the car.

Learn With Our Free Guides and Calculators

Every crimp guide, wire chart and calculator we publish is written from the same bench these tools live on.

Browse the Wiring Resources Library

Use the Concentric Twist Calculator

Shop Wiring Supplies & Splices

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy motorsport wiring tools in Australia?

12Volt Motorsports stocks Sargent crimpers, Aptiv terminal removal tools and Deutsch 4 indent crimp tools in Melbourne, shipped Australia-wide, the same tools we build our own custom harnesses with.

What is the difference between open barrel and closed barrel crimping?

Open barrel terminals have wings that fold around the conductor and insulation, and need a tool with the correct B crimp profile like the Sargent CT series. Closed and solid barrel contacts, like Deutsch and Souriau contacts, are crimped with indent tools that squeeze the barrel evenly from multiple sides.

Which crimp tool do I need for Deutsch connectors?

Solid Deutsch contacts in DT, DTM and DTP series need a 4 indent crimper set to the contact size: size 20 for DTM, 16 for DT and 12 for DTP. One adjustable tool covers all three, and the same sizes crimp Amphenol ATM, AT and ATP contacts.

Which tool crimps Metri-Pack and GT terminals?

The Sargent 3306 MPCT. Sealed terminals crimp differently to unsealed ones, the insulation wings must close over the cable seal without cutting it, and the 3306 has cavities profiled exactly for Metri-Pack 150 to 630, Micro-Pack and GT series.

Is a ratcheting crimper worth the extra money?

For volume work, yes. A full cycle ratchet will not release until the crimp reaches full depth, which removes operator feel from the result. For occasional terminals a quality non ratcheting tool like the 1028 CT does the job with care.

Are cheap eBay crimpers good enough for a race harness?

Generally no. Generic crimpers use approximate die profiles that flatten or crack terminals instead of forming the specified crimp shape. A proper crimp is a gas tight cold weld, and it only happens when the die matches the terminal. Tools are the cheapest part of a harness that never fails.

Can I crimp terminals with normal pliers?

No. Pliers flatten the terminal instead of forming the crimp profile, and the joint will fail under vibration. Every terminal manufacturer specifies a crimp shape, and it needs the matching tool to happen.

Why do I need a terminal removal tool?

OEM connector terminals are locked into their housings by a tang. The removal tool releases the tang so the terminal slides out undamaged, letting you repair, rewire or reuse connectors instead of cutting them off.

Do you ship wiring tools Australia-wide?

Yes. Melbourne stock, shipped to Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin and everywhere in between, usually same or next business day.

Related Products and Resources

Need Advice?

Not sure which tool your terminals need? Call us on 0458 102 134 or email 12voltmotorsports@gmail.com with a photo of the connector and we will point you at the right crimper first time.