[anonymoustache]

tl;dr - My headlight wires are cut in two. Should I attempt to splice them together and tape, or buy male/female plugs to splice, then connect?

The story:

I just picked up my new (to me) JD GX345. I got a great price on it and they tuned up almost everything except for the hood which has a crack in it. I had a dream last night that the headlights wouldn't work and they wouldn't know because "who tests that?"

I borrow a trailer and go over to pick it up. Just as soon as I'm leaving I remember the headlights. They don't work... After examining it, I see that the cable has been severed in two and then taped off at both ends and zip tied to the frame.

Best we can figure, the manifold melted it. At the price I paid, I figured I would fix it and the service manager suggested a plug spliced on both sides that could then connect.

Does anyone have any better ideas?

 

[Harryc]

The managers suggestion would certainly work, but if the large connector for the headlights is intact you really don't need any extra detachable connection. I'd probably just clean up the wire ends, slide on some shrink tubing, pull back some insulation on all exposed ands, solder them together, then shrink tube the soldered connections.

 

[John Snykus]

The managers suggestion would certainly work, but if the large connector for the headlights is intact you really don't need any extra detachable connection. I'd probably just clean up the wire ends, slide on some shrink tubing, pull back some insulation on all exposed ands, solder them together, then shrink tube the soldered connections.

Harryc is right on. You don't need another connector in the line. You might have to splice some more wire in the lines so you can tie the wire back so it doesn't get melted again.

 

[Viro]

yeah i would do anything mentioned above including butt connectors for the proper guage of wire.

Personally, I like soldering and putting the heat shrink over the connection to keep moisture out etc.

I've done that with a few vehicle problems I've come across. Soldering leaves no room for error for connections coming loose.

 

[anonymoustache]

Thanks for the replies. I just got home and I spoke too soon. One end has a connecter (the tractor side). The side that is connected to the headlights is just a severed wire with no connector.

The manager isn't in right now, but I'll have him call the previous owner and see why its like that on monday.

Does anyone know the part number for the connector that is on the side coming from the lights?

Does anyone want to take a guess at why its like that? What I'm getting at is, do you think it may have been done on purpose for some reason?

Thanks again for the help

 

[Harryc]

If you post a picture it might be clearer. but just from your description it sounds like someone had a bad connection and attempted to bypass (wire around) the connector. You should be able just to disconnect one large connecter at the side and remove the entire hood.

 

[anonymoustache]

Sorry about the delay and vagueness of the post. Getting ready for planting and I'm pretty scatterbrained. Heres what I have to go on.

Headlight side of wire

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Other side

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Any thoughts on the best plan of action?

 

[Harryc]

Do the wires reach each other? You are missing a female connector on the headlight end.

 

[phillijp]

I love that JD uses weather tight connectors. It would be a shame to use crimp type butt connectors to make the repair but it would be the easiest fix and probably last a good long time before corrosion set in. I prefer to solder any wiring that might get wet followed by heat shrink tubing but sometimes you can't get to the wires very easily. There are butt connectors that have heat shrink already around it. If you go that route, fill the connector with dielectric grease, crimp (not with pliers or vise grips), heat the tubing and finish the job with electric tape.

 

[jim335]

Might be easier to just buy a new harness for $22 bucks. AM126919. #8

 

[Mach-1]

Just get a new headlight wiring harness. They are cheap. The headlight wires on my X720 were broken from the bending action of opening and closing the hood. I was going cut, patch in some wire, solder, shrink tube, etc. until I found out that a new harness was like 20 bucks. At that price, it ain't worth the hassle to do a patch-job.

 

[PEIDeerefan]

Definitely better to get the replacement harness because if you go to remove the hood, it will be a lot easier to disconnect the proper connector to take the hood off and set it to one side.