• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

How do you replace the boots on the electrical connections?

mgFray

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
711
982
93
Location
Southern Minnesota
I've been starting to go over my new, to me, M998. One thing I've noticed, a lot of the boots around the electrical connectors are cracked. (The wires and the pin and socks seem to be just fine, it's only the boots.)

Can the boot be replaced without having to remove the pin from wiring? Is there enough room if you remove the C-clip from the pin to pull the boot off and just replace it?

Any help or pointers to examples of how to fix these properly would be helpful. All of the lighting boots under the hood, and one in the rear are cracked to the point I'm worried about it letting in water to the connections.
 

Mullaney

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
Supporting Vendor
7,716
19,766
113
Location
Charlotte NC
I've been starting to go over my new, to me, M998. One thing I've noticed, a lot of the boots around the electrical connectors are cracked. (The wires and the pin and socks seem to be just fine, it's only the boots.)

Can the boot be replaced without having to remove the pin from wiring? Is there enough room if you remove the C-clip from the pin to pull the boot off and just replace it?

Any help or pointers to examples of how to fix these properly would be helpful. All of the lighting boots under the hood, and one in the rear are cracked to the point I'm worried about it letting in water to the connections.
.
And I am not sure if he has male or female - but we do have a member here in the Classifieds that has sold them in bags of a hundred. I bought a bag and fixed a bunch of mine on my wrecker. Same fittings as on the HMMWV
 

mgFray

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
711
982
93
Location
Southern Minnesota
If i am not mistaken, there are at least 2 sizes , for different wire guages.
I didn't realize that. The main one I feel I need to replace are the ones under the hood connecting to the lights. But I suspect I've got others I'll need to replace as well.

Other then the main battery/starter/generator wiring, are there different size wiring in the M998 harness?

Looking at the wiring diagram, I see some 18 and 16 AWG listed as well. Looks mostly like 16 AWG wiring from the turn signal out.

My intention is to fix the bad boots, as well as add a backup light, and fix the 'splice' someone did for the license plate light. (I'd rather this be a proper connector then a hacked wire and a butt connector.)

Also about wire, I've seen a lot of 14 AWG wire, is this whatever one uses for making repairs or adding additional circuits?

(I've done a lot of wiring repairs in the past, but always automotive where the gauge, color, and connectors were specified in detail. So I'm new to the military stuff.)
 

mgFray

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
711
982
93
Location
Southern Minnesota
Wow, https://amerline.com/products/ordnance-connectors/ms-single-wire/ that helps me understand a lot more. It's funny, I'd say the male/female are 'backwards' from every other wiring I've ever done. But hey, if the 'innie' is the male plug, so be it. :)

Does anyone happen to know if the wire gauge on the female connectors to the front markers, headlights and turn signals are all the same, or do I need to buy a connectors of different sizes to fix this stuff?
 

Action

Well-known member
3,576
1,557
113
Location
East Tennessee
Wow, https://amerline.com/products/ordnance-connectors/ms-single-wire/ that helps me understand a lot more. It's funny, I'd say the male/female are 'backwards' from every other wiring I've ever done. But hey, if the 'innie' is the male plug, so be it. :)

Does anyone happen to know if the wire gauge on the female connectors to the front markers, headlights and turn signals are all the same, or do I need to buy a connectors of different sizes to fix this stuff?
The male pin has a female boot.
The female receptacle has a male boot.
The proper designation for a plug may be for the metal part.
 

papakb

Well-known member
2,285
1,185
113
Location
San Jose, Ca
"Archeologists are still confused that they can only find evidence supporting 2 genders" LOL

Typically in electrical connectors the gender is determined by the center conductor. Pins are male and sockets are female.

There's no reference to all those others out there................
 

Mullaney

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
Supporting Vendor
7,716
19,766
113
Location
Charlotte NC
"Archeologists are still confused that they can only find evidence supporting 2 genders" LOL

Typically in electrical connectors the gender is determined by the center conductor. Pins are male and sockets are female.

There's no reference to all those others out there................
.
I believe you are on to something there.
AC and DC.

There is no AA, CC, or DD or anything in between!
 

mgFray

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
711
982
93
Location
Southern Minnesota
Without straying too far from my original question... On some former projects we used to call similar connections "male connectors with connector condoms". Then the others were just female connectors.

Anyway, now that I know the terminology for the military Packard? connectors is backwards of what I'm used to, hopefully I can have a less confusing conversation about them.

BTW I did look at the classified section and didn't see anyone selling boots or different sized connectors, so I'm guessing I'll need to head over to some of the parts resellers and try to pick up an assortment of what I may need.
 
Top