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Dismantle military connectors?


BRDM Driver

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Posted in British Vehicles but thought I'd ask here too:

 

Any techniques for getting the ferrules off of screened cables:

 

cable.jpg

 

They appear to be a press fit and retain the copper braid screen.

 

I want to dismantle one and make it shorter.

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Well I cut one in half longways and the ferrule has a milled internal bore where it fits inside the plug body.

 

As it's tapered in shape, I assume they put it into a tapered holder and then press the connector body down into it until it presses home, crimping the copper braid at the same time.

 

I don't think it's compressed radially, like a BNC or hydraulic ferrule is.

 

I think it could be split apart, if you could put some sort of tool in between the ferrule and the connector body and force them apart. Something like a ball joint splitter.

 

You certainly cannot just tap the ferrule back off with a hammer and screwdriver as its very soft and it just deforms.

 

They certainly are not meant to be dismantled.

 

It's a pain as I have all the cables I need but they are all too long!

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Here is a sectioned ferrule.

 

There is only 2.5mm to get a splitter in between the two parts and the shoulder on the inner part is very small.

 

ferrule.jpg

 

I am beginning to think the only way is to cut the ferrule down one side, open it, slide it off then fill up the cut with solder or similar, before re-assembly.

ferrule2.jpg

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Well with careful application of the bench vice and various drifts, hey presto!

 

First, cut the connector off the cable, close to the ferrule as possible and then remove as much of the old braid, cable sleeve and wire (there's a steel coiled wire inside the sleeve which is bleedin' sharp).

 

Then with a suitable drift that's as wide a possible and has a nice squared off end (no taper or chamfer otherwise you'll bell the connector fitting), you can press the central core out of the connector:

 

connector1.jpg

connector3.jpg

 

This leaves the ferrule on it's own, but it still has an insert pressed into it, so with something just the right diameter to support the outside of the ferrule and allow the insert room to come out, press it out:

 

connector4.jpg

 

Any with a bit of luck you'll have all the bits to re-assemble onto a shortened cable!

 

connector5.jpg

 

 

My Scorpion can finally have it's smoke discharger cables fitted!

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