Bobcat gurus - 7-pin disconnect tool question

[JPSouth]

The 7-pin connector on my 2005 A300 loader arm got broken late last year, I got a kit and stole an hour of warm afternoon Friday to repair it. Went fine, but ran into a tool question.

I have a 3 piece Thexton Deutsch disconnect tool kit which I've used on Harleys and a few other odds and ends over time. The Bobcat kit included 2 disposable disconnect tools with the replacement connector, end cap, etc. A few incidents in the past have steered me away from using plastic disconnect tools unless absolutely necessary, so I dug out the 20-24 gauge Thexton to remove the terminals prior to installing the new connector.

The tool was the correct one to depress the terminal ears, but the connector access hole was very slightly smaller than the tool's probe diameter. The included plastic one worked fine, but is obviously meant for just one or two uses. I often work quite a distance from anything like town, and need to be able to fiddle with electricals on my skiddy if needed. Not really wanting to depend on plastic stuff, metal tools are superior to gently coax stubborn connectors. Besides, looking at the price of the plastic ones, if a guy bought several to throw in the war chest he'd have a decent set of metal ones paid for.

Looking at my 20-24 gauge tool, I don't think a guy could just hand-machine it down to size, the thing doesn't really have a taper to it and that's the biggest problem. Gonna check on the Snap-on truck this week and see what he might have. Never run into having the access diameter on Deutsch connectors be too small before, anyone else? Does OTC, S&G or another tool maker have a little different design that works on those 7-pin connectors?

 

[crewchief888]

ive never seen a metal tool that was the right size, i use the plastic tools that come with the connector. there are 2 different sizes of pins on the machine side of a 7 pin connector. there is an attachment harness repair kit with a long pigtail that is spliced and shrink wrapped. AFAIK the attachment harness connector is not available separately

 

[JPSouth]

I posted prematurely, some digging revealed Bobcat sources these connectors from specialty electrical suppliers. They are ITT Cannon, Trident Rotolock, a 4/3 pin connector with 4 20-gauge signal wires and 3 12-gauge power wires. Rear insertion/extraction pin style but the release tool is inserted from the front. Jonard Tools and Daniels Manufacturing Corp. make the proper disconnect tools, they do induce sticker shock. Maybe can find a used set, gonna be used very little, but I can see a great deal of frustration happening if a temp tool failed halfway through. My Dad was a lifelong IH mechanic, he once told me, "The only thing that's worse that something flat not working, is something that only kinda works". I wish I had half the mechanical talent he did - my life would be considerably easier.

SkidSteerGenius.com is a great source for 7 and 14 pin repair and new harness, both standard and adaptor. I guess they quit carrying the metal tools because of the ruinous price tag. My local Bobcat dealer does carry some repair kits for the 7-pin, the one I used was the loader side, part# 6 727 176. I suspect they also make the machine side, but think I'll just order from SSGenius, right to my door and same price. Can get terminal pins and everything, which saves sorting through the astounding parts list associated with these circular connectors.

 

[heymccall]

See below. Newark has all the tech docs and instructions in PDF on the RH side of each page.

 

[heymccall]

$17 & $38 doesn't sound too pricey, if you need to rely on them.
http://www.newark.com/itt-cannon/19...ool/dp/47M0087?MER=bn_level5_4NP_LastViewed_1

 

[m_ice]

Western/Douglas dynamics snow plows use a metal disconnect tool. It comes with the wiring harness for where the controller connects to the wiring harness

http://www.fishersnowplowparts.com/66767-fisher-western-assy-cpc-pin-removal-tool/

 

[m_ice]

Also, if you get really lucky a telescoping radio antenna could get you out of a bind.

 

[JPSouth]

$17 & $38 doesn't sound too pricey, if you need to rely on them.

Thanks, not too bad. I found a couple used Daniels sets, will lurk and see how they do, no hurry. BTW - if anyone uses that Bobcat kit, the 3:1 shrink wrap they include to weatherize and stiffen the end doesn't work well - maybe got 2:1, had to cut it off and fab a DIY fix.

m_ice - can't say whether that would work, not tapered, needs to have a slot and 0.040" diameter at engagement point. Or therabouts; taper provides for flex.