Okay, this frustrates me to no end! It makes me feel like a moron too, lol. I swear, everytime I crimp something, it ends up falling off. I know the "tooth" of the crimper (if it has one) has to be on the side opposite of where the two metal pieces meet, because the back of the packaging told me
I've tried the crimpers from both Radio Shack and one from Lowe's. Each time I bought spade connectors and/or quick-connect connectors at those stores for their respective crimpers just to make sure I wasn't cross-breeding funky sizes.
Whenever I've made crimps to put on connectors for my amp lead wire (which I further hooked up to a rocker switch) the connectors fall off eventually. This has happened to the 12 gauge speaker wire spade connectors I applied too. (If you're wondering, I'm 100% certain I've been using the correct gauge connectors and wires together.) Even worse, comes the power and ground wires. I've used 8 gauge connectors. I have NOT been able to find, in store or online, anywhere that sells an 8 gauge stranded crimper! When I bought ring connectors at Tweeter they told me to go to Radio Shack or Lowe's. Sigh. But anyway, I crimped those on with my crimpers, which go down to 10 gauge. And of course, they end up falling off.
What the heck am I doing wrong? Should I be melting a bunch of solder in there before I crimp down or something? I feel like a huge dork, lol... I was looking at Crutchfield for amp wiring kits that have connectors on both ends already. Before I had bought the wire bare from Radio Shack and the connectors from Tweeter but it didnt work. I'm back to square one and I feel stupid

Whenever I've made crimps to put on connectors for my amp lead wire (which I further hooked up to a rocker switch) the connectors fall off eventually. This has happened to the 12 gauge speaker wire spade connectors I applied too. (If you're wondering, I'm 100% certain I've been using the correct gauge connectors and wires together.) Even worse, comes the power and ground wires. I've used 8 gauge connectors. I have NOT been able to find, in store or online, anywhere that sells an 8 gauge stranded crimper! When I bought ring connectors at Tweeter they told me to go to Radio Shack or Lowe's. Sigh. But anyway, I crimped those on with my crimpers, which go down to 10 gauge. And of course, they end up falling off.
What the heck am I doing wrong? Should I be melting a bunch of solder in there before I crimp down or something? I feel like a huge dork, lol... I was looking at Crutchfield for amp wiring kits that have connectors on both ends already. Before I had bought the wire bare from Radio Shack and the connectors from Tweeter but it didnt work. I'm back to square one and I feel stupid
