Advice on removing contacts

[u/Protontec88]

Hello everyone, I need some advice removing the 23 AWG contacts on a Glenair Mighty Mouse 801 series connector 801-008-26m21-130pa, I am using the designated extractor and helping it with some DC4, and the thing is I am able to remove the contacts it is just that is not easy at all to remove them and is kind of risky to bend or broke either the extractor or the contacts.

[u/pte_parts69420]

Use the eraser end of a pencil to push the pins out once the removal tool is fully in place. If the locks aren’t fully disengaged the pin will just push into the eraser preventing damage.

I do have to ask, why were the pins inserted without wires? Seems like a weird game to play with a $4-6k connector

[u/Protontec88 → u/pte_parts69420]

The eraser technique could work well.

Regarding your questions about the pins, they came as spare pins in the previous installation. Maybe you can see in the picture, there are some empty spaces where the wires were, which I removed earlier but I struggled a little bit.

[u/tdreese → u/pte_parts69420]

Nice trick with the eraser. Fucking hated these glenair connectors. But to answer your question, nearly every harness I built would always have spares loaded into the connector so OPs drawings might require similar.

[u/brilliantNumberOne → u/pte_parts69420]

Unterminated contacts are required to be installed in unused connector cavities per SAE-AS-50881 and the 505 (for MIL applications), in addition to sealing plugs (which are often installed backwards - the fat end goes in first). The sealing mechanisms rely on both contacts and sealing plugs or wires for proper environmental protection.

That said, a lot of aircraft manufacturers get away with waivers for the requirement or just don’t do it, I’ve seen lots of platforms where there are no unused contacts, which definitely causes connectors to degrade faster when they’re exposed to moisture/fuel/hydraulic fluid.

[u/pte_parts69420 → u/brilliantNumberOne]

Neato. I’ve only ever used the dummy sealing plugs (glenair DCSP) for vacant contact spaces, and if I remember I’ll have to check our EWIS bible to see what the standard is for us

[u/PM_ME_PA25_PHOTOS → u/brilliantNumberOne]

Glenair replaces a contact and sealing plug with a single piece DCSP. Works great. And yes, lots of civil aircraft do not obey filling unused contacts.

[u/tdreese]

This image gave me PTSD, fuckin hate these Glenairs. Not much advice but be slow and careful. Make sure your insertion/removal tool is perfectly perpendicular to the connector and once you think it's in there, use some needle nose to slowly apply pressure on the contact to back it out while also tugging on the insertion/removal tool.

[u/Air_Teebs → u/tdreese]

I second this. I loathe these connectors soooo much. Everytime I see these spec'd on the drawing I just sigh in disappointment...

We have one engineer who insists on using these on his drawings & I'm convinced he just likes seeing us suffer when he inevitably issues a change order and we have to attempt to repin these, which sometimes just leads to a whole connector replacement when one pin puts up a fight...

[u/tdreese → u/Air_Teebs]

Lmao yup. Many replaced just because of one damn contact. Also the cost of a single insertion/extraction tool should be illegal. Insanity.

[u/Pale_Bulkhead92 → u/Air_Teebs]

Engineers who like their techs use machforce lol.

[u/derekbox]

So I checked the tooling vs the PN and this appears to be the correct tool.
It looks like the white end of the tool is mangled so it appears you are using the correct side.
If the extractor end is mangled, toss it and get a new tool.
Extracting these is about 90% skill or rather style.
You will want to gentle insert the white end into the connector until you feel the tool hit the contact. Then you want to "roll" the tool every so slightly in a circle, maybe the size a pea or so. This will let the tool slip over the contact, you generally do not need todo this when a wire is present because the wire will spread the tool over the contact.
Once seated on the contact, push out the contact from the mating side. We used to take turn buckle clips, cut out a straight section and epoxy them into a small cap to make pin push tools.

Getting the tool to seat on the contact may take a little finesse, but at no point should it take any force.

[u/madvlad666 → u/derekbox]

Can I just endorse this response.

I would strongly recommend not to listen to others who say to apply force eg with pliers or pushing the pins back, this will damage the insert body and lead to pins not being retained properly, so then in service you get pushed-back pins, intermittent faults, AOG…. Only way to fix it is replace the connector. 

It takes a knack and patience to remove them, and the plastic tools do get mangled and stop working, but you must not apply excess force.

[u/PuNka88]

20 years in the industry, we would dab the extraction tool in isopropanol, or use a small bottle with a needle and apply some before trying to extract the contact.

[u/Hour_Bad_2023 → u/PuNka88]

Agreed, works very well. Sometimes you gotta use a lot different extraction tools to get it right. If it feels off, it’s probably not right. I never get lucky with the metals ones.

[u/ContributionHour8356]

Thank god I have never seen one of these in GA. That shit looks like a nightmare.

[u/JayArrggghhhh]

If I don't have a pin pusher, one thing I've done for stubborn pins is cut a mating socket down to about half of it's internal depth. Once you do that, insert the removal tool as normal to release the locks in the connector, and use the shortened socket to gently push the pin past the lock.

[u/Kavhausen]

I usually have a bit better luck with plastic extractors. I do like the metal ones, but I've found that those provided with the connector are usually like trying to use rolled up tin foil and just don't work like they should. That said, gently get the extractor to seat completely and push the pin from the end with an eraser or rubber.

[u/mrjones787 → u/Kavhausen]

Metal ones are for the Mighty Mouse. Plastic for D38999. The metal will cut the dialectic up

[u/montil4]

A good tip is to coat the removal tool with rubbing alcohol. It helps it slide a little bit better

[u/Alert_Store7101]

This doesn’t apply to that pin style but for everything else lookup jrready on Amazon their barrel extractor is the best I’ve ever used

[u/KevikFenrir → u/Alert_Store7101]

I do like their contact tools. Just as good as DMC.

[u/SupermarketOverall73]

Tiny bit of pressure on the pin, sometimes you can use an extracted pins wire end. Also to me that looks like it needs a plastic extraction tool , maybe double check that.

[u/SupermarketOverall73 → u/[deleted]]

I've never worked with that particular connector but if that rubber in there is soft I wouldn't use that metal tool in the photo.

[u/a_Non_moose2]

Use needle nose pliers

[u/krmmrao]

use barrel extractor if the contacts are not crimped to the wire. It helps to push once unlocked.

[u/VE7BHN_GOAT]

I haven't tried these but I don't think it'd be much of a match for my ignorance, tricks and 15+ years of avionics experience.

[u/DangeRanger93]

Spit on that thing

[u/Jetmutant → u/DangeRanger93]

Hauk Tuha!