Removing pins/wires from loom plugs

[Mew]

Apologies for the bad pic, but can anyone advise me on a way to remove the pins from the connector shown below please? I have been trying to push in what i think is the only retaining tab with a precision screwdriver from the top (in the pic) and pulling the wire upwards (looking at the pic), but have had no joy. Is there a knack to it?

[clipperjay]

Hello mate the only way is to crush them with small plliars so the attachers or grippers come away from the sides.
Its not worth the grief TBH. VAG will have plug and pins set to sell you, that you solder then push fit once they are on as you pull on the wires they get tighter.
I did 20 pins in one day and it did my hands in after!(Motor bike loom burnt out)
This place is good for universal pin plug sets.

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/connectors/housings.php
Jay

[Mew]

VAG will have plug and pins set to sell you, that you solder then push fit once they are on as you pull on the wires they get tighter.

That's plan b

[Thom89]

Snap on do a set, that specifically do the job for many different types of plugs, without butchering them.... all plugs are designed to come apart with the correct tool... maybe check RS components website for these tools, they make life really easy.
Thom

[Mew]

I remember reading on here that someone had managed it when stripping an ABF loom to go into a mk2, but having searched i can't find it

[Thom89]

What shape are the pins?
Thom

[Mew]

I suppose technically they're not pins, as the connector is the female part and the idle switch is the male. This is going to be a really crap explanation, but each connector is split down the middle and when connected to the idle switch the pin splits the female bit apart :embarassed:

[rubjonny]

you need to use thin watchmaker screwdrivers, if you look in the other end of the plug you'll see a square hole either side of the pin. you need to push them into those holes and wiggle about to release the lock tabs, which is a bit of a pain in the arse.

I bought a terminal tool for it but it didnt quite work, so i modified it a bit to look like this:


another thing you can do is rip off some of those metal strips from wiper blades and grind em to suit the holes

[VeeDubGTI16v]

what about getting a plug from the scrappy and soldering the wires on further up?

[Mew]

£5.70 + vat for the connector housing and £2.34 + vat for each pin.

Nearest scrappy is over half an hour away