Split on whether to re-pin or replace whole connector arrays after a bad night

Had a D-sub connector fail on me last Wednesday on a P8 avionics bay at BWI. Tried re-pinning it for 45 minutes but the backshell was already corroded. Eventually swapped the whole cable assembly - cost $280 but saved the next shift. What's your cutoff before you just call for a replacement? Do you always re-pin or does the budget talk you into it sometimes?

3 comments

3 Comments

riley431mo ago

Man, I used to be all about re-pinning everything to save a buck. Then I had a P8 connector that looked fine on the outside but the pins kept backing out every time I tried to reseat it. After the third time having to tear it all apart again, I swapped the whole harness and it's been solid for six months. That $280 is way cheaper than two hours of my overtime fixing the same damn thing.

the_spencer29d ago

Are you kidding me, that's exactly what happened to me with a stupid JST connector on my truck's tail light harness? I tried re-pinning it three times thinking I was being clever and saving money, but every single time the pins would just wiggle loose after a few bumps in the road. I finally gave up and dropped $150 on a whole new harness from the dealer and it's been perfectly fine for two years now. Sometimes you just gotta admit the original part is worn out and move on instead of fighting with it. That $280 sounds like a bargain compared to the headache of chasing the same problem over and over.

shanelee1mo ago

I mean, yeah re-pinning can be a pain, but $280 for a harness still feels steep when you could just swap out the bad pins for a few bucks. @riley43, it sounds like you got a bum connector that was already worn out, not that re-pinning itself is a scam. I've had cheap connectors hold up for years with just some careful crimping and a dab of dielectric grease.

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