Any one come up with a way to make the looped cable ends other than buying the proper crimping tool or using the mini muffler clamps? Is there such a thing as renting this type of crimper. I'm replacing the lift system cables, cause one broke and one was replaced a year ago, and the loop has to be made only after the cable has been ran through the frame. This is a 95 Coleman Stony Creek. Thanks for any suggestions.
Sorry haven't figured out how to attache a pics yet.
If by "mini muffler clamp" you mean the small saddle clamps used for wire rope, that's all I ever used for my old Starcraft. (I was/am too cheap to buy a crimper...)
Three clamps per bight (loop), alternate the orientation of hte clamp, and saddle the running end. (The running end is the side of the loop with the end of cable.)
Replaced most of the cables on that camper and none let loose.
HTH.
You don't need the special crimper tool - you can do just as well with a hammer to flatten the ferrule.
Some people can flatten them with a pliers, but my hands aren't strong enough.
I don't know where you live, but in WI & northern IL there's a store called Farm & Fleet (where I work) that has the cable and these items really inexpensively. almost any farm/hardware store will have what you need.
the 'mini muffler clamps' or wire/rope clamps work great, too - but if your lift system is anything like my starcraft's, they are too bulky to work inside the lifter posts. They are OK for under the camper, though, and have the advantage of being able to be adjusted ( at least, when you first use them) if you have to.
I just re-did the entire cable system on my 35 yr old starcraft, if you want to see how I did it, check out my albums.
laura
to make a loop without crimpers, you can unravel the cable in 2 peices about twice as long as you want the loop to be. the at the halfway point on the pieces you unraveled, cross them over each other and wind the lays of the wire back onto themselves. If you do it right, it will fit together and be round cable again.
(http://www.lamcoinc.com/wirerope/eye_splice.gif)
You can tape the end if you like or use a crimp from a clothesline end. or even one of the proper crimps
now THAT is a cool idea, Fleagalbaum! I only wish I had seen that BEFORE I did mine! Seems to me it would be much stronger than the typical fold over and crimp, too - as the load on the end is more evenly distributed.
I'm going to file that one away and save it....
Laura