newbie, connector or solder?

Hi All, Thanks for your anticipated help. I'm new at vehicle wiring and will be installing several switches. Several of the switches I have purchased have tiny posts. I don't think there are female disconnects this small. I believe I will need to solder my leads to the posts. Could you confirm this? I've included several images of a rocker switch with such posts. Thanks.

Solder will always give you the best connection

Solder then heatshrink.

... if your soldering is good. Some switches are wrecked by excess heat. They look like typical spade connectors - 4.8mm or 3.2mm etc. Spades are normally quite reliable. If a bad contact eventually occurs, a break & remake should fix it. Alas as per a recent thread some GURUs like Howard essentially always solder whereas some like me have survived well with wire wrap and even alligator clips (eg - a "temp" connection to my rally car's washer bottle that I (re-)discovered 3 years later upon its retirement). But maybe the difference is that I am doing for me (and want quick reconfiguration or replacement) whereas Howard and most others here do for other and need to ensure reliability. Plus they can solder, and they get paid for labor to reconfig & resolder. Since you are "new" and presumably installing for yourself, might I suggest (reliable) crimps or soldered spades...? If reliability or bad (spade) connections proves to be an issue, THEN solder. Of course if disassembly is not an issue - and your soldering does not wreck the switches - then solder. But I usually find it desirable to be able to separate vehicle (or other) switches from inter-wiring without having to desolder, hence the use of spades to the switch, else 0.1" headers if using non-spaded micro switches etc.

There ARE connectors for those terminals but soldering is always best.Gary Sather

I'd argue that. Like I said, it assumes soldering proficiency. And how non-reliable are spade connectors to the switch (assuming spades are soldered to wires)?    And then, if you do solder but require easy maintenance, where do you place connectors and what is their impact on reliability?

Thanks!2013 Subaru Outback Limited

2005 Toyota Sequoia

oldspark wrote: ... if your soldering is good. Some switches are wrecked by excess heat. They look like typical spade connectors - 4.8mm or 3.2mm etc. Spades are normally quite reliable. If a bad contact eventually occurs, a break & remake should fix it. Alas as per a recent thread some GURUs like Howard essentially always solder whereas some like me have survived well with wire wrap and even alligator clips (eg - a "temp" connection to my rally car's washer bottle that I (re-)discovered 3 years later upon its retirement). But maybe the difference is that I am doing for me (and want quick reconfiguration or replacement) whereas Howard and most others here do for other and need to ensure reliability. Plus they can solder, and they get paid for labor to reconfig & resolder. Since you are "new" and presumably installing for yourself, might I suggest (reliable) crimps or soldered spades...? If reliability or bad (spade) connections proves to be an issue, THEN solder. Of course if disassembly is not an issue - and your soldering does not wreck the switches - then solder. But I usually find it desirable to be able to separate vehicle (or other) switches from inter-wiring without having to desolder, hence the use of spades to the switch, else 0.1" headers if using non-spaded micro switches etc.

Thanks for the help. A quick measurement shows the blades to be around 6 mm long and 2 mm wide.2013 Subaru Outback Limited

2005 Toyota Sequoia

For a newb with questionable soldering skills, probably wanting to minimize tooling costs, and to maximize serviceability- most definitely use solderless terminals. See my post immediately prior this one regarding proper crimping tools and techniques. Also, invest in some heatshrink and cover the connector after assembly, to avoid any errant shorts."Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done, and why. Then do it. - Robert A. Heinlein"

Agreed - especially re heatshrink tubing. There are crimps for 2mm spades (terminals) tho I'm not sure if these are designated as 3.x mm (3.3mm?). [ There are also 4.8mm and the all common 6.4mm aka 1/4", & 9mm etc. ] I also recently wrote here that despite nearly 40 years of crimping it was only a few months ago I finally bought a proper ratchet crimping tool - and even that was a substitute for a refund as opposed to a fiscally acceptable desire. But good crimps are essential. I'd strongly recommend a "proper" & good quality tool whether borrowed or invested.