What to use when tapping into wires

radio shack sells 2 different sire strippers for pulling back the insulation on wires, heres one http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F009%5F002%5F000&product%5fid=64%2D1919 .  its pretty cheap but so are some of the connection methods posted here.  i prefer the snap-on or matco strippers that automatically take care of the gauge and then press to strip.  radio shack carries that kind too but mine fell apart.  if i ever used any other method than solder and tape, id get slapped and fired.  scotch loc connectors will often cut the wire, but hey, some people think its ok to use wire nuts to put a deck in.

Bulldog security makes a harness that you plugs in to the ignition harness and it has all the wires ready  they call it a T harness.  Has anyone used these?   Are they worth the $15-20 that they sell for ? 

hey sroth140...I was the same when working in a pro shop as a younger fella...the first thing I was told was to be on time and be courteous.  the second thing I was told (in my first 10 minutes of work) was that if I was caught with a scotch-lok in my HAND, let alone use one, the owner would beat me silly, shoot me, THEN fire me and ensure I never worked in our town again.

but to your point...some DO agree that scotch-loks are the way to go...no sure why, but they are entitled to their opinion.  If you can honestly prove that a scotch-lok is a more secure, reliable and trouble free method of connecting than the old strip/solder/tape method, I'd LOVE to hear it!!!!! 

Ok everyone has an opinion on which is the proper way to connect two wires together. I think that solder has it's advantages and of course it's disadvantages. Some have said that it does not take but a couple seconds to strip,wrap,heat and solder...cool then wrap with black tape.. Personally I can not do this in 3 seconds or even in 30 seconds on 90% of the cars out there. I have personally used 3M scotchLoks for about fourteen years. I have have never had a problem with these items however I do not use them for high current draw applications. i.e. remote start units and the such. Where I believe that the risks of overheating or possible fire just are not worth taking a chance. However I think they work great for attaching many other types of connections that are not dealing with prolonged high current draw.

And just for everyone's knowledge just about anyone CAN get a patent. But to get a UL listing products are put to very strict testing to ensure our safety....That is of course if the product was installed properly.

Just my two cents.

you can't strip a wire, connect, solder and tape inside of 30 seconds?  man!  :) :) :)  I would say, being honest and assuming that the iron is hot (it always is), that this procedure takes under 15 seconds for the whole thing.  In the end, I can pull on that connection and the wire will break before the connection does.

To the guy speaking about a shop banging out a car in 45 minutes.  It makes me nervous that a shop is interested in production-line style business.  It is my belief that every car should have the car taken to ensure that the customer doesn't have to come back because something was overlooked, missed or otherwise botched.  A  good remote start install (including security bypass and locks) is in the 2 hour range, not 45 minutes.  They must be doing a few things there....1.  rushing ( a huge no-no)  2.  using quick mechanical fasteners (again, a no-no)  3.  doing the same model car over and over.

The shop I worked at had some dealership business too, installing cheap stereos and speakers for sale as "factory" items.  I was able to get the install down pretty quick cause it was the identical model over and over, but never like the one you speak of....

0.02

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