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Depinning a crimp-type D-Sub

maxtherabbit

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Apr 23, 2019
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Location
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Is it possible to non-destructively depin a D-sub connector? I'm referring to the type where you crimp the contacts onto the wires and shove them into holes on the back of the d-sub. Is there a way to get them back out?
 
The red and white ones are all over the web. I didn't much care for the construction and made my own by boring a pin-sized hole in the end of a length of brass rod, turning down the rod to match the clearance between pins and attaching a wood handle to the end. The trick is that the depth of the hole must be slightly less than the protrusion of a pin in the shell. A quick push or tap on the handle end and the pin comes right out, without being bent.
 
The red and white ones are all over the web. I didn't much care for the construction and made my own by boring a pin-sized hole in the end of a length of brass rod, turning down the rod to match the clearance between pins and attaching a wood handle to the end. The trick is that the depth of the hole must be slightly less than the protrusion of a pin in the shell. A quick push or tap on the handle end and the pin comes right out, without being bent.

from reading this I gather that the tool just uses "force to overcome" and essentially pushes the pin out? there is no tab or other locking mechanism that is being actuated or released?
 
Nope--the "locking mechanism" is in the shell and is overcome by force. Eventually, it wears out, but it takes quite a few re-insertions of a pin to do that.
 
Nope--the "locking mechanism" is in the shell and is overcome by force. Eventually, it wears out, but it takes quite a few re-insertions of a pin to do that.

right, that's what I was trying to say in my previous post but I guess it wasn't clear
 
I'll add that there are at least two versions of the crimp pins, depending on the shell manufacture. I've got some that take pins with no barb--the pins are held in place by the shell--it's these that I'm referring to. The barbed pins are a different style.
 
If you have never used one of these D-sub pin extraction tools, you might want to read through "Bob's Shop Notes: D-Sub Pin Extraction."

after reading through this link I discovered I just so happen to have one of those Amp 91285-1 sets - I never knew what it was for before

I was able to use both methods to extract the pin in my test shell:

-simply pressing it out from the mating side using a 5/64 Allen "security" bit (center drilled)
-sliding the extraction tool in from the back then gently pushing the front with my finger.

Both methods seemed to extract the pin without any damage to shell or pin
 
I keep the tools for removing from the back, it works with both male and female pins. I don't think I have the push-it-out-from-the-front for female, not sure if they exist (is there enough clearance on the front?)

I think everyone has a handful of the red/white version and 50/50 if they know what it's for :)
 
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