Replace a Pin in a Cannon Plug

1950 - 1952, M38, questions, discussions, regarding anything related to the M38.
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dpcd67
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Replace a Pin in a Cannon Plug

Post by dpcd67 » Wed Aug 16, 2017 7:51 am

Who can replace a pin in a Cannon plug for me? Actually two pins.
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Chuck W.
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Re: Replace a Pin in a Cannon Plug

Post by Chuck W. » Wed Aug 16, 2017 9:22 am

It's not a big deal, you can do it yourself. Take the plug apart, pull out the bad pin, un-soldier the wire from the pin, soldier on new pin, reassemble. You'll need to find a donor plug for the replacement pins.

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Re: Replace a Pin in a Cannon Plug

Post by dpcd67 » Wed Aug 16, 2017 9:31 am

Ok, good; do they pull out from the front or rear? How do you take the plug apart? I was afraid to do that...
This is an area I know nothing about except to plug them in and screw on the lock nut.
What I need to do is make a voltage regulator cable for an M38 out of one from an M35, which lacks the two wires to the ammeter, because M35s don't have ammeters.
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Re: Replace a Pin in a Cannon Plug

Post by Chuck W. » Wed Aug 16, 2017 9:50 am

It's been a while since I had one apart, most were cannon plugs at the light switch. If I remember, screw the cover off the back, then there is a piece of rubber that you must slide up the wires, and the pin will pull out the back. I used a little DE grease when I reinstalled the pins through the rubber.
I wrote an article on Douglass Connectors back in February, 2006 on the Willys M-series Forum that included a section on the cannon plugs.
http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/index.php

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Re: Replace a Pin in a Cannon Plug

Post by dpcd67 » Wed Aug 16, 2017 10:06 am

Ok, great information; thanks. I will try it.
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Re: Replace a Pin in a Cannon Plug

Post by D Pizzoferrato » Wed Aug 16, 2017 1:47 pm

There are several sizes of tools (Fids) that are used to push the plugs out. They are something you can make or find a substitute for. The actual tools look like a straight round drift with a straight hexagonal handle. Any piece of appropriate sized round stock will work. Chuck is right about the DE Grease. It will make pushing the pins back in much easier.
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Re: Replace a Pin in a Cannon Plug

Post by dpcd67 » Wed Aug 16, 2017 6:28 pm

DE grease I have.
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Re: Replace a Pin in a Cannon Plug

Post by dpcd67 » Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:24 am

Wow, that was awesome guidance; the plug unscrewed just as you said, and easily. I have been around those things all my life (on tanks) and never knew how they were put together. I thought they were molded in the plug and possibly would not come apart.
thanks.
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