How To: remove pins from your plugs - the easy way.

[TERRA Operative]

Spent most of today modifying the dash harness for my Levin, ready to be installed when the dash gets replaced.
In doing so, I had to remove some of the pins in the plugs and swap them between looms etc. After a few tries, I found the easy way to do it. Most people here probably know how to do it, but for those that don't, here goes...

Things you need:
- Tiny flat head screwdriver, a jewellers screwdriver is perfect.
- Your plug and loom
- A bit of patience..


1: These are the plugs I'm talking about. Almost all plugs that arent under the bonnet are this type in my Levin.



2: First you need to lift the clip thing on the top of the plug, this will 'unlock' the internal clips that hold the pins in.



3: Here you can see the internal clips, they are at the bottom of each hole.



4: What you have to do is insert the screwdriver and GENTLY lever the clip down while you pull the wire out the back. I barely needed any force on the clip, you'll have to experiment to find the correct pressure.



5: And the removed pin. To reinsert, lift the top clip (as in the second picture), make sure the pin is the right way around (it will only go in one way) and slid it in until it clicks. Then push the top clip down until it's flush.



All done!




Hope that helps someone when you come across these plugs.

[grotty100]

There are removal tools available for all types of connectors. The most common one looks like a tiny wood chisel. It does nearly all elongated type connectors. Any good electronics store should have them. I can post a photo from work on Tuesday if anyone wants to see what it looks like.

[TERRA Operative]

Yea, they're really good for the plugs that don't have the 'unlocking' thingo, those plugs are much harder to lever the internal tab with a screwdriver.

[Hack]

After breaking 3 of my mini screwdrivers I started looking for something better...

Raided the missus bobby pins, took the largest one she had and cut the lumpy end off the straight side, leaving the end looking like a D, bent the squiggly side out at 90ish degrees and it works like a charm, hasnt broke and was cheap as!

Good for everything from the dash to headlight connectors.

Hack

[Kebin]

I find getting old crappy small flat head screwdrivers and shape them to size with a bench grinder to make the head the right shape and right angle to remove terminals from plug packs.
But the beauty of Toyota is that their terminals are piss easy to remove with their small easy tabs.