Any molex removal tricks?

[Judaeus Apella]

Before paying $10 for a male molex pin remover tool, and another $10 for a female molex pin remover tool, or $10 for a more questionable universal tool... I thought I'd ask all you mod gurus if you know any tricks for removing these little buggers, before I invest any money in stuff I need to sleeve all the power cables in my case.

I'd appreciate any thoughts or advice you guys can think to share. :)

[DriveEuro]

I just use a pocket knife with a thin blade. For the female ones I have to use something different. I usually get by with parts/tools in my junk drawer.

[Judaeus Apella]

How do you do it? I havn't been able to find a disection picture so I can understand how they work, so Im still working on figuring out what exactly I have to do to get the pin out.

[runmc]

You need to stick something very small down the side of the pin and push the holding pin in.
I would buy the tool:D

[Judaeus Apella]

Hmmm... does RadioShack carry them, or will I have to order it from FrozenCPU?

[Mr. Tinker]

I use the little eyeglass repair flathead screwdriver. works great.

[WeStSiDePLaYa]

spend the 10 bucks and get the universal one. its well worth it. i love mine. makes life a heck of alot easier.

[Judaeus Apella]

So, its not hard to use just because its universal?

[WeStSiDePLaYa]

So, its not hard to use just because its universal?

nope, you just push the end over the end of the pin, wiggle it back and forth so it pushes the little prongs back down. and then depress the plunger. if the plunger doesnt go easily, then you havent gotten the prongs down enough. after you do your first molex you will have it down. takes me about 30 seconds or less to take molex off now. much less than with little tools.

[Judaeus Apella]

30 seconds? The ones that are either male or femal only take a second or two per pin. I thought that was pretty impressive. They have a video for each tool at FrozenCPU. These are the ones I could find there. Each of these have a video link on their page.

http://www.frozencpu.com/slt-01.html
http://www.frozencpu.com/slt-03.html
http://www.frozencpu.com/slt-02.html
http://www.frozencpu.com/slt-05.html

[littleowl]

I have seen one at radio shack but it was a lot different then that!! It didn't have the plunger deal on it! So you had to pull it out manually

[enno]

Ussualy I use small screwdriver.
just use a small screw driver ( - ) type and then push the stick out plate inside the molex connector which preventing the cable can be pulled, then after you have done that, the cable can easily pull out :)

carefully when you do this, if you push the plate too much it will difficult for you to pull it back. and remember do this at your own risk ;)

[Nephilim]

I have one of these:

http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/xoxide_1887_177884516

As WeStSiDePLaYa said, makes it a piece of cake, either that or I take apart a standard ballpoint pen and use that for the male ones :p:

With a wiggle this tool is great for both male and female pins.

[Butcher_]

I use a small precision screwdriver, with a bit of practice you can pop each pin in a few seconds, and they're useful for more than just molex removal. ;)

[Thrilla]

Same here, precision screwdriver works great, take me very little time once mastered.

[Shark-357]

little 2$ screwdriver does the trick every time

[Thrilla]

lol this is what a fancy molex remover does:
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2013/molex8ei.png
push those legs in. unless you work at a comp mod shop sleeving PSU all the time, I don't see a point buying it, so ya XD

[PsyK0t1c dRe4mZ]

@Thrilla - Good sketch man :toast:

@Judaeus - That's exactly what u have to do is bend those 2 pins in. Then, before u put the molex back together, you bend them back out!!

I used a tiny (-) screwdriver the 1st time (local RS was out and I couldn't wait) and it was a PITA until I got the hang of it...The amount of extra time and aggravation it took to "perfect the art of small screwdriver pin extraction" was worth a lot more to me than the cost of the pin extractor. :upset:

Of course now, I can do it with my eyes shut... :cool:

The pic that Nephilim posted is exactly the same as the one available @ RS. U can use it to easily remove male OR female .093" diameter locking crimp pins *without damage* and it works s-l-i-c-k. It's part #274-223, costs $7.29 and is a normal stock item.

[Sparky]

I've never felt like spending the $10 so I just use a really fine flathead screwdriver I have :) Only thing I found is you gotta be careful not to push the metal clips in too far

[crackhead2k]

I tried and the flat screw drvier trick.. It takes 14-30 second for each molex wire. Sometime it just take a lot longer especially when its ur first time.
It takes a lot of time... i recommend getting this tool if you plan on cable sleeving your entire computer. You will go 3-4 time faster with it.

[Scooby]

I found a great tool, anyone got an old radio with an antenna the telescopic kind. Well I had one and disassembled it and found out that certain sections are the exact size to fit in to a male or female molex and with a little maneuvering the pins just come off. To be exact the antenna I used was from a Shure wireless receiver the kind the works with a Shure wireless mic.

I think at a radio antenna would have the same or similar sized sections. Try it out worked great for me now thats all I use.

[Diverge]

or you can just but a sleeving kit, that comes with the tools for relatively cheap - i guess if you want to sleeve your stuff: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=188&products_id=2082

[i found nemo]

hmm i just pull.....

[3NZ0]

I found a great tool, anyone got an old radio with an antenna the telescopic kind. Well I had one and disassembled it and found out that certain sections are the exact size to fit in to a male or female molex and with a little maneuvering the pins just come off. To be exact the antenna I used was from a Shure wireless receiver the kind the works with a Shure wireless mic.

I think at a radio antenna would have the same or similar sized sections. Try it out worked great for me now thats all I use.

thats what i do, i was poor when i first sleeved my old 520w globalwin sapphire psu so just did that. :)

[qdemn7]

I sleeved 6 PSUs in the last 3 years, and finally broke down and bought the tools. It's the best investment I've made. A lot less headaches, no poking my fingers, and lot less cussing.

Now having said that, if all your going to sleeve are the drive molex, you're ok with a jeweler's screwdriver. BUT, if you're going to do the main ATX cable, the +12v ATX lead, the PCI-Express or 8 pin Xeon then one of these (http://www.frozencpu.com/too-07.html) is an absolute MUST.

[deevo]

hmm... i use a straw 2 remove a male molex :D

[TMM]

tweezers make easy work of bending the tabs in :)

[wildcard]

Get the removal tool, it's well worth the $5 - $10

[hawk1234]

Go to any hobby shop .Buy an asortment of small brass tubeing and make your molex pin remover total cost was about $3.00 and you can use the other tubing in case moding

[Reefa_Madness]

You may not need this anymore, but in any event...

Check out Step 3 in the linked thread. The pics show the Molex connector pins that you have to bend.

http://www.techpowerup.com/printarticle.php?id=137