Using a needle to repair connector?

[Synomenon]

I have a broken connector on a car stereo harness. One of the pins in one of its connectors broke off. The pins are around the size of a standard sewing needle. Can I just take a standard sewing needle, cut it to the length I need and solder it to where the original pin broke off?

Are sewing needles OK to use with audio cables? I'm pretty sure the pin that broke off was on one of the wires carrying the audio signal (not sure if it's the left or right channel).

 

[geno]

If that doesn't work, you can be ghetto an splice / solder the two wires and bypass the harness.

 

[bobdole369]

I wouldn't call a properly spliced and soldered connection ghetto. esp if you use heatshrink and the solder connection is clean - that is not twisted together but laid side by side.

Yes - you could do the needle trick - its quite common - I've used it in the past.

 

[Biggerhammer]

I've successfully used the needle trick but I was trying to salvage data, so I only needed it to work for a few hours. I'd be amazed to see it keep working in a car audio environment.

 

[Deviant Grasshopper]

I wouldn't do it. Needles have a slick coating on them, it might affect the connection. I'd cut the wire out of the harness and solder/crimp on a connector to both sides. It's one more step when disconnecting, but I doubt you're changing out your stereo very often anyway.