Removing Molex Plugs Tutorial

I have seen a few people asking how to remove molex plugs. So I figured I would make a small guide on how to remove them and the best part is.....

!! YOU DON'T NEED A MOLEX REMOVAL TOOL !!

To start the first thing that you require is a pen and paper if you are not confident that you know where each wire will be returning to after removing the molex plug. Mark down the way that the molex is set up (different colour wires and which side they go.)

To help you with this here is a picture:

Once you have done this, it's time for the fiddling part.

Look down into the molex connector (the wire side) and you should see two little pins which are obstructing the separate wire connector from coming out of its socket. Using a thin but strong needle, push the pins in on either side (don't worry if this takes you a while, take you time!) one at a time. Once the two side pins are pushed in you should be able to remove the wire with it's connector. Repeat this over the 4 wires and you should have the molex plug head removed.

Replacing the Molex plug:

when you are ready to replace the plus, you will notice after pushing the pins in on the side of the wire connector that they have stayed in. Using the needle you used to remove the wire connector, insert it into the middle of the wire connector and push the pin out to a small angle (enough so the wire connector will stay in the plug.) Once the pins have been pushed out, push gently the wire connector back up into the molex plug and you should here a quiet 'ping' sound. When you are satisfied that your wire connector is in the molex plug, pull it gently to check that is not coming back out.

Use this guide to remove you molex plugs but don't blame me if you mess up - common sense remember guys!

-gaz :up:

Great guide! Thanks that will be helpful to know in the future.

Thanks alot gaz! lol I wish I could of seen this earlier, it would of helped out so much!

:up::up:

-SF

Cheers guys for the comments. I hope this helps some people out!

-gaz

I as looking at some computer tool kits at Staples and they had a really shoddy looking removal tool.

If I wanted to get a molex removal tool, how sturdy would it really need to be?

This one was made of cheep thin plastic and had itsy bitsy wirery thingies that came out the end.

if you're going to get a tool for the job, i'd get a good quality one. i think you can order one from molex's website (molex.com?) and can probably find something for the job at radio shack (for 3x the real value at least) or fry's or something like that.

You do not need to buy a tool fo the job. Just use a sturdy needle. That does the trick perfectly wih no hastle!

-gaz

or you could use the a ballpoint pen ink cartridge/tube. I have found that some fit perfectly over the pins and push the clips/spurs down, so all you have to do is slide on the tube and tug on the corresponding wire. And if you don't have one that fits just take a small drill bit and open it up a little. Its easy and cheap and pretty much all of us have a pen we could afford to use for it.

heh...i made my own tool out of aluminum in machine shop

on another note i would suggest marking it down which pin goes where cuz even the very odd time ya can mess it up lol
( i know ive done it :( lost a HD to it too ) lolz
and thanx fer the tut the way i was doing it was alot harder lolz

catch ya'll latah
CHiMaERA