Save your money buy a higher end fit or Sunday complete you won ' t regret it <| sep |> It sounds like you are using 18 awg male terminals . Most people don ' t even know there is a specific 16 awg version , but there is . The 18 awg versions will work with 16 awg , but it can be hard to get the wire through the small wings in the crimper jaws . Try this Place the male terminal in the jaws first before you crimp the female . Then just squeeze tight enough so the terminal stays in place . Don ' t do any precrimping . Then insert the wire and make sure they are no individual strands sticking out and that the wire is as round as possible . While placing the wire in the terminal rotate the wire , and this will help get the wire past the small set of wings . Then crimp down . The female version is the done second so that you will have an easier time making sure the male and female terminals are orientated the same way . If you crimp the female first then have to rotate the wire around to crimp the male terminal it can easily be crimped out of alignment . Hope that all makes sense .