| Author | Topic |
|---|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
Re: Rebuilding alternator?
|
Sun, 23 May 2004 00:13
 
|
 |
Can somebody please have a look at these pics. Where the brushes have been contacting the rotor shaft can be seen and wear is evident. Is this normal? I hear they're called slip rings...
Do my brushes look that bad? I didn't think they looked that worn...
ANy opinions appreciated.
|
|
|
Club Member
Location:
sydney
Registered:
May 2002
|
|
Re: Rebuilding alternator?
|
Sun, 23 May 2004 00:32
|
|
|
its normal for brushes to look like that, they dont look too bad but its hard to tell if theyre contacting properly, buy some new brushes from almost any auto electrician, re solder them in, run some 1000grit wet and dry lighty over the shaft to clean it up and see what happens, it could be that the regulator has gone but theyre cheap from most wreckers anyway.
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
|
Location:
Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Japan
Registered:
January 2003
|
|
Re: Rebuilding alternator?
|
Sun, 23 May 2004 01:33
|
|
afaik there are two types of brushes, but all have the same cross-section... older alternators needed longer brushes... but not sure if they are supplied anymore? (maybe this is just codswallop) basically they are universal.
the brushes have a copper braid type wire coming out the back, and you just need a reasonably sized soldering iron to unsodler them from the housing... slip the wire from the new ones thru the spring and then resolder in a position that does not let the brush fall out of the hole.... same as the old ones...
if you take the brush pack to a good auto elec, they should be able to do it for a small fee.. brushes about $5 perhaps... soldering? priceless  hreh heh.. maybe $5-10.. it's a 5 minute job.
if i had the time i'd offer to post it to me, but i don't sorry 
Cya, Stewart
ps, the slip rings may need machining if the groove is deep.. like 1mm deep, but as IRA11Y said, a quick sand should be fine.
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
Re: Rebuilding alternator?
|
Sun, 23 May 2004 02:42
|
|
Stewart,
Thanks for that. I'll look for a good auto elec before work in the morning that can do it. Anybody know of a good one in Brookvale..or Mona vale?
Can always find help on here! 
|
|
|
I supported Toymods
Location:
Australia
Registered:
November 2003
|
|
Re: Rebuilding alternator? Have quick look at pics please
|
Sun, 23 May 2004 03:25
|
|
Just be warned, my alternator winding had been shorted out with excess oil dripping on it.
And the winding couldnt be reused, so I had to get a new/2nd hand winding.
Yours could be the same, I dont know
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
|
Location:
Bottom of the hill, Sydney
Registered:
April 2004
|
|
Re: Rebuilding alternator? Have quick look at pics please
|
Sun, 23 May 2004 10:52
|
|
I would suggest that the reason the auto elec told you that the alternator could not be rebuilt is that with that type of alternator it is generally cheaper to replace it rather than rebuild. New parts for these alternators are generally pretty expensive. They can also be a pain in the arse to split the housings so as to replace the bearings and machine the slip rings.
Having said that it is not impossible to rebuild it just not normally economical.
Did the price you were charged include fitting?
If so, for that vehilce and alternator type it sounds pretty much on the mark.
By the way, is there a suppressor on the back of the alternator and if so is it ok? This could be the cause of your radio interference.
Brad
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
Re: Rebuilding alternator? Have quick look at pics please
|
Sun, 23 May 2004 11:36
|
|
I don't know if the slip rings will even need machining. I can see the workshops point of view though, not wasting time pulling it down. But the bearing/s seem ok, just the brushes are worn down quite a bit. I'll check the suppressor, al I know is that the radio was fine before, now they put the new on in its not (the auto elec even checked it out etc and said he can't do anything). I agree $380 fitted for a new alt isn't too bad, but if $20 in brushes could have fixed it..
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
Re: Rebuilding alternator? Have quick look at pics please
|
Mon, 24 May 2004 08:04
|
|
Just got new brushes..but one last question..I'm sanding it back now with fairly light sandpaper but should I keep going till all the scoring is gone i.e till the shaft is almost completely flat?
I'll have a look on googs but thought I'd see what you say.
Got the new brushes at R.E. Grady at Brookvale had them for $25, an exchange type deal. Pretty good, the new brushes are huge! (As in much longer than the old worn ones). The guy there was also pretty helpful and had a look at my rings  and told me they were ok 
Toyota wanted $38 which wasn't too bad I thought or $6 each for the brushes (i.e. 12 for the 2 you need).
|
|
|
Location:
Bottom of the hill, Sydney
Registered:
April 2004
|
|
Re: Rebuilding alternator? Have quick look at pics please
|
Mon, 24 May 2004 08:56
|
|
The best thing is to machine the sliprings so that they are perfectly round but if you do not have access to a lathe then try to sand them as smooth as possible. The smoother they are the longer the brushes will last. If the sliprings are out of round then the brushes can bounce and arc which will wear them out alot quicker.
The reason I suggest changing the bearings is that if the alternator has been on the car long enough to wear the brushes right down then it has obviously done a lot of work. The bearings might seem ok but how much longer will they last? Changing them now might save you from having to resleeve a housing after a bearing seizes and chews it out.
Best of luck with the radio problem too. I don't know alot about radio interference problems but I can suggest checking all your earth connections on the vehicle.
Cheers
Brad
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
Re: Rebuilding alternator? Have quick look at pics please
|
Mon, 24 May 2004 11:47
|
|
Job complete - old alternator back in and no radio interference and no charge lights etc.
Thanks very much for the help everyone.
Smoothed out slip rings as much as could then put her back together with no brushes.
The bearings seem fine but I see your point Brad, but I don't know how long he's keeping the van so should be alright.
My dad is very happy he can get his 2kY (TAB) clear  , and appreciates the toymodders
|
|
|
Location:
Melbourne
Registered:
December 2003
|
|
Re: Rebuilding alternator? Have quick look at pics please
|
Mon, 24 May 2004 13:55
|
|
How did u know ur alternator was effed?Was the battery not chrgin properly? Coz when i sit at idle my batt charge meter goes nuts and im yet to check the dissy but if its not that then would it be my alternator? ANy help would be great.
Cheers guys (sorry for the highjack)
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
|
Location:
ACT
Registered:
July 2002
|
|
Re: Rebuilding alternator? Have quick look at pics please
|
Tue, 25 May 2004 02:16
|
|
Rebuilding Toyo alts is pretty easy if you have a press.
Replace Brushes. Just undo the mounting screws around brush and regulator.
Replace slip rings. Will require some soldering and glue
Replace bearings. Will need a bearing puller to get bearings out and a press to put new bearings on.
The diode pack is easy to test to see if its OK or not. Use a diode tester on each diode to check they are OK.
The stator is easy to test. Measure the resistance between each winding to make sure none of them are open citcuit. Measure the resistance between each winding and the case of the alternator to make sure none of them are shorted to ground.
The rotor is easy to test. Measure the resistance between the slip rings, it should be less than 5Ω. Measure between the slip rings and the rotor, it should be open cicuit.
If all these test OK and the alt still doesn't work then you need to replace the regulator.
Always replace bearings if you have the alt apart. Always press in new bearings don't hit them in.
|
|
|
