If it isn't one damn thing after another.

[Chris]

Cruisers are the most reliable vehicle on the planet - fact. But some of the bits they are made from aren't.

Started truck yesterday and immediately heard a sort of growling, rumbling noise. Yep, alternator bearings. Only put the dratted thing on in March. Still in warranty from local factor. As I don't have aircon anymore, getting the unit off is a 5 minute job. Took it in, 'Sorry about that Sir, will have replacement here for tomorrow.'

That'll do for me. Still would like one of those uprated ones though.

I WILL make Lincomb even if I have to push it there.

Chris

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Perhaps the fact it is not an OEM part is a factor.

 

[Chris]

It wasn't exactly Jon, no it was a recon of what certainly looked like OEM. I rather have a feeling that when reconned, it perhaps didn't get bearings. Just the reg etc. At the time, prices and availability were stupid and these guys are local. No quibble guarantee, so that's fine.

Chris

 

[Ben]

Do you think its pay n play mud thats killed it?

I know certain pay n play sites, often being old quarry's, can do a lot of damage to things like alternators due to the sand etc.

 

[Chris]

TBH Ben, no more so that the sort of laning that you do. It's pretty high up in there and doesn't get a lot of mud in it anymore. I dunno, clearly it's something that I have thought about, but this one just seems to have gone and I mean gone just like that from being silent to going Sccccrrrrrrrrrr.

Go figure. Hey, new one on tomoz and back up and running.

Chris

 

[frank rabbets]

Alternator bearings. I've had millions of those go on crap Lucas alternators. No way round that so I used to run the belt as loose as possible to prolong their lives. I have to admit I still am careful not to overtighten the belts.

Frank

 

[Chris]

Frank, I think you have a very valid point there. It does seem to be the nose bearings that go and that would indicate possible overloading.

Chris

 

[Graham]

I think when the alternator re conditioner gets the duff alternators in for refurb, they only do whats needed to get them running again.

They probably spin up the alternator, and have a simple listen for bearing noise.

No noise = no new bearings, and they take the chance it will last the 1 year warranty period.

Gra.

 

[Gary Stockton]

Alternator bearings. I've had millions of those go on crap Lucas alternators.
Frank

Yup - Lucas, Prince of Darkness

Glad it's sorted now Chris and not failing in the middle of the woods on Saturday!

 

[Chris]

Hah, not as sorted as I'd hoped. Just had a call from the factors. It appears that the unit if full of mud and dirt. Well I have no idea where that came from. They say that they'll swap the bearings but it's £55. Not covered under warranty. I said forget I'll do it myself. They rang back and said, actually rather helpfully, would you like it back in bits to save you some time. Thanks very much. I shall pack the bearing with marine grease and put it back together. It'll do for now. I can ring my local bearing place and see if they can match the number and get one from them if the bearing looks dodgy.

Hey ho. More to do.


Chris

 

[Graham]

So I take it you didn't notice it full of mud before you passed it to them?

May be a blast with a high pressure washer before hand ~~~~ next time~~~~

Gra.

 

[Chris]

Gra, you must think I'm daft! Of course I washed it out, I blasted it with an air line and even took the end cap off to clean out the reg. Clearly there was a little more in there than I could shift. Short of dropping it into an ultrasonic bath, I don't think I could have done more in the time.

It'll be fine once I have got it back and twiddled with it, I'm sure. It's only bedding in, that's all.

 

[Graham]

Well thats what I thought you would have done, give it a good clean.
But like you said, there must have been some sitting in there that just diddn't budge.

Oh well,

You did what you could.

Gra.

 

[frank rabbets]

Chris
You can get sealed bearings where the grease is kept inside and you cannot see the balls etc. The seals consist of a washers pressed in to the outer race each side. They allmost touch the inner race but if you look closely you can see a little rubber lip which is the seal. Perfect for spinning in gritty water. You must have seen them ? Your stockist will be able to get this size with seals. Obviously they come with the grease in them.

Frank

 

[Chris]

Cheers Frank but these ARE sealed bearings. And they are full of ***. Odd thing is that the serial numbers on them doesn't match their physical sizes. Just been to my local bearing chap (90 years old, still works in imperial, knows a million bearings off by heart, uses a tape measure and charts) and he's a bit baffled too. He told me on the phone I was wrong. I took them round. I wasn't. He didn't like it!

At the moment, I am cleaning them up. They just have dirt in, I don't think they are stuffed. I shall wash them out and re pack them tonight and see how it is. I have had alternators with noisy bearings before and run them for ages. When I have pulled them they've been worse than these. So not worried but once I track some down, I will get a couple of sets.

He's trying to match them now, but it is a bit curious as to why the numbers and sizes don't match. I have Googled this stuff too and they all come back with the same (wrong) sizes

Chris

 

[Towpack]

Chris
You can get sealed bearings where the grease is kept inside and you cannot see the balls etc. The seals consist of a washers pressed in to the outer race each side. They allmost touch the inner race but if you look closely you can see a little rubber lip which is the seal. Perfect for spinning in gritty water. You must have seen them ? Your stockist will be able to get this size with seals. Obviously they come with the grease in them.

Frank

This type of bearing is used almost universally for motorcycle wheel bearings. On road bikes they can last years and many k of miles but on dirt bikes they last nothing like as long. The seal seems pretty good at keeping in the grease and water from road spray out but repeated immersion in muddy grinding paste gives them a much harder time. I would have thought the outermost bearing on an alternator was this type as standard?

 

[sae70]

If your careful, you can pop off the plastic seal, clean the bearing out and re-pack it. Then just pop the plastic seal back into place Clearly this will not repair any wear or damage, but may quieten them down and get you going again for Lincomb

 

[Chris]

Well that's all stripped greased rebuilt reinstalled and running
Much quieter but in truth not like silk
Balls have clearly had a bashing so I'll swap them in due course
As the unit heats up the grease will move around a bit and work its way in.
Right nobody move. I can't take anymore disasters. I'm going to bed and not getting out until its time to go

Crisis Chris

 

[Rob]

Got your brakes sorted yet?





runs and hides

 

[Chris]

Was never on the cards Rob. Weekend was the only opportunity. That wasn't made up for the benefit of Nitrac. They arrived and I put them straight in the garage

What are yours like?