Early Generator Rebuild?

[RichOakley]

The generator in my '47 started to scream on the way back from H.O. so I guess I need to replace the bearings. This is a job I haven't done before but I guess the bearings are readily available. Any advice/tips etc?

[virtanen]

At least here they offer type 6202 bearings with plastic dust covers, but originally there is used separate washer covers. It is needed to remove those integrated covers before use. Otherwise there is too much thickness and it get stuck.

[johnshenry]

Wolfsburg West sells the bearings

http://wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=111903221A

And the bushes.

Not too much to rebuilding them. You'll need a very wide, thick slotted screw driver bit to get the field cores out without munging up the the slot in the screw. I made one out of an old chisel and use it in an impact gun. You'll probably want to re-wrap the field windings an replace the leads. The paper wrap does not hold up well. I re-wrap them with black cloth tape that I use with the wiring harnesses. I use new cloth covered wires for the leads. Of course replace the brushes.

The armatures I usually just clean up, and chuck them in my drill press and spin them and run some fine ScotchBrite against the commutators. Also, I use dental pick to clean the gaps between the commutators. Metallic junk in there can cause shorts or current bleeds between the windings.

If you take it all the way down, you can bead blast the housing, and have it re-plated. Paint the end caps and make it look "cracking"....
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John Henry

'57 Deluxe
'56 Single Cab

[RichOakley]

Thanks for the advice guys.

I think I have managed to find a source for the bearings here in the UK so I will strip it down and give it a shot.

Cheers!
Rich.

[johnshenry]

One thing to watch for Rich. On one end (fan end I think) the bearing is retained in the cap and you can't just pull the cap and bearing off the end of the armature. And on the early ones, the retaining plate is held in by two slotted M4 or M5 screws. Easy to see if you are looking for it, but miss it, and, say, maybe use a wheel puller to try to get the end cap off, and you'll bugger up the retainer.

Ask me how I know.

Look for the screws, and there is enough room for your to get them out with a small screwdriver. Later ones used a circlip, but I think the early ones had screws.

Also, make sure as you slip stuff off the armature, lay it all out in the order you took it off. Lots of washers and spacers and such. Manuals have pretty good exploded views of this.
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John Henry

'57 Deluxe
'56 Single Cab

[RichOakley]

[RichOakley]

My new generator bearings arrived in the post this morning, so I proceeded to strip it down and made sure everything was laid out very carefully in order.

Once stripped, I compared it to my 1952-55 workshop manual which shows the components of a 'RED' generator....

In my unit, no.18 (spacer washer) is not present. I reassembled it as it came apart with the new bearings fitted. However, when I came to slip the armature back into the frame, a very thin 'wavy' washer appeared by the brushes......

and here's a picture of the wavy washer slipped over the end of the armature just for some size perspective...

Firstly, I wonder if this is an early 'RED' generator (it's from my '47) and therefore different to the one in the 52-55 'shop manual.
Secondly, where on Earth has that wavy washer come from? It only appeared when I slotted the armature back into the case. I can only think that it sits in the end of the bearing housing (pulley end) and I did not notice it in there when I disassembled the unit.

Any ideas would be most welcome!!

[splitjunkie]

your assumption is correct. It is there to preload the bearing on the pulley end.
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Chris

You know, a lot of these scratches will buff right out... Jerry Seinfeld

[RichOakley]

[RichOakley]

....and John- thanks for your advice on the small M5 retainer plate screws. I would have done exactly what you did with your puller if you hadn't warned me!!

[johnshenry]

[crotchsplit]

Glenn Cheaney is a master at rebuilding these old generators. Give him a call, he is a very well educated on these and has worked on old generators for 40+ years.

[kevm]

John,

I remember reading a previous topic from you on the rebuild process and recall you mentioned the windings needed magnetising or something and you had a pic of the generator hooked up to something, was that really neccesary and is that something they did in the factory ?

Thanks
Kev

[RichOakley]

[johnshenry]

[rod_vw]

Anyone else with generator or starter problems here in the UK would get good help from Pete Good. See Volksgoods logo on the links page of http://www.historicvws.org.uk/

I've no financial connection with Pete's business, he's just a good supporter of those of us with early cars here in the UK.
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Rod,
Please visit http://www.historicvws.org.uk
https://www.facebook.com/historicvwclub/

1946 Beetle (Back on the road after over 50 years! Last major outing - Hessisch Oldendorf 2022)
2016 T6 Selfbuild Camper and a LWB MAN TGE in build.

[RichOakley]

[kevm]

[nlorntson]

[johnshenry]