Generator or alternator install fan and backing plates

[mark tucker]

I have found that when going through this much work I would recomand installing a new alt....75 amp. but thats me I dont have shit for brains like so many that know how to spell and have thier grammer on the right side of ... but atleast some of the parts are painted thats a pluss

[Zundfolge1432]

[Tim Donahoe]

I have an issue, Zund. I removed my alternator and the fan side was extremely easy; however, the pulley half was ridiculously hard to get off. That sucker was on there tight.

I finally got it off with a large screwdriver, going round and round until the pulley half slipped off.

Since there is no VW stamped into the pulley half, I assume it's aftermarket. Are the VW pulley halves this tight? I ask because it almost seems that I would need to press it onto the new Bosch alternator. I certainly don't want to pound it on and possibly jar something loose in the new alternator?

Any tips on installing this part?

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Cusser]

[Tim Donahoe]

Cusser, thanks.

The old pulley half was such a bitch to get off, I thought I'd have trouble with the new one. But it was very easy.

I went ahead and assumed that the aftermarket front pulley wasn't defective, then I lined up the Woodruff key, slipped the front half of the pulley on, then got all the shims, cone, nut, etc, and wrenched it all down. Basically, you just press the inner pulley on this way.. I'll do the rest tomorrow because I just painted the alternator sheet metal and it has to dry.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Gr8tfulEd]

Sorry to pop an older thread, but I'm seriously befuddled.

I pulled the alternator on my 1979 to replace the voltage regulator. I marked the cooling tin on the back of the alternator, but like a (tired) knuckledhead, then cleaned everything up spick-and-span, and removed all of my set marks. Is there any way to tell if the cooling vent is pointed down like it's suppose to be, or up? I ask because now I can hear it sucking air, which I didn't notice before, and it sounds a bit like a blower kicking in at high RPMs. (I don't have a blower), and I can't remember if its up or down.

Thanks! I'm hoping not to have to pull the alternator again for a while.
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1973 Kombi Riviera camper named "Belle"
1979 Super Beetle Convertible named "Otto"- daily driver

[heimlich]

Nice writeup. I remember when I did mine the woodruff key gave me the most problems.
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[Zundfolge1432]

Hoping this helps you

[Jade]

Great write up. So, I've had a lot of frustration lately with mine. The alternator went bad so I replaced it with an aftermarket one (non-Bosch, non-German I believe as you can tell by the photos). Ran it for a few hundred miles over a few months, then heard a grinding sound when I shut it off.

That's no good. Pulled the alternator off and found this rounded out on the fan. Never, ever had this problem in all my years of dealing with VWs.

OK, ordered a new cooling hub fan kit and replaced it on the alternator shaft with a new fan. I had a heck of a time getting the hub on the alternator shaft, I mean it's brand new but the keyway does not want to fit. Also the clearance between the fan and the backing plate is really close. I have to shim it quite a bit and add a spacer even on the alternator shaft to keep the fan from rubbing the backing plate. Sorry, no picture of that. Put everything back in the fan housing and it spins free as a bird, no rubbing so I put the belt back on. Double-check the nut on the fan is tight as heck.

Go for a test drive today and I'm having problems again as the nut came loose (again, I tightened the heck out of it). What is going on? I don't want to keep throwing parts at it, but I'm considering get a new Bosch alternator, backing plates, hub, etc.

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'66 11 window

[kreemoweet]

There's a torque spec for the fan nut. Get a torque wrench.
Incorrect installation of the special fan lock washer is a big cause of
fan damage. Maybe you should post up a photo of the parts
you're using.
_________________
'67 bug: seized by the authorities
'68 bug: seized by the authorities
'71 kombi: not yet seized by the authorities

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Jade]

[kreemoweet]

I dunno, that lock washer looks kinda iffy.
Couldn't tell from photo, the hub has the flats that should lock in the fan and those other parts?
I assume the bent-up parts of lockwasher were installed towards nut?
All I can think of is parts made of Chinese cheese.
Bet if you sourced some original VW parts it would work OK. That's all I
have ever used, and never a problem.
_________________
'67 bug: seized by the authorities
'68 bug: seized by the authorities
'71 kombi: not yet seized by the authorities

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[runamoc]

[BMFBMF]

Great write up thanks a million.

I've got one question when you folks mentioned the vent being near the bottom, I don't quite understand what you are saying. is that the picture with the finger pointing to it, what exactly is the vent? is it something cut into the back plate?

Cheers and thanks again.
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-----Slava Ukraini-----
1971 Stock South African Beetle 1300 : My mom's european "Thin Chick" spec. Completely stock with torsion bar front, swingaxle rear, smooth hubs, single MC, 40 mm shoes, 31PICT3 carb and 5 bolt drums all round, currently Running a 1976 SF:AS engine with the original SF:AD engine overhauled in a box, waiting to go back in one day.

[Jade]

Actually, when I look at it again mine didn't have the two bent tabs on it. It was a wavy washer. The original German design was a wavy washer also as you can see here:

Something that bothered me when I put it together was the gap here was really tight (sorry, borrowed a photo from earlier in the thread). Again, it was rubbing here between the fan and the backing plate really bad. I had to use shims on the hub coupler between the fan and the coupler as well as a spacer on the alternator shaft just to get it to not rub. I spin check everything once it was back in the fan shroud that everything was free and the fan was tight on the shaft.

What bothered me as well, still does, is this. A 2-3mm lip (not gap) around the alternator where it mates to the backing plate. Yes, I pulled the backing plate off the alternator as well to check everything, but it simply wouldn't go in any further.

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'66 11 window

[Failer]