Does anybody replace brushes in starter?

[edgephoto]

There is a rebuilder I have used for years. He basically got out of the business. He said finding quality replacement parts is near impossible. He said the junk parts available now don't last and he is tired of having people think his work is the problem. I think that is the case for most of these guys.

 

[old-iron-habit]

I design training for a Gas and Electric utility. We must show the new students what a
flat head screwdriver vs Philips screwdriver (they call them the plus and minus screwdriver...LOL). Obviously, if they have never seen them before, they have never used them before. Pipe wrench, what's that!! And the righty tighty is unknown as well. To me it is a shame that we have a generation of students that do not have the slightest knowledge about technical skills!

Tyler, You reminded me of the first time I "worked on" a lawnmower. I was just a young kid and my neighbor threw it out...well, I was going to fix it, so I started pulling it apart (had no idea what was wrong with it of course). Of course it never ran, but I can still see those valves from that flat head engine in my mind...I would say I learned! Funny ending to the story...the owner of the lawnmower told me that I could never fix it because the sparkplug hole was stripped...LOL good thing we tore the whole engine apart huh!

The senior instructor at a very well respected diesel school here in Minnesota echos your remarks. He says that half the kids enrolled have no idea about the most basic of tools, nor have ever even changed a tire when they arrive for the first day. They deliberately over enroll the classes as they average a 45% dropout rate in the first month. Many enrolled based on the TV adds about that claim, "be a diesel mechanic and write your own future." As he says, the adds don't mention that you actually have to apply yourself and do something!

 

[Welder Dave]

I worked for a large industrial supplier in tech. support. One of the salesmen was clueless. Sent an e-mail with a picture of a pipe wrench with a tape measure showing 14" beside it and needed a part number. It was an almost daily occurrence. What was even more astonishing was that most of the sales people didn't even carry a catalogue in their car. They couldn't even answer the most basic questions and their customers had to wait to even know if we sold the item.

 

[56wrench]

almost sounds like acklands-grainger

 

[Tugger2]

We have a. good rebuilder here ,hes second generation in the business . He has bailed me out of lots of starter and alternator dilemas.Igive him all the old obscure starters i come across in an attempt to make up for the times hes found unavailable parts for me in his bone pile.I worry about the day hes had enough

 

[Welder Dave]

almost sounds like acklands-grainger

BINGO! They got rid of anybody and everybody that actually knew something. They're trying to run it like the US and everything they tried did more to lose sales than gain sales. US corporate couldn't understand that Canada is a different market than the US. They're trying to compete with Amazon. They went from 175+ stores to only 31 and you can't just go in and buy something. You can go in and order it and even if it's sitting on a shelf have to come back in a couple hours once your order is processed. No stock on a lot of items and takes forever and a day for a special order. I worked in the distribution center a couple blocks away from Gregg Distributors main branch and Gregg's had more stock and there was always lots of people in the store. AG sold their largest store that was also close by. They built a 110,000 sq. ft. store/warehouse in Ft. McMurray (largest location in Canada) about 2015/2016 and it was for sale when my job was eliminated a couple years ago. Direct ship may be good but a lot of customers don't want to wait 2, 4 or 24 hours. They just want to go the store, pick up what they need and be on their way. Gregg's and other suppliers are probably laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[Birdseye]

I was able to find the part numbers for the brushes that fit the Denso starter in this online catalog for a company called link==> WAI that makes parts for a lot of different starters.
They have a minimum order and so do their distributors so I couldn’t order from them. I was able to find 4 brushes on eBay for $13 delivered. I’m going to try my luck at installing new brushes, if all goes well... who knows maybe I can delay buying a new starter for a year.

(Given the sad state of repair resources, wouldn’t it be a good idea for this forum to keep a folder of the few remaining part supply houses where DIY forum members can find scarce parts?)

 

[Welder Dave]

It is a Nippondenso starter. Check the copper contacts in the solenoid, known for burning and not letting starter engage. Sometimes out of the blue will have try several times to get starter to work. If it doesn't have to pull starter and sand contacts.

 

[Birdseye]

Dave, That happens “ ..sometimes out of the blue...” but I thought it was the position of the shuttle shift lever, it’s a good thing to check and clean up that solenoid contact, thanks.

 

[Tugger2]

BINGO! They got rid of anybody and everybody that actually knew something. They're trying to run it like the US and everything they tried did more to lose sales than gain sales. US corporate couldn't understand that Canada is a different market than the US. They're trying to compete with Amazon. They went from 175+ stores to only 31 and you can't just go in and buy something. You can go in and order it and even if it's sitting on a shelf have to come back in a couple hours once your order is processed. No stock on a lot of items and takes forever and a day for a special order. I worked in the distribution center a couple blocks away from Gregg Distributors main branch and Gregg's had more stock and there was always lots of people in the store. AG sold their largest store that was also close by. They built a 110,000 sq. ft. store/warehouse in Ft. McMurray (largest location in Canada) about 2015/2016 and it was for sale when my job was eliminated a couple years ago. Direct ship may be good but a lot of customers don't want to wait 2, 4 or 24 hours. They just want to go the store, pick up what they need and be on their way. Gregg's and other suppliers are probably laughing all the way to the bank.

I dealt with Acklands for many years,watched them go from a first class supplier to worst class. The old store was great then they built a new wharehouse that never had a thing you wanted poor sales guys always had to tell you it was in Edmonton. I guess they were conditioning us for what was to come. I didnt even know they existed on line now. But Greg delivers twice a day to my shop whenever i need things .
Wonder what the Acklands bean counters are thinking of thier revenues in Canada now or are we just a fart in the wind to them?

 

[Welder Dave]

The center plunger comes out and there's a copper ring that can also get arced. Just watch when you take it apart as there's a spring in there and maybe another small part. Been awhile since I had mine apart on a Kubota.

 

[Welder Dave]

I dealt with Acklands for many years,watched them go from a first class supplier to worst class. The old store was great then they built a new wharehouse that never had a thing you wanted poor sales guys always had to tell you it was in Edmonton. I guess they were conditioning us for what was to come. I didnt even know they existed on line now. But Greg delivers twice a day to my shop whenever i need things .
Wonder what the Acklands bean counters are thinking of thier revenues in Canada now or are we just a fart in the wind to them?

They were over a billion in sales around 2015/2016. I know a guy who's dad started a large chemical company and Acklands was their biggest customer. They made a lot of private label stuff. In 2019 Acklands wasn't even on their list of top customers. Customers can't even talk to the people they've been dealing with for years. It's all call center's now and the tech. support is out of the US. We used to get mostly e-mails where we could research stuff and find the products the customer needed. Now it's done over the phone and they're supposed to have an answer in under 5 minutes. It's just ridiculous. They don't want to special order and just sell what they have in stock. Problem is they don't have stock for a lot of items in their catalogue. Wouldn't be surprised if they closed up in a couple years.

 

[Birdseye]

Who do I talk to about getting a folder set up on this forum for recommended suppliers for repair parts that will take online or telephone orders and ship to locations in US & Canada?

Most of the members here are owner operators and would benefit from an up to date listing of where to get obscure repair parts, such a list could save hours searching the Internet and dealing with less good vendors etc. It would also benefit the shrinking number of vendors who are committed to serving our community, a win-win in my book.

 

[joe--h]

The mother lode of brushes & other misc electrical bits http://www.carbonbrush.com/automotivebrush.htm

Joe H

 

[Willie B]

I once had a friend, a collector. He went to auctions, had family money, and several unused barns to store it all. He hoarded tens of thousands of parts for old equipment.

He replaced brushes.

All the rest of us take our starters, generators, alternators, voltage regulators, carburetors, and radiators to Arthur's Auto, or another similar shop.

Yes, I could replace brushes, if I could get them, I could replace bushings, if I could get them. Or, I can take them to Roy. When I pick the component up it is new. In my experience, better than new.

 

[Willie B]

I once had a friend, a collector. He went to auctions, had family money, and several unused barns to store it all. He hoarded tens of thousands of parts for old equipment.

He replaced brushes.

All the rest of us take our starters, generators, alternators, voltage regulators, carburetors, and radiators to Arthur's Auto, or another similar shop.

Yes, I could replace brushes, if I could get them, I could replace bushings, if I could get them. Or, I can take them to Roy. When I pick the component up it is new. In my experience, better than new.

Another shop Pilot Knob Restoration. I can't remember what state they are located. Several obsolete mechanical parts have returned flawlessly restored & painted the correct color. In my experience, it has been obsolete parts for IH farm tractors. I think they do anything you challenge them with.

 

[RES]

My cousin used to own a starter/alternator shop. He has a lot of obsolete part for starters, alternators and generators still in his garage. Along with parts for units up to about 2004. I take Ford starters to him. Gm and Ford alternators I just go get the parts and fix myself. Haven't had anything with a generator since the1959 Beetle back in 1976.

 

[Vetech63]

Can I rebuild a starter or alternator if I had the parts.........yes. Wayy back in the day it was feasible. Do I now.........NO. Being self employed, I cant beat the replacement cost (new) with my parts costs, labor, and machine down time. My customers would have a cow if they saw me even attempt it now days.

 

[Willie B]

I sell new Generac generators. I sell not many, but am called upon to service far more. Most common failure is starter. It seems people try to get extra years from their battery, starter fails. Don't opt for battery & oil filter heaters, you get a starter failure.

If I choose a new starter from Generac, average failure is four years later. I take it to the most trusted rebuilder I know, it i fixed permanently.

I too often relate the starter in my farm tractor. Since 1987 I used Central Tractor rebuilt starters. I averaged two years life in the CT remans.

By 1999 I took it to Arthur's I haven't had a failure since.

 

[Birdseye]

When the starter recently died my Case 580e I had an opportunity to use the replacement brushes I’d bought on eBay and try replacing the old brushes with new.

Never having done this before, my first attempt was to use a Weller type soldering gun and some solder I had which is supposed to have some silver in it. This didn’t work so well, primarily because the soldering iron didn’t put out enough heat, the brush’s braided copper lead pulled off heat faster than the soldering gun could produce.

Next I tried a mini jewelers propane/oxygen torch my friend has. This little torch put out lots of heat with a 1/4” inner flame. Along with that we used a silver solder in paste form. It took almost 3 hours to get the soldering right, but I finally learned the technique and got the four brushes firmly soldered in. A bench test seems to indicate success.

Was it an efficient and cost effective use of time? Definitely not, but I had to try it for my own satisfaction. Should have taken pictures, forgot, sorry.