Generator rebuild

[woodie49]

I had a problem with my generator, so put a spare in my '49 woodie. Unfortunately, it does not charge (the other one charged fine but made some noise). So, I thought I would try to rebuild the original one. I purchased the front bearing and the brushes long ago "just in case", but did not buy the rear bushing, which I need.

NAPA (who special ordered it for me), Burnbaum, Roberts, Rock and Classic are all a no-go on the part for the moment. I may have to have it rebuilt, but kind of wanted to do it myself, since I know my original one charges.

A few questions:

1. anyone who has done it - how do I remove the bushing from the rear plate?

2. What should I use to clean all the crub out of the generator?

3. Who else should I check to source the rear bushing? My generator is a GGW style, it seems like the only ones available are for the GDZ style, which I assume must be different.

[jcmiller]

This article may be helpful:

http://www.1944gpw.com/c-93-G503_WWII_Jeep_6_volt_Autolite_Generator_Rebuild_Restore.aspx

[Tom Skinner]

JC.

Great Article! Thanks for sharing the Site.

Now even I could do this.

Tom Skinner

Huntersville, NC

[greg g]

why not jus put the new brushes in the other genny, or swap the endplates if the one that is not charging has a good bushing. Two to make one is a pretty common deal.

[woodie49]

why not jus put the new brushes in the other genny, or swap the endplates if the one that is not charging has a good bushing. Two to make one is a pretty common deal.

Well, sometimes the most obvious answers are the ones that don't occur to us (atleast to me). Swapping the endplates is obviously a good fix. This will get me back on the road and I still have a unit to rebuild when I can source the parts.

Thanks

[Mark Haymond]

The field wires are insulated from each other with lacquer so don't use lacquer thinner as a parts cleaner.

[austinsailor]

I have about 8 assorted generators, all have been sitting for 20+ years. I've made 2 good ones recently, mixing and matching parts, adding only new bearings, and they both worked right off, no polorizing or flashing.

[Jerry Roberts]

Yes , generators need to be polerized . (sp?) If there is a business in your area that specializes in bearings , they can probably furnish a bushing .

[Scruffy49]

When I rebuilt one of mine I found a bronze bushing the right size at Lowes or Home Depot. Bench test it put out current like it was brand new.

I filled the factory bushing recess 1/2 full of grease and tapped in a bolt that would just fit. Bolt pushed on grease, grease pushed on old bushing, bushing fell out.

That gen came off a Ford Falcon Ranchero, not sure if it would work on our gens.

[woodie49]

Did you flash the generator?

Does he need to flash the generator?

It seems that I read here somewhere in the past that it may be necessary to flash a generator that has been unused for an extended time.

Did I read that?

Did I dream that?

Is it true?

Never heard of flashing the generator except on this forum, my manual makes no mention of it that I can find. Maybe it is only on the forum because you DID dream it , but I did read it and I did flash the generator when I put it in. Don had posted a proceedure for doing that in one of the threads. I think it is more likely that it is shorting out inside. I'll know a little more when I switch the plates.

[Young Ed]

The manual calls it polarizing and it is in there.

[woodie49]

When I rebuilt one of mine I found a bronze bushing the right size at Lowes or Home Depot. Bench test it put out current like it was brand new.

I filled the factory bushing recess 1/2 full of grease and tapped in a bolt that would just fit. Bolt pushed on grease, grease pushed on old bushing, bushing fell out.

That gen came off a Ford Falcon Ranchero, not sure if it would work on our gens.

Both my generators are the same (P18 - GGW6001B) and, in my case, both appear to have a solid plug pressed in the back plate. My manual shows a back plate with a cap that is attached by three screws. So, in my case, it looks like that plug needs to be pounded out first (which I am not anxious to do), then the bushing can be pressed out, then the new one put in. I have attached a picture that ALMOST shows the end of the back plate - best I have at the moment.

[woodie49]

Since I end up having a spare, I might proceed with this on my own, rather than sending to a shop. The posted article looks like a pretty good guide. I can source the field coils for about $60.00. I am pretty sure I don't have the patience to wrap the field coils myself, and not too sure what "cloth tape" is, but it doesn't look like regular cloth electric tape. Still looking for an armature, though I doubt I need to replace mine. And still looking for the bushing, which I do want to replace.

Has anyone one the forum done this before? Still not too sure what to use as a cleaner, also still hesitant to pound out the plug in the commuter plate that caps the bushing.