Generator Rear Bushing Lube

[Jerold Ebke]

I am rebuilding a 1930 standard coupe I have owned since 1977 when I was a college student, but was damaged in a garage fire 17 years ago and has been in storage.
Life now allows time to work on it.
I am working on the generator at present.
Does the rear bushing just absorb the oil from the oiler and allow it to reach the armature shaft?
I see no hole in the bushing corresponding to the oiler.
What role does the felt and spring play below the busing in the tube with the end cap? Again, I see no opening in the bushing associated with that area and how would oil get in or out of it?
I tried to remove front bearing which seems to turn adequately smooth. I could not get the front end casting with the bearing in it off the shaft and rather than break the casting, decided to leave well enough alone. Does the front oiler enter a hole of some sort for that bearing? Since I cannot see the bearing, I do not know if it is an original exposed type bearing or a sealed replacement which would not accept oil.
I am new to this forum and have enjoyed reading the posts.
Thanks, Jerry

 

[jax55]

Welcome to the Barn Jerry.
The rear bushing is oilite and absorbs oil into the bushing and lubes the shaft.
The front bearing could be either open or sealed, but because of the fire I would replace both just for good measure. Cheap insurance and you will know what you have when you start to drive it. IMHO
The bearing is probably rusted to the shaft, so I would soak it with PB Blaster or such. You may have to work it off little by little as the rust begins to give way.

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

How badly was the car damaged by the fire?
If the front bearing is original, then the oil will soak in, and if it's sealed the oil won't hurt, so oil it anyway since you're not sure.

There is a soft steel O-ring that needs to be removed, then use a bearing separator and puller to remove the bearing. I use a drill bit at an angle to remove the 4 rivets holding the bearing retainer plate. Use car to not bend this thin plate, or it may scrape and make noise when it's all assembled.

My picture shows the puller pushing on the shaft, but I always screw the bolt into the shaft to prevent mushrooming the end of the shaft. This was just a quick setup to take the picture and I forgot to screw the bolt in first.

 

[Jerold Ebke]

Thanks,
Today I cut 2 slits in rear bushing and removed. Discovered oil groove in end plate that runs around to cotton plug on bottom of bushing housing. Makes sense now.
Pressed in new bushing with vise.
Looking at front bearing setup. I do not have a riveted plate on the front bearing area, but looks like a clip in a groove with access to the clip in 2 small openings in that groove.
I will investigate further and see if I can figure out how to remove that circular clip which then looks like the bearing should dislodge from the front generator housing.
I am not even sure that this is an original A generator, as it has some cooling holes on the back end.
In searching some previous threads seems like someone had suggested no 28-31 generators had holes.

 

[Synchro909]

Are those holes original or have they been put there by someone in the past 87 years? MANY generators were destroyed by people asking too much of them and they overheated, destroying themselves. Many manufacturers improved this by ventilating the generator with holes front and back and added a fan behind the pulley to allow air flow.
Don't tell anybody but I've been known to put a couple of discretely placed holes in the generator body or the cover where they cannot normally be seen.

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

It sounds like a later aluminum front cover.
Was the rear also aluminum?

 

[Patrick L.]

When installing an oil-lite bearing/bushing, I set it my hand [or finger], fill with oil, then apply pressure with hand/finger until the oil bleeds thru the bushing material. Lubed for life.

One thing that shouldn't be used on these bushings is grease.