Need advice 1929 starter rebuild

TAMAN1

TAMAN1

New member
I am rebuilding my grandparents 1929 tudor. The windings need replacing and the screws are bound pretty tight. does anyone have suggestions . I have applied penetrating oil and cannot get them to break free.I appreciate any help that you may give me. Thanks
 
Some are slotted and some are square insets. If it is slotted cut off the blade of the screw driver and put it in the chuck of a drill press. Set the starter on the drill press and use the handle on the drill press to press the screwdriver blade into the slot as you turn it. Same idea on the square insets. Hope you haven't already destroyed the heads.

Charlie Stephens
 
It takes a special fixture to get the screws loose, and tight enough when it's reassembled. Starter fields don't often go bad and it might be cheaper to just buy another starter. Shipping is the killer.
 
Thanks so much for your speedy advice! I will try your suggestion Charlie,as I am trying for as close to original as I can. If it doesn't pan out, I will follow your advice Tom. Macs is only a 35 minute drive so shipping is a non issue. Thanks again!
 
To remove the screws you can drill off the head, then buy two new screws. I did that one time when I didn't have time to drive to the generator shop just to get them loosened. Sometimes you can get them loose by using a large punch and hammer, then use an impact screwdriver.
 
I use a hammer and punch to loosen the screws,set the punch on the most outer side of the slot and hit it hard with the hammer,once it comes loose you can use a screw driver to remove it all the way. You willl need to buy screws
 
Find a local starter/alternator/generator rebuild shop and they have the tools to do it right. It won't cost that much. Maybe you supply the field coils. They have the tools for soldering to do it right. They can bead blast everything and paint before assembly. They can turn down the commutator and put the windings on a growler. Do it right and do it once.
 
The special fixture is nice if you have access to it. The equivalent, if you have a big enuf vise, is to put the appropriate socket on a breaker bar, position the whole business in the vise jaws, and then have another person crank down on the vise to force the socket into the slot, then use the breaker bar to loosen. No matter how tight the jaws the breaker bar will still be able to make a 1/16- 1/8 turn to loosen

The screws should be re-installed just as tight, since you want the pole shoes tight against the cylindrical housing (no air gap allowed). If there is a gap, you will have interference against the armature. They also need to be tight to resist the strong magnetic pull inward which would also cause interference against the armature. I have been using this method for years without failures, even with slots that are pretty chewed up. If the slots are bad, after you get them out change them out.

If need be, grind some on the screwdriver-blade socket to make it fit. This is the same socket you use to adjust the drag link etc of the steering.
 
Thanks to all for your help and wisdom. I got the screws loose and am going to replace them tomorrow. It turned out really well
 
I agree with Dennis and Tom, if they are just too stubborn and use a grinder will clean them up. Hit the top center of the screw with a center punch and it should relieve the tension. You can hit the top of the screw with a drift slightly smaller than the head to relieve the tension too. We have fixtures but don't use them.
If slotted we use a half inch air impact driver and lean into them. it keeps the Snap-On man busy replacing bits.:)
 
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