Brushes

[Jake2345]

I have my bike currently apart trying to replace the stupid brushes, however I've run into a bit of a bump in the road, my screws that came with the bike holding the old ones on are too short, unless I'm doing something wrong how the fuck do you get these stupid things back in there?
Pictures would help, I've also tried searching for videos on how too but to no luck

 

[retiredgentleman]

http://en.650wiki.org/index.php/4.06._Alternator

Its really quite simple. Just be careful not to use screws that are too long. If the screws are too long they can actually contact the rotor and cause damage to the rotor

 

[Jake2345]

Link didn't work, thank you by the way

 

[retiredgentleman]

Link didn't work, thank you by the way

Link works fine from my computer.

 

[Jake2345]

It won't load the link from my end....anyways what website is that coming from? A guy at the local Dealership told me to use Dillon Brothers.

 

[weekendrider]

Jake2345 the wiki site won't load for me right now either.
What screws are you having trouble with?
If you have removed the brush block holder some are shorter some are longer and to mix them up can cause you grief like RG mentioned.
If it is just the screws holding the metal tangs to the block there shouldn't be a problem.
Pictures might help us/me to understand.

 

[fredintoon]

I have my bike currently apart trying to replace the stupid brushes, however I've run into a bit of a bump in the road, my screws that came with the bike holding the old ones on are too short, unless I'm doing something wrong how the fuck do you get these stupid things back in there?
Pictures would help, I've also tried searching for videos on how too but to no luck

Hi Jake,
That's the screws that hold the brushes into the brush holder?
Not the screws that hold the brush holder onto the stator?
Took both brushes out at once eh?
Those brush tags go in backwards to what you'd think from looking at them.
Take 'em out the pack and there's a copper braid from the brush carbon soldered to the brass tag and a coil spring between them.
You gotta wrap the braid around the end of the tab so the braid's soldered end is facing out and the braid, coil spring & carbon brush are facing in.
Carefully insert the brush in the holder and you'll see how it goes together.

 

[Jake2345]

fredintoon, I did exactly that, now I went for a test ride and lost all power, blew two fuses and now have no headlamp, turn signals nor brake/tail light, nor will the motor crank. It was bogging down and losing power, at that point I was down shifting from third, with the RPMs around 3000...I'm truly at a loss, and getting tired of this crap
Sorry about the lack of info, pictures

 

[retiredgentleman]

Here's a picture:

 

[Jake2345]

Just a heads up I rechecked the bike. Still no power to lights or anything. Replaced all the fuses(not the old style)still nothing. I'm at a totally loss to what this is...the bike is really starting to piss me off

 

[XSLeo]

You didn't mention the year of your bike. The 70-79 bikes used different brushes than the 80 up bikes.
The 80 up bikes both brushes has short mounting straps. The 70-79 had one short strap the other longer. The long one, the strap has screws down on one side, comes up over the brush, down the other side, turns a corner then to the other screw.
I'll post pics. First pic is the early set.
If you have an 80 up and try putting the 70-79 brushes in then you are sending power on the brown wire brush straight to ground.
If this is so you can fix it buy cutting the extra strap off. Where the strap comes over the brush and starts back down toward the corner, cut it off there. Make it look the same as the other.
Leo

 

[XSLeo]

Here's pic's of the brush holders. First pic is the early holder, second is later holder. You can see on the early that only one screw is insulated from ground and three aren't. The three screws that hold one brush go through the holder and screw into the stator.
On the later you see it has two insulated screws and two that are not. The brushes mount to the two insulated ones.
Leo

 

[Jake2345]

Sorry bike is a 81

 

[weekendrider]

Your replacement brushes do they look like the first or second set (Leo's pics)?

 

[fredintoon]

Just a heads up I rechecked the bike. Still no power to lights or anything. Replaced all the fuses(not the old style)still nothing. I'm at a totally loss to what this is...the bike is really starting to piss me off

Hi Jake,
back in the day my father-in-law and I were under his car pulling the transmission when the transmission finally let go and dropped on his hand.
First he said terrible things in his native Welsh, then he said,
"I wish this car was a horse."
"Why so, Bill?"
"Because if this car was a horse I could beat it and it would suffer."

 

[Jake2345]

They look like the second ones. I believe my TCI box went...so far i can try and crank but no start.

 

[Jake2345]

So as it stands the bike is being towed, no lights or spark from it. Where is the best place to start looking for a TCI unit?

 

[angus67]

ebay. but be warned.....they are still 30+ years old. It may or may not work.
Are you sure the battery is charged? Did you try kicking it? It takes a lot of juice to power the starter. Wich robs the ignition of power.

 

[Jake2345]

Yes, kicked it a few times, nothing, when in neutral no light comes on, nor does my tail light. I'm not getting any spark or anything...the battery had been on a trickle charge for a few hours....and the charger said it was good. I'm at a loss now

 

[retiredgentleman]

You're just going around in circles, so I recommend you start with the basics and go one step at a time.You cannot assume the TCI unit is bad until you do some simple testing first.

What type of battery do you have, how many amp-hrs is it, and when did you buy it?

You should not use a trickle charger. Bench charge the battery at approximately 1/10 of its amp-hr rating for 8 hours.

Once you have a known fully charged battery, its time to use your VOM. Measure the battery voltage, and you should have 12.5 volts or higher. Next, measure the voltage at the main 20 amp fuse (measure both sides of the fuse), which should be the same as the battery.

If the above is all good, then turn on the ignition key and measure voltage at the headlight fuse and at the ignition fuse (again measure both sides of fuse). Turn the key off as soon as you have taken the voltage measurement.

You said the fuses are not the old style, so what type are they?