Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 10:08:42 -0700
Reply-To: Mark Keller <kelphoto@TELUS.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Keller <kelphoto@TELUS.NET>
Subject: Re: Rebuilding Vanagon Electric Windows or How To Go Into Debt
rebuild electric motor
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
I've "rebuilt my electric motors twice, and my "spare" twice. Now it's
been a couple of years since so I may leave a detail or two fuzzy.
Left and Right Motors are interchangable-- once your swap out the
plastic mounting.
I have one extra motor that stay's rebuilt, and then get installed
on the offending motor side.
I rebuild the bad motor in the winter or whenever I have time.
Three bolts 10mm hold the motor to the door and two bolts hold the
motor to the window regulator. Remove all five bolts.
Separating the motor from the regulator
The motor is coupled to the regulator by a Double female collar, and
is a vulcanized rubber metal assembly IIRC. Using two thin bladed
devices, screwdriver, chisels, etc, work the motor and regulator flange
about enough to insert a wd 40 type spray straw in. The coupler may be
rusted on somewhat. So spray and wait, or just begin working the flange
apart-- about 1/2 inch before the coulper is free. .5 hrs to this point.
I got mine off, using this technique. I had a spare coupler, but I
haven't destroyed one yet, so they're not a total failure item with
reasonable force.
After separting the coupler, wiggle the motor out, no the window
won't fall-- the regulator is a gear driven cabled spool.
Remove the two rubber gromment on the bottom of the motor and you
guessed it, spray liberally with Moovit, WD-40, etc. Aim for the
bottom, there is a bushing there and the armature post will be somewhat
rusted two that. The bushing exterterior is sperically shape and
retained by a spring steel retainer. This Spring steel retairner is the
issue. If you recall the push on style retainers that have been used on
axle rods and plastic tires for eon, yeah, those BBQ, tricycles, and
other kids toys axels. Well this retainer is much the same principle, it
just doesn't look the same. Anyway, if the armature will not slide out
after WD-40, prayer, or enchantment with a ( I hesitate to say propane
tourch) because I've not tried it, but sitting here writing, I thinking
hey I should of triec that. Anyway FWIW, your better off to get the
armature out with the spherical bearing in place.
Ok you can't get the armature out with the sherical bearing in place.
this adds 2 hours to the job. Go ahead and force the armature and
spherical bearing out. The retainer, had fingers, much the same as the
fingers on a clutch pressure plate, that retain the bearing. When you
pry up on the armature, the finger yield and the whole armature and
bearing come out as one.
Remover the bearing off the armature, clean and polish the shaft and
the bearing and the rest of the armature and motor casing.
If you want to remove the magnents, it helps to give you more room to
manuver with removal of the retainer. Ok, there is a retainer spring,
which comes easy IIRC that you pull out and the magnents come out. You
can then clean out the case, soak it , scrape it , blast it with walnut
shells whatever. Repaint or coat the interior. I just scrape and
lightly oil the interior. If the armature come out without the bearing
on it, I just clean the case and reinstall
Now the 2 hours I mentioned. Since you forced the bearing out, now it
won't go back in past the fingers. Go ahead and try. See. What had to
be done is the retainer has to be removed. To do this take a probe or
sharp punch and work the outer edge of the retainer. It's like stakeing
a valve seat. You go all the way around putting the probe inbetween the
retainer and the motor cas and pry the retainer in toward the center,
and eighth inch or so.
Whew, it make me tired just reliveing it. The problem will be getting
the probe between the retainer and the case. The motor case needs to be
in a vice extremely secure. You are going to be bearing down with a lot
a force, hand force, with a sharp pointed object -- this is tedious(sp),
the second time you do this it seems a lot less so.
Now that you have the outer edge stress relieved, begin with good needle
nose pliers and grab that edge of the retainer you just spent a hour
moveing a slight gap into. You can be pretty forceful. Since your
working in a five inch deep motor caseing, you strenght is limited.
Hmmm, now that I think of it, if you can get a needle nose vice grip on
the retainer edge, then you could pry on the upper edge of the case and
the reatainer may just pop up. At any rate15 mins tops to get the
retainer out.
Of course the retainer looks horrible disfigured. You just spent an hour
and a half mangleling it-- you ham fisted mechanic. Relax, the
retainer is just there to hold the bearing and is way overkill so VW can
frustrate you into buying one of their $$$ motors. In reality the
retainer is quite mallable and can be restraighted, I used a socket as
a anvil to reshape the retainer base, and just work the outer ring. Got
that?-- good!
Clean and Regrease everything. Plop the spherical bearing back in place,
use the socket to press the retainer back in place, reinstall the
magnets put the armarture in and reinstall the top bearing.
The motor case appeared to sealed with a waterproof coating, I have not
resprayed mine. the little rubber inserts appear to have holes IIRC so
keeping moisture out isn't the purpose. To be safe you may want to coat
the mating joint, after joining, with permatex or simialar sealant.
Clean up both the motor and the regulator shafts and the coupler and
use antisieze on too.
Hook the motor to a battery and give it a test run. There that feels
really satisfying doesn't it? Ok install the whole works.
While the door panel is off, spray silcone on all of the inside felt
window guides, clean all old grease and regrease all sissor lift guides,
and anything else I can't think of do if it seems to be good practice.
Yes you can pmail me with questions. This procedure is best done if you
have a spare motor to work on, I took a few minutes each night for a
couple of weeks to think my way through this, I can do now in a couple
of hours give or take. Is it worth it. Well, I'd say it's an
investment. The first one isn't, but after count the other maintaine of
the window guides and lifts in, and the spare motor concept, you'll be
ahead with windows that work, and if they start to slow down, you just
swap out the spare motor, and clean up the offending motor when the
other window starts to slow down.
Mark Keller
BTW how much is a new motor? I've never checked
| 
