Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:08:43 -0800
Reply-To: Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Fw: Alternator Repairs
In-Reply-To: <68391737E5054EA4AB2F097A7986B634@Guenther>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
First, Beck/Arnley replacement parts and their program is among the highest
price-wise in North America and this is based on my experience as a "parts
guy" going back 35 years. Before I went out on my own in 1982, I put my
hours in working a parts counter at a few FLAPS and in everyone of them they
carried Beck/Arnley - BUT - only items that jusy weren't available ANYWHERE
except the dealer, just because (even then), they're pricing structure was
the most expensive. Now that a lot of independent FLAPS have gone the way
of the Dodo Bird, we're left with the NAPA's, Pep Boys, Autozones, Advance
Auto, Kragens, Checkers, O-Reilly's, etc. The franchises carry Beck/Arnley
because their program easily matches the "Domestic" style of cataloging,
price matrixes so well because they aren't set up to buy from independent
Warehouse/Importers like WorldPac, IMC, IAP, EMPI, etc., where they *could*
get better pricing and pass it along. And if they do buy from them, they're
only allowed to a certain $$ limit & only if Beck/Arnley is out of the
product. I only frequent their establishments when I HAVE to.
This why List Vendors like Bus Depot, Van Cafe, CIP1, Airhead/VWG, Wolfsburg
West and many others in our biz ignore outfits like Beck/Arnley - we just
don't buy from them, 'cause we couldn't sell the product at there suggested
prices (and pay their outlandish costs). I'm glad to see that this Advance
Auto (and I'm sure many others) offer this kind of professional service to
the DIYer, but it's not the company's store's fault in regard to pricing -
they're led by corporate bean counters as to what to charge for their
products and there is so many cost increase levels of importing,
warehousing, truck shipments, stocking at the store that most List Vendors
don't have to contend with. BTDT.
I've done the same this as John did with my alternator, changed out the
brush assembly, dressed up the slip rings (John calls them "commutators", an
old generator term).
It was refreshing to hear John's experience. Unfortunately, it doesn't
happen often.
--
Jim Thompson
84 GL 1.9 "Gloria"
84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
Full Timing Since March 1999
oldvolkshome@gmail.com
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
***********************************
On Wed, Jan 6, 2010 at 12:58 AM, Arkady Mirvis <arkadymirvis@gmail.com>wrote:
> Congrats on repair. I am surprised how unprofessional Advance Auto was.
> Greed explains all. It is everywhere, great part of the society is chasing
> money. People are chasing each other - it isn't a sport, it is much worse.
> What is even worse is that drive to educate people, to self-education runs
> to the dogs.
> Ark
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Rodgers" <inua@CHARTER.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 06, 2010 8:06 AM
> Subject: Alternator Repairs
>
>
> I've been plagued by alternator problems and having three vans - and
>> being the frugal (read "tightwad") type that I am, I was doing the
>> swappy-swappy thing with them to keep my daily driver roadworthy.
>> Finally, the last unit quit. I took it - a Beck-Arnely - and had it
>> tested at Advance Auto. It was dead. I thought "enough of this - buy a
>> replacement"! Well, the cheaper replacements for the Bosch alternators -
>> exchange - around here are priced about $125.00. Other places - even
>> with list vendors - it varies. I wanted a Beck-Arnley rebuilt because
>> they seemed to last a lot longer, but when I checked them out - exchange
>> they were $245. Ouch!!
>>
>> Well, I was holding onto my buffalo/Indian head nickel so hard that you
>> could hear the Indian grunt and the buffalo squeal over those prices,
>> when it occurred to me - these alternators are simple, the shaft has two
>> brush rings, and two brushes, and this alternator has no shaft looseness
>> of any kind, so it should be in good mechanical shape. Besides
>> bearings, there is not much else that can go wrong but for the brushes
>> and the rectifiers. Close examination showed that there is a one-piece
>> rectifier/brush-holder that mounts to the back of the alternator, and I
>> figured, "how simple is that to replace". I ordered one up on E-bay for
>> 12 bucks, and it was in hand in 3 days. When it arrived, I removed the
>> two screws on the back of the alternator holding the piece in place.
>> Inspection showed one brush was worn completely out, and was stuck in
>> the older, not making contact with the commutator ring o the shaft. I
>> looked a the rings on the shaft and saw they were oxidized. I whipped
>> out a little piece of 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper and dry - pressed it to
>> the commutator rings while turning the shaft. In a few turns the rings
>> were nice and shiny. A blast of compressed air cleared any dust and
>> debris. In inserted the new brush-holder/rectifier with the new brushes,
>> buttoned it up, and hauled it away to Advance Auto. This time, the bench
>> check showed maximum power output. The thing worked perfect. It is now
>> ready to re-install.
>>
>> My point - if your alternator has seemingly failed - no output, or
>> minimal output - remove from the vehicle, rotate by hand and see if the
>> shaft and bearings are OK. If so, remove the rectifier/brush holder and
>> inspet the brushes, and also check the commutation rings. If oxidized,
>> polish with the 600 grit paper, and install a new brush holder with
>> brushes and rectifier. Your cost - a little time and a $12 part.
>>
>> $12 bucks vs $125 or $245 is hard to beat.
>>
>> --
>> John Rodgers
>> Clayartist and Moldmaker
>> 88'GL VW Bus Driver
>> Chelsea, AL
>> Http://www.moldhaus.com <http://www.moldhaus.com/>
>>
>
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