Thwaites 1 tonne High Lift starter problem

[Muz]

Good evening gentlemen, and fellow knuckle skinners

Throughout our history .. great engineers have invented machines that have constantly made our lives easier and , indeed , facilitated works by lesser skilled individuals that previously were the preserve of contractors, with specialist knowledge. Some great tools have emerged, such as the mini excavator, and the high lift dumper, but, in keeping all this plant on the road, is a dedicated band of men such as is among our selves, who sacrefice many things .. the fridge not keeping our beer cool .. our wimmen taking tantrums because fitting an injection pump is far more important than her new shoes .. all that kind of stuff .. and we endure trauma at all levels and even the loss of blood , just to get our work done and maintain a band of happy customers, punters, and family at home, who depend on the income we make. Your indolent teenager stuck on his playstation, who will suddenly find there is no job because he has learned no real skill, the companies who will be looking for fitters like gold dust, because all the young guys dont like getting dirty .. its all coming to a street near you

Anyway now that Ive got that off my chest I'll pursue the goals of the former objective .. cuts, loss of skin and grazes aside

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More to follow

[jackpreacher]

....how bad a day were you having Muz?...

[Stock]

I say a 4 knuckle & two finger day

[Muz]

Ach it wasn't that bad .. I just felt like having a moan anyways ill put up more pics tonight

[Muz]

Right

so to get the starter out requires some stuff to be removed

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First the feed to the Hyd oil cooler and the return to the tank filter gets removed then the exhaust has to come off ... following that the connections to the alternator and 'voila ' ........ a still awkward b*stard ! ........still Ive had a lot worse .. see the thread for Volvo EC15 starter removal

[Muz]

Heres where some personal harm comes in getting the two 14 mil bolts out from the starter will cause the shedding of skin due to the tight space and high torque that they are set with .. any hoo .. once there out .. you can feel better .. because the solution to your dumper not starting gets easier from here

Well sort of

[Muz]

This job was a pain because I removed the starter already, and replaced it, having identified the brushes on the motor were covered in gunk and oil thereby impairing the motors work.

I stripped it and cleaned it up and refitted it all and all was well .. but a couple of weeks later the fault returned .. I removed it again and discovered that in actual fact the brushes were worn out
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So I set about trying to find a source for replacement brushes

[Muz]

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The hardest job was re linking the new brushes to the field windings in the forth pic (the pic shows the original worn brushes) ... you need the correct clamp/crimp to link the new brush because sometimes opening the old one isnt an option as you end up destroying it .. and you have to be careful you dont damage the tail coming from the field windings too as you work and bend it so often

[Muz]

I tried one short cut

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I thought I'd join one of the 2 brushes on the field windings with some solder ........ ........ dont ... it just makes the 'flexible' braided copper wire 'solid' with lead and you cant fit it back in the cap of the starter

[Muz]

I contacted a couple of starter motor guys who all said .. 'yea .. just replace the unit mate its much cheaper etc etc its only £180'


Ok this job took me a few hours, but I was determined to fix it .. and it cost me ? ........ £6 ........for four brushes