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I've taken the front of the RS engine apart for diode board mount replacement, and figured it would make sense to replace the alternator brushes, among other wear parts.

How do the learned undo the nuts securing the brush holder to the alternator housing? I can get neither a wrench nor a socket on them (wrench is too long, and the stator precludes socket use). and I REALLY don't want to desolder the stator & remove it.

The brushes measure 10.8 mm in length.

There should be no reason to separate the stator from the cover. Just remove the brush holder. Be sure to make note of the washers, there are fiber ones required to insulate one side from the ground.

I got that, I just can't get any sort of wrench, or otherwise, onto the nuts securing the brush holder inside the alternator housing. Clymer neatly glosses this problem over, and I just can't get away from the idea that now would a great opportunity to preemptively swap out those brushes.

You have to take off the stator to get to the inside brush holder. To get at the nut that holds it in place, you'll need to take an 8mm (I think that's it) wrench, heat it, and bend to an angle that will work. Years ago, I did this, got the wrench bent and everything. But I could never get the nut to loosen...felt it was going to round the edges. I gave up...still have the brushes in their OEM package. Charging seems to be fine, so I'll just wait.

Kurt in S.A.

Kurt in S.A. wrote:You have to take off the stator to get to the inside brush holder. To get at the nut that holds it in place, you'll need to take an 8mm (I think that's it) wrench, heat it, and bend to an angle that will work. Years ago, I did this, got the wrench bent and everything. But I could never get the nut to loosen...felt it was going to round the edges. I gave up...still have the brushes in their OEM package. Charging seems to be fine, so I'll just wait.

Kurt in S.A.

If I have to remove that stator, then the brushes I just got are going to do the very same thing those new ones of yours are.

Bending a wrench was an idea I had, also. Might try it & hope for better results.

Thanks for the help.

would a 1/4" drive crows foot in 8mm be able to get in there?

Here is their general shape.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-professi ... ockType=G5

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7123

If I can find Joel's instructions for that job, I'll scan them and put them on the web. I can't find his web page any more. He may have also posted them on the Airlist, but searching that would take me too long.

jagarra wrote:would a 1/4" drive crows foot in 8mm be able to get in there?

Here is their general shape.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-professi ... ockType=G5

Thanks for the info: I thought of an 8mm crows foot, but had no idea where to find one.

Try this; use the open end wrench from the tool kit of the appropriate size and hold the nut from the top, not the side, while unscrewing from the opposite end. I'm guessing, the fiche makes it look like through bolts are used to hold the brush holder in place.

Bamboo812 wrote:Try this; use the open end wrench from the tool kit of the appropriate size and hold the nut from the top, not the side, while unscrewing from the opposite end. I'm guessing, the fiche makes it look like through bolts are used to hold the brush holder in place.

If i'm not mistaken, that nut is on a stud that is welded to the brush holder. I'll check, but it sure looked like stud & brush holder were one piece. That would be really handy if I was wrong.

Thanks for the tip.