Hi, recently purchased a 12/87 Hurricane. Standard problem, turns over, goes to catch and starts screeching the starter. After many many hours reading here I have convinced myself to remove the alternator and replace both the starter clutch and alternator clutch. I have read every thread i can find and am following the acknowledged master instruction located here.

Replacing the alternator damper on your CBR1000F Honda motorcycle

I have been flummoxed by the innocent phase - "Disconnect and then remove the alternator cover. This cover is delicate, so take care. I used a screwdriver with a piece of material on the end to gently prise it off"

Once the three Phillips head screws are removed the alternator case will rotate on the main body. however I am not making any progress in removing it. Presumably i need to exert some force somewhere with my cloth covered screwdriver but so far i have tried tapping with the screwdriver and the hammer to see if it will slide off. Unsurprisingly the soft aluminium of the case has a few nicks in it but no movement. I can get some leverage using a longer screwdriver on one side. this makes the rotation of the case much harder and some leverage on the opposite side seems to free it up again. however it does not appear to moving along the shaft of the internals of the alternator.

Given the expense of this part i am unwilling to hit it much harder and if anyone has some detail on how to remove the alternator case(not body) effectively i would be most grateful.

I have tried putting the bike in gear instead, however all attempts at loosening the nut like this simply turn the innards of the alternator. so i do need to get the case off i think to wedge in a screwdriver so that i can loosen the nut on the end of the alternator.

Please can someone help me out here as its a touch frustrating to make little to no progress beyond taking off the carbs and the starter motor!

cheers

Owen

 

Correction-the bike moves when i try to loosen the nut (When it's in gear). Perhaps i could get a mate to hold the bike steady as i apply more torque to the 14mm spanner.

Would still appreciate some thoughts on how to remove the Alternator cover if you know how?

Cheers

Owen

 

Thoughts please?

 

Bit confused, are you trying to get the cast alternator outer cover off, or the alt rotor retaining nut ?? I have never needed to do this job myself so can offer no direct advice. If it is the cover, it should just tap off and if the bike is moving when you put weight on the nut, this must be the alt nut ?? Sorry to be little hlp - how about a photo ??

 

G'Day Owen,

Firstly, it would be good to know where you are located - we have friendly field service speciallists all over

Give the edge of the assembly a spray with RP-7 or WD-40 or the like and let it sit for a few minutes, then get a rubber mallet and tap gently around the top of alternator cover. Once you get a little movement, exploit it with the protected screw driver blade.

What you are doing is trying to remove the altenator cover from the outer bearing!

The altenator shaft runs all the way into the starter motor housing. And looks like this...............




To the very left is the bearing that fits IN the alternator cover.

Hope that helps.

Cheers, SB

 

Aha. Sebastian that makes sense. useful to see the bearing depth on the left. I have applied WD40 to the edge that rotates.(Is there a way to get some closer to the central bearing?) I will use the rubber mallet and just keep tapping away. eventually the housing should start to move. I will report back this evening as we are out being "sociable" today apparently.

Really appreciate the reply.

Dave - agreed photos are key, I will work out how to get one on here for the next inevitable question.

Cheers

Owen

 

I've not done the job either but from what Sebastian posted it looks like the entire thing comes out if the three bolts are removed in photo #1. That shows the bearing and all removed. So....it looks like you would have the option to take the bearing on removal or remove the nut and leave it in the bike. In either case it looks like the three bolts come out. Maybe Sebastian can shed some light on that.

It also looks like its important to mark the two parts as in photo #2.

Thanks for your location update, there are some members in your location, Gold Coast from what I remember.

 

I understand the sociable thing Owen - I'm hosting a Christmas sociability event here today and am in and out cleaning, etc, etc, etc. Just came in for a coffee Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, coffee.

Ok, so you're in Brisvegas - thanks for that. We'll keep discussion on the forum, but if you feel like swearing, PM me

Very difficult to get any WD-40 onto the bearing surface. I must admit, I soaked the bloody thing and let it sit overnight after tapping with the mallett.

So, now an answer for TBT. I marked one of the three tabs with a scriber for refitting. This was my first job on the recently purchased CBR1000F back in May so it was a steep learning curve. And whilst Stu's guide is fantastic, there are a couple of little tweaks when refitting that make it MUCH easier. I did not take photos whe I did it, much to my shame (and I'm not likely to pull mine to bits again) so I will try to describe it as best I can. There was a lot of chatter and disbelief about this method when originally posted by another forum member who's name I have inconveniently failed to remember. But I can assure you IT WORKS and makes it very, very, easy to refit.

The three bolts you remove from the outer cover only hold the cover - three other bolts hold the body to the block. Once you have undone the three outer bolts and soaked and tapped with the mallett, you should be able to get a short drift in on the very right lug and lightly tap in a clockwise direction to 'break' the cover free. You can see three bolts removed (cover bolts) in the pic below, and three remaining - body bolts which hold the assemblly in place.



Let me know how you go on that step.

Cheers, SB

 

2 cents......

Nice and easy you don't want any cracks - you could use the cover bolts with some
automotive exhaust strapping etc. to fashion a handle to have the ability to exert
gentle twisting outward force as you gently tap it

 

Thanks for the replies guys. Very quick-awesome. Can't access those image links-it's says I don't have sufficient privileges ?

Sebastian a big thank you, I will def PM if the need to swear arises. The cover ins freely enough and I can get a screwdriver behind the lug on the right as I look at it rom thenLHS of the bike. I might just apply leverage whilst tapping with the rubber mallet. Eventually it will give enough I'm hoping to get the drift in. Any thoughts on the alternative approach of putting the bike in gear and trying to undo the nut against the weight of the bike?

So far it just moves. I put the front brake on and it just compresses the front forks as well. Feels like I'm winding up a Giant red windy thing.

Ok. I really have to go and be sociable, there had better be coffee!

O

Sprocket-that is a cunning plan. Had also contemplated using those bolts somehow to apply pressure by fitting nuts at their ends so they sat on the lugs of the body and then as I turn them they would squeeze the cover off. Yet to sit and fiddle with bolts to see if my Physics is sound. Have to be super cautious here I keep thinking.

Once I've spent several episodes of American Chopper tapping with the mallet I will have to get creative if it's being stubborn. Am reminded of the time I removed a water pump from my car and it finally started turning. I got excited and then realized the entire body of the pump had collapsed and I was turning the remains. Sigh!

Small update on my progress. After getting fed up bashing the cover and only succeeding in breaking some of the venting I changed tack. I used three long bolts, one in each flange of the cover with a nut on the other side. using a spanner to prevent this nut turning i turned the bolt with it's end pushing against the main body of the alternator. working my way around the three bolts i succeeded in removing the cover. I apologise for no pictures. i have them but cannot get past the demand for a url when i attempt to insert them. maybe i have to have them located on the internet first? Seems silly when even TwitFace lets you upload straight from your local location, but hey there it is.

so i cant show you what lies beneath the cover. its a fan with a large (21mm?) nut holding it on. The end bearing looks pretty sad, old age or my hammering - i'm not sure.

I will purchase a 21mm spanner soon and hopefully i can get this fan loose. i still have to pull the bearing off i think? but a puller should do that - buying one of those too then!

Not a great start.



right clicking and opening in a new tab seems to take you to my album where i have placed the pictures. sorry, need to get better at this pic stuff