What all do you have to take off to remove the generator?? My problem is i have a flywheel rattleing. Do I need to remove the engine to fix it and is it a major job?? I have a 1987 1000 Hurricane.

 

Im too familiar with that model, but you should be able to remove the fairings, then the stator(generator) is behind one of the side covers. It will pull off hard as the magnet of the stator is surrounded by the fly wheel, so the magnetic pull is quite hard, but it will come off.

In this situation though, a service manual is a good thing to have. every bike has its quirks, and a manual will show what they are and how to get around them.

Just ouf of curiosity, How do you know its a flywheel rattle?

 

I pulled off the stator and I was spinning the flywheel with a long screwdriver and it was making the same rattle as it does when it is running. The generator on the other side has one bolt on the bottom that is behind the clutch slave cylinder. So it looks like i have to pull the chain and everything to get to that bolt.

 

Sounds like a primary chain problem........YUK !
If so, engine needs to come out as the primary chain tensioner has gone.
Look for posts by HenryM on the Hurricane forum and you'll find a full write up.
Pulling the stator isn't a problem
1 remove fairings
2 Clutch master cover
3
bolts in the stator cover
4 Remove carbs
5remove starter etc etc.
6 You sure it's not a camchain rattle ?
Chain stays in place !
There's a full writeup with pics.
Good luck.
You can do it, many of us aren't mechanics, and have done it too.

 

Hire fire. I just noticed your post and can perhaps help you out here having been into my engine a few times now.
Firstly, what do you mean by flywheel? There is no such part. The biggest component in a motorcycle engine that could be considered a flywheel would be the clutch.

How have you determined that the rattle is coming from the generator?

I have a rattle in my engine after having first done a thorough bottom end rebuild including alternator chain tensioner replacement and pretty much everything else that seemed worth while changing while I was in there. More recently I did the big end shells thinking that would solve the problem but to no avail.
I'm about to go out and do a very thorough examination of the top end, in particular cam followers and cam shaft play.
Please keep us updated with your problem as sometimes this kind of shared experience can be so useful anyone else who's scratching their head trying to figure out WTF's going on.
I'll check back here later to see how you're getting on and also let you know what I've found, if anything.
Good luck!

 

Hey Henry, I was getting a big rattle also from my bike that I though was a cam chain or clutch basket. After replacing both, I still had the rattle so I did a carb sync and the rattle was almost completely gone.

 

I did mine about two weeks ago. No difference and considering the bike had done a considerable mileage since they were last synched they were not far out.
Thanks for the pointer Malbo. I'm open to all suggestions.
I just posted about todays exploratory in "Knock knock'. If you haven't read it do check it through and let me know if you have any opinion.

 

Ok what I call the flywheeel is the gear that the stator goes into. It has a rattle to it. I put in a new timimg chain the tesioner seems to be good and working fine. I took the generator loose. I didnt take it all the way out because it seemed to have the timimg chain also hooked to it, so I just put the generator back on. The rattle seems to go away around 3000rpms. It is really noticeable at an idle. I got the bike with a new chain in it and not running,( it was 180 degrees out). I put it in time and got it running and it has had the rattle ever since. It hasnt seemed to efect the running or power of the bike. It does have low power under 3000rpms but at 3 grand it is extremely fast and has great acceleration. Thanks for all of your replies and help.

 

Fire. You're not quite making sense but I'm beginning to think you may be on to something by suggesting the rattle is coming from the alternator shaft.

You say you put a new timing chain in the bike.
The timing chain is the one that drives the cam shafts. Nothing to do with the alternator.
The alternator chain both drives the alternator and is driven by the starter motor. It's a big wide mother.
In the next breath you say that you got the bike with a new chain installed which was 180 degrees out. I take it the previous owner/mechanic cocked up when refitting the cam shafts. Again this has nothing to do with the alternator but I'm trying to follow your thoughts.

You're still saying the rattle is coming from the alternator.

Maybe you have a defective alternator chain tensioner and/or worn chain, the exact same problem that I had when I first bought my bike. This is a very nasty noise and is more pronounced when pulling away from a standstill at relatively low revs.
The easy way to tell if this is the problem is to turn your lights on and see if the noise quietens down as the alternator puts the chain under load. If it doesn't your alternator chain is good.

I'm sorry if you think I'm trying to pull you to bits here....... just trying to get a better understanding of your problem and theory. I'm as desperate for an answer as you are.
The weird thing in my case is that after I'd rebuilt the bottom end it didn't rattle but within about 1500 miles it was there. nearly 5K later it hasn't changed. It just annoys the living ****e out of me.

Please do take time to try to explain my queries. It is really helpful for all of us.

 

The easy way to tell if this is the problem is to turn your lights on and see if the noise quietens down as the alternator puts the chain under load. If it doesn't your alternator chain is good.

Ummmmmmmm - American bikes headlights are on all the time our Enry.
He'll have to play wiv da fewziz

It does have low power under 3000rpms but at 3 grand it is extremely fast and has great acceleration
They are all a bit sluggish under 3000
Wait till you hit 5500-6000 and feel the Hurricane effect....hoooooooooooooooo