Alternator parts

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,680
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Phoenix Az
Call me cheap or just willing to fix what’s broke but anyone got a line on where to just get brushes for the alternators on our trucks? Only reason mine finally died is due to them being worn enough the springs can’t keep pressure on them anymore. Shaft and everything else is still great. They are easily serviceable as I pulled mine out easy compared to others

Pic of the worn brushes
6833d7772381ce16a7901213d6ff14b0.heic


I threw a spare hardly used factory one in and brushes were about 4 times the length so this one should out last me but like keeping good known spares for traveling
 

DAVe3283

Heavy & Slow
Sep 3, 2009
3,727
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Boise, ID, USA
Looks like eBay has brushes for cheap, and Advance Auto Parts might carry them too.

But I'd strongly encourage you to pop the alternator farther apart. Mine had more brushes left than that but the shaft was trash. Check yours carefully. Also worth looking at the condition of the bearings. By the time I replaced all the wear parts, it would have been more than just getting a better one.

Hopefully all yours needs is brushes, but it is worth a close look, IMO.

Sent from my Cat S60 using Tapatalk
 

2004LB7

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2010
6,982
2,145
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Norcal
I've gotten the regulator and brushes from eBay before. I think I paid $20 for both

I also in an emergency, soldered a wire to the brush terminal, ran it out of the alternator and put an old school external regulator from an auto parts store. After I got the regulator and brushes from eBay and put those in I kept the wire just in case
 

OregonDMAX

NOT IN OREGON, NO DURAMAX
Apr 28, 2013
3,964
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36
Goodyear, AZ
I change brushes on electric motors all the time on electric forklifts at work. As long as the armature looks good I wouldn't be afraid to throw brushes in it. The one thing that kills the insides though is dust from the brushes as they wear.

James you are cheap. But I'd do the same thing knowing I could :roflmao:
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,680
5,824
113
Phoenix Az
I change brushes on electric motors all the time on electric forklifts at work. As long as the armature looks good I wouldn't be afraid to throw brushes in it. The one thing that kills the insides though is dust from the brushes as they wear.



James you are cheap. But I'd do the same thing knowing I could :roflmao:


Lmao, really it’s more the fact I don’t trust remans these auto parts places sell now. I’ve had bad luck in the past lol

Looks like eBay has brushes for cheap, and Advance Auto Parts might carry them too.

But I'd strongly encourage you to pop the alternator farther apart. Mine had more brushes left than that but the shaft was trash. Check yours carefully. Also worth looking at the condition of the bearings. By the time I replaced all the wear parts, it would have been more than just getting a better one.

Hopefully all yours needs is brushes, but it is worth a close look, IMO.

Sent from my Cat S60 using Tapatalk


Yeah she will get a full tear down to check out. Bearings feel great. Looked at the armature without pulling it out and looked fine as well, no big gouges or issues but I’ll see when I get it out. Had the brushes worn all the way down to the insert the copper wire attaches too, it probably would have hurt the armature.



Thanks buddy! I’ll check them out
 

DAVe3283

Heavy & Slow
Sep 3, 2009
3,727
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Boise, ID, USA
Lmao, really it’s more the fact I don’t trust remans these auto parts places sell now. I’ve had bad luck in the past lol
That's for sure! I have a friend who has gone through 3 of the reman units in a year, the bearings kept going out.

I get all my alternators and starters rebuilt by a local shop because it's way more reliable than the "lifetime guarantee" junk from the parts stores, and also cheaper. Though I have a PowerBastards.com 300 amp alternator on my Duramax to run the lift gate and other accessories.

Sent from my Cat S60 using Tapatalk
 

kaylabryn

Member
May 18, 2012
53
9
8
Mesa, AZ
I bought a brush assembley from these guys before.
Chandler Alternator Starter
795 E Chandler Blvd, Chandler, AZ 85225
(480) 814-2864
 

Ron2145

Member
May 6, 2016
46
1
8
Whitefish, MT
That's for sure! I have a friend who has gone through 3 of the reman units in a year, the bearings kept going out.

I get all my alternators and starters rebuilt by a local shop because it's way more reliable than the "lifetime guarantee" junk from the parts stores, and also cheaper. Though I have a PowerBastards.com 300 amp alternator on my Duramax to run the lift gate and other accessories.

Sent from my Cat S60 using Tapatalk

Howdy! How has that PowerBastards alternator held up?
 

DAVe3283

Heavy & Slow
Sep 3, 2009
3,727
296
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Boise, ID, USA
Howdy! How has that PowerBastards alternator held up?
So far so good on the truck. Still seems to be working perfectly!
Though I got one for my car and that didn't go so well. It burned out a diode pack and caught on fire after a couple weeks. They RMA'd it, but I have been too chicken to put the replacement on.
 

DAVe3283

Heavy & Slow
Sep 3, 2009
3,727
296
83
Boise, ID, USA
On the truck I am using the stock wiring; shockingly haven't melted the OEM fusable link. I keep meaning to upgrade it though.
On the car I ran a 1/0 wire straight to the battery.
 

Ron2145

Member
May 6, 2016
46
1
8
Whitefish, MT
Thank you for the info! Greatly appreciated!


2007 LBZ, CCLB dually, 475 over stock, EFI, 30% over, Mike L built tranny, other odds and ends