Radiator and AC fan Rebuild DIY

**gonemtbiking** · 04-20-2018 04:51 PM

After using all of the great DIY here over the years I though I would add to the pile after not wanting to shell out $400 for new fans.

There are some good videos already about removing the fan(s) for just a general replacement so I wont go over that.

Once you get the fans out you will see that they have 6 tabs holding on the cover, 2 shown in this picture. You will need to use a flat head screw driver to pry these back to take off the cover.

Once you pry off the cover you will see something like this, years of carbon build up from brush wear. And this fan was still working...

Closer view

After blowing off the carbon to see what the damage is. You can see one of the brushes came completely detached which caused the spring to wear way down.

Pull back then up on each spring to get it off of the copper rotor and the stator should come right out.

Take a look at any damage to the rotor (not great but it will still work)

Cut off the old bushes, leave enough braided wire to solder to later.

Time to get out your replacement brushes. I was not able to find direct replacements for the brushes but these worked perfect after some grinding ($12 on amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

New box with old brushes (after cutting them off)

New brushes vs old

Simply cut through part of the copper braided wire and remove the spring

Time to grind the alignment grooves into the new brushes

My dremel cut off wheel worked perfectly

As you go, verify that the brushes slide smoothly on the stator

Time to solder the new brushes on

Check to make sure everything fits properly

Once soldered with the brushes in place, grind a small groove on the back for the spring to seat

With the brushes against the copper rotor pull the springs back behind the brushes to load them

After verifying that the stator is fully seated, place the cover back on (verify that cable alignment) and crimp the tabs with a pair of pliers

Now time to test (if you are like me), or reinstall

For reinstall I ended up cutting the wires connecting to the motor controller and re soldered later b/c I did not want to deal with that single use crimp. But that is up to you.

Hope you found this useful

**fly300kts** · 04-21-2018 04:05 AM

Definitively A+ for effort but I rather replace the assy

Phil

**gonemtbiking** · 04-21-2018 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by fly300kts

Definitively A+ for effort but I rather replace the assy

Phil

Thanks Phil. With the rotor being in decent shape overall and these DC motors being dead simple was worth a shot. Will definitely keep an eye on it moving forward. Both passed my lab test no problem.

But of course there is something to say about doing a shitty job once with parts you know are good (new).

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