1987 Marathon motor reassembly

[KOG]

I've suffered a field bolt burn off due to corrosion and loose connection on a cart I bought in badly abused condition. I've disassembled the motor and found that the bolt in question is spotwelded to a field lead. Tha can probably be fixed, but I haven't figured out how to reassemble motor. Problem is how to deal with the brushes. The only way I can figure to do it is to remove the drive gear from the end of the motor, put the commutator into the bushes, slide the motor housing over the rotor and bolt on the brush end plate. Then assemble the drive end plate and reinstall the drive gear.

It can be that difficult, can it? The service manual posted on line here covers later models and sort of glosses over getting the brushes back on the commutator.

[roady89]

You have to press the shaft out of the bearing that is in the brush holder end. Once the shaft starts to move a little it should come right on out of the bearing.

[KOG]

? The bearing came out of the end cap and is still on the shaft. That's not a problem. The problem is that if I try to reinstall the brush end cap on the otherwise assembled motor I can't see a way to hold the brushes out until they're over the commutator. Is there a special tool? Or is it just tricky?

[roady89]

Its a trick...Get a screwdriver and hold back on the spring.....then push the brush out and let the spring hold the brush. In other words the brush will be partially out of its holder.....kinda cocked in the holder......instead of the spring pushing on the end of the brush it is pushing on the side...pushing it sideways. Then when you lower the armature back in place you can flip the brushes back in. I just did one 2 weeks ago...I knew I should have gotten pictures.

[KOG]

Ah ha! So you just slide the end cap part way on and then drop the bushes onto the commutator. You'd think that I could have figured that out, but I didn't. Thanks.

Now all I've got to do is find the proper bolt, somehow get it attached to the field lead, replace the burned up control board (yep, another problem, but easy to figure out) and I should be back in business.