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TR2/3/3A Bomb style starter question

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M

mallard

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I'm having problems with my starter engaging so I removed it for now and installed a high torque starter I had. I rebuilt the starter and put it back together the way it was before the rebuild. When it was together the armature could move back and forth a little more than an 8th of an inch. So I took it back apart and found a spacer that measures an 1/8" and moved it to the other side of bushing in the open end of the starter just before the c-clip on the armature. If you closely at the picture you can see the spacer. I have a old junk starter that does not have the spacer at all. So my question is do I now have the spacer in the correct place or should the armature be able to move back and forth. I've looked at many diagrams of the starter and can't see any spacer in any of them. They do have a part number for sundries though.
 

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Hey Keith, You have the spacer in the correct place. Just curious, does the junk starter have a loose armature with no spacer? If so, I would suspect somebody took it apart to see what happened to it, and then gave up and just threw it back together. If it doesn't have play...then I'm curious about it!
 
The junk starter has lots of play in the armature. Looks like the forgot to put the spacer back in. Thanks for your help John.
 
Looks like the spacer is in the correct place but is it flipped 180°?

I'm thinking that the spacer has a groove or recess in it and that fits over the clip. IOW, I shouldn't be able to see the clip in that photo, it should be concealed under the lip on that spacer.
 
George the spacer does have a recess on one side. I loosened to the two long screws and spread it apart some and could see the recess on the wrong side. So if I rotate the spacer it will let the armature move back and forth some but not as much as before. Great memory on your part to remember that. Boy did I get this repair wrong.
 
How did you like getting the wirer clip that holds the drive in place out Keith? I am still trying to figure out a way to do that without pushing down and prying out at the same time with only two hands. There must be a special vice or something somewhere to do it.
 
If there still seems to be a fair amount of armature movement, check for a thrust washer/spacer between the commutator and the commutator bracket on both types of starters. It's one of those things that always gets lost in rebuilds. Lucas used to include a new one with a new bracket and there isn't a part number for it, nor does it show up in the triumph parts book. If you add it, its dimensions are 1" OD, 5/8" ID, and .030 thickness. I usually add a bit of moly or graphite.
 
Tom's comment made me recall that when I rebuilt a TR4 starter (long ago), I used a fiber washer from a SU H6 rebuild kit. It wasn't the exact size. but was close enough for the purpose. The kits come (or did) with an assortment of such washers (a dull reddish color) for float bowl attachment and such.

Jeff
 
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SP I did not remove the drive it still looked ok, just bushings, and brushes replaced, and cleaning. I may consider replacing the drive now that I have it out of the car. I saw some on ebay the other day.

Tom thank you for mentioning the thrust washer. I don't have one of them either, didn't know there should be one. I'm sure there's going to be play after I rotate the spacer that goes over the c-clip.

I'm still looking for the dust cover, or cap that goes over the armature end, if any body has one they will part with please let me know.
 
A little play is alright...as long as its not 1/8"...!

I did not have trouble removing the drive clip. The hard part was knowing it is there and needs to be removed. The illustrations are pretty marginal.
 
No way, on that drive clip, inviable snap ring dealie from #$%@. What did you use? I had to spread the assembly open with both hands just to see it. John you must have used a press or a vise. I think what I did last time was put the armature in a vise and then with a bar clamp and socket pull down the spring and then pick the ring out with a pick after 10 trys.
 
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