# Remove fan from Armature



## green caveman (Oct 2, 2009)

Possibly dumb question, how do I get the fan off the armature?


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## iti_uk (Oct 24, 2011)

There are four bolts close to the commutator - do they hold a disk (including the fan) onto the end of the armature, or are they for something else? If not, possibly turn it off on a lathe? It looks cracked - are you looking to replace it or simply go without?

Chris


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## green caveman (Oct 2, 2009)

Chris,



iti_uk said:


> There are four bolts close to the commutator - do they hold a disk (including the fan) onto the end of the armature, or are they for something else?


My assumption was that the four dots were plastic covers for bolts/screws/whatever. And they may be, but after digging at them, they may also be just results of the molding.



iti_uk said:


> If not, possibly turn it off on a lathe? It looks cracked - are you looking to replace it or simply go without?


There is always the destructive approach, but surely there must be a better/easier way?

I hadn't thought about going without the fan. The replacement is $135 (but I think that's installed). Presumably though, some active cooling is required and so if I didn't replace the fan, I'd have to find a way to get air across the motor.


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## iti_uk (Oct 24, 2011)

Ahh, I see. The best thing would be to get the armature professionally repaired, unless you want to start fabricating something for an external fan setup. What motor is this armature from?

Chris


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## green caveman (Oct 2, 2009)

Chris,




iti_uk said:


> Ahh, I see. The best thing would be to get the armature professionally repaired, unless you want to start fabricating something for an external fan setup. What motor is this armature from?


It's an 11" (or so) GE forklift. The armature is going out to be rewound - it has a short. I was hoping to remove the fan before shipping (although I don't much care). If it's easy to replace I could save a few bucks by buying the fan and putting it on after I get the armature back, but if it's not, then I can just have it replaced at the same time as the rewind. Probably my best option, but can it really be that hard to remove?

Fab'ing a fan or an alternate cooling system, doesn't seem to have any benefits. An air scoop, or some sort of passive cooling might be neat, but probably more trouble than it's worth, and if you get it wrong you might have one very unhappy motor.


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

green caveman said:


> Chris,
> 
> It's an 11" (or so) GE forklift. The armature is going out to be rewound - it has a short. I was hoping to remove the fan before shipping (although I don't much care). If it's easy to replace I could save a few bucks by buying the fan and putting it on after I get the armature back, but if it's not, then I can just have it replaced at the same time as the rewind. Probably my best option, but can it really be that hard to remove?
> 
> Fab'ing a fan or an alternate cooling system, doesn't seem to have any benefits. An air scoop, or some sort of passive cooling might be neat, but probably more trouble than it's worth, and if you get it wrong you might have one very unhappy motor.


Hey green,

I'd let the rewinder install the fan. The armature needs to be balanced after a rewind and that should be done with the fan in place. Note the nut and bolt on a fan blade in your photo somewhat opposite of the damaged area. Looks like a balance weight to me. 

major


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## iti_uk (Oct 24, 2011)

green caveman said:


> It's an 11" (or so) GE forklift. The armature is going out to be rewound - it has a short. I was hoping to remove the fan before shipping (although I don't much care). If it's easy to replace I could save a few bucks by buying the fan and putting it on after I get the armature back, but if it's not, then I can just have it replaced at the same time as the rewind. Probably my best option, but can it really be that hard to remove?


The fact that those "bolts" I pointed out are just mouldings or maybe even flashing from a moulding suggest to me that the fan is bonded to the armature assembly, in which case I would imagine that the company who is rewinding your armature will be removing it and replacing it anyway in order to access the windings. It's probably best to speak to them before you send it to them.



green caveman said:


> Fab'ing a fan or an alternate cooling system, doesn't seem to have any benefits. An air scoop, or some sort of passive cooling might be neat, but probably more trouble than it's worth, and if you get it wrong you might have one very unhappy motor.


Absolutely, but as a last resort it's a possibility.

Chris


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## green caveman (Oct 2, 2009)

Here's the fan from the back side, at least this is the photo of the replacement offered by the rewinders. Looks to be a push fit of some sort - always a pain if you don't have the right tools (and really easy if you do). I don;'t think it would be easy to get with a standard gear puller. I might try it one time just because it makes it easier to ship (but not much easier since I don't care if the fan takes more damage on the way).


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## skooler (Mar 26, 2011)

Green,

I had a similar problem with the fan on my armature.

check out page 3 and 4 of my build thread.

http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php/good-motoriii-61556p3.html

From page 4:
I couldnt get the internal fan off with my hub puller as it wasnt big enough. Instead I made a cut with a hacksaw (being sure not to go too far!) then I used a metal chisel to split it then simply pulled it off.









​Other Pics



















Depends how brutal you want to be... major is probably cringing at these pictures!


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