Community Forums

tropical36 · 10-24-2015, 06:27 PM

Has anyone personally removed one of these gen sets from their coach?
As much as I hate to admit it, I can't not find any reason, as to why I can't get it to drop down. I have looked and looked and removed every conceivable nut and bolt that I can find.
The front drops down, but something's got the rear and appears to be the lip of the backing plate, but then the backing plate should drop down with it, or so it seems.
I can't pull it forward past the backing plate lip because of the downward welded in bolt studs. so at this point, I'm at a loss.
One would have to be have been there and done that to completely understand what I'm saying here and that's what I'm hoping for.

Hugmongous · 10-24-2015, 06:46 PM

Hi, I helped a buddy remove his about 6 months ago on a 1985 Sportscoach. He had a bearing go bad in the generator end. Had to slide it out on the angle iron it was bolted to, then drop it down. On the one I was working on, the studs weren't welded in. Working between the exhaust to make sure we didn't break anything. Was a major PITA getting it back in place.

tropical36 · 10-24-2015, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugmongous

Hi, I helped a buddy remove his about 6 months ago on a 1985 Sportscoach. He had a bearing go bad in the generator end. Had to slide it out on the angle iron it was bolted to, then drop it down. On the one I was working on, the studs weren't welded in. Working between the exhaust to make sure we didn't break anything. Was a major PITA getting it back in place.

Thanks for the feedback and what I thought was a good thing with the stud weld, makes me not so sure now. In fact, I've changed my mind about it already and what makes matters worse is for changing the bolts if need be.
I need to take another look at this thing after a good nights sleep and have even considered trying to bend this rear flange down straight, if that's at all possible. Also thinking of trying to break the tack weld on the bolt heads and trying what you're saying. In fact this might be the best idea if at all possible for doing so and it's not the easiest thing for getting to.
Now, to do this with how they did it, the welding must have been done lastly and don't know what they were thinking about any of it, as it shouldn't have been a rocket science design, Then again, I'm no rocket scientist.
Still baffled as to what's holding the back plate in there, in the the first place and thought sure it was going to just come down with it.

sunvger79 · 10-24-2015, 09:18 PM

we just took our mh to the generac dealer to take out our 65. they took the bottom bracket for the door latch off and slid it out the front.

tropical36 · 10-25-2015, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunvger79

we just took our mh to the generac dealer to take out our 65. they took the bottom bracket for the door latch off and slid it out the front.

Thanks and I did that also, since the coach sits pretty low to the ground and will need that extra clearance for wheeling in out anyway. Now, to see why I can't drop it down some first and will be looking into grinding the weld off of those bolts, so that it might come forward and inch or so.
Would you know if the four main vertical bolts were tack welded in place on your rig or not?

sunvger79 · 10-25-2015, 11:17 AM

when the tech and i looked at the bottom there were all welds and no bolts

xflyer · 10-25-2015, 12:36 PM

I had the same generator in a National. I'm in the process of replacing it with a different type of generator. Had mine in and out several times trying to repair it. The muffler and exhaust pipe must come off first. Then fuel line, battery cables and control board wiring harness. Then there are four bolts with ceramic spacers that hold the generator tray to the motorhome frame. I used a floor jack to support the generator tray and then lowered the generator and the tray it sets on to the floor.

tropical36 · 10-25-2015, 03:50 PM

Update...
She's out of there and on a small file cabinet, actually, which I might have to replace with something larger for maneuvering this heavy thing around and maybe on it's side, while attempting to repair it.
Anyway, with the idea of bending the lower lip of the back plate straight down and using a giant screw driver for getting started, it popped itself free of that obstacle and that was all it took.
Now, why didn't I do that in in first place....I dunno....and sometimes it's better to just sleep on it, but if some dummy hadn't of welded this back plate at the top, then it would have came out with it, like I thought, or if the bolts weren't tack welded, it would have easily came forward an inch.
Oh well, now to see if I can't fix the thing.

xflyer · 10-25-2015, 07:51 PM

Now that you have it out..... If you need some parts let me know. I'm parting out the generator I have. I'll get something posted in the classified section in a day or so.

tropical36 · 10-26-2015, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xflyer

Now that you have it out..... If you need some parts let me know. I'm parting out the generator I have. I'll get something posted in the classified section in a day or so.

Is yours a Highline Q55G and what is actually wrong with it. Mine runs great, with some oil leakage, but has no AC output? Blew a big white cloud of smoke, so guessing I might find a blown armature field winding. I hope to do some troubleshooting with my meter today and really couldn't do much good, while it was still in there.

xflyer · 10-26-2015, 07:20 PM

Yes it is a Q-55G. The motor ran great but only residual voltage output. Found belt tension springs broken and brush holder and brushes brunt to a crisp. Also slip rings were burnt. I do not know if the armature is any good. I'm relatively sure it was due to a overvoltage. Discover parts were just to high to justify rebuilding the generator head. If you take the top of the generator head off you can easily see the brush holder. That's where I would start. I had replaced the voltage regulator in the beginning of this process but it didn't help the problem.

tropical36 · 10-27-2015, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xflyer

Yes it is a Q-55G. The motor ran great but only residual voltage output. Found belt tension springs broken and brush holder and brushes brunt to a crisp. Also slip rings were burnt. I do not know if the armature is any good. I'm relatively sure it was due to a overvoltage. Discover parts were just to high to justify rebuilding the generator head. If you take the top of the generator head off you can easily see the brush holder. That's where I would start. I had replaced the voltage regulator in the beginning of this process but it didn't help the problem.

Pretty much the same thing with mine and the residual output.
Will look at it more today, but so far, it has failed the stator test and I'm most sure I can see where the winding has failed. The rotor contains the field winding, not the stator, as you probably know. At around $400 for a new stator plus tax and shipping, I'll be looking into a rewind shop if a good used one isn't available and would rather buy the generator section of it, intact.

tropical36 · 10-29-2015, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xflyer

Now that you have it out..... If you need some parts let me know. I'm parting out the generator I have. I'll get something posted in the classified section in a day or so.

I've sent you a PM....