starter trouble

[am not r2]

The starter quit working a short time ago. Not too far from home. I had a friend say."Hit it with a hammer at the same time as you hit the key." To my suprise it worked. I got it home and went out several times and it always worked. not now.
I have good lights. the solinoid clicks. no starter spin. I did clean all the contacts.
I went to the stude manuel and read about removing the starter.
questions 1) it says in the man. to remove the electrical conection first then the bolts that hold the starter.how? they are on top of the starter. do I do that last?
2) I got the bottom nut spinning off no problem.what do you use to get at the top one? I can get a wrench on it but not move the wrench. years ago I remember seeing a starter/generator wrench. a curved sort of thing. is that the little devil I am in need of? if not what.
3) lastly. I want to replace the wire from the solinoid to the starter. what would you suggest I use. do the venders sell a ready made one of the proper length or do I just make one. and what guage and type of wire. I have been told that welders wire (01?) is not the wire of choice. what did you use?
thanks for your wisdom.Rich

64 Daytona HT

[rockne10]

I'll leave other details to people who know more than I do but the hammer to the starter trick doesn't fix the starter; it tells you it needs rebuilt or replaced. If it did the trick, the starter's the problem, not the solenoid wire.

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
33 Rockne 10
51 Commander Starlight
53 Commander Starlight

previously: 63 Cruiser, 62 Regal VI, 60 VI convertible, 50 LandCruiser

[Karl]

If you need to hit it with a hammer to get home. OK, But it's telling you .I need repair..........

63 Twin Supercharged Avanti
64 Avanti R3w/NOS
88LSC Avanti 350 Supercharged w/NOS

[am not r2]

well guys, I figgured that any time anything needs help from a hammer it is ready to go. I want to replace the wire at the same time.
I try to replace wires and rubber products as I work on a system.

makes sence to me to do it all while I am in there.
thanksRich

64 Daytona HT

[John Kirchhoff]

If hitting it with a hammer made it work, your brushes are probably worn past their limit. As they get shorter, there's less spring tension to keep them in firm contact with the commutator. With the starter off, they're easy to replace and easy to buy. The last ones I put in I salvaged out of a Delco Chevy starter. Yes, you probably need one of those "C" shaped wrenches, some call them an obstruction wrench. There's plenty of cheap forgein ones out there that'll do the job, no need spending a fortune on a Snap-On job. You can buy a battery cable of any length and end configuration you need. I wouldn't even consider making one out of weldeing cable, too much of a hassel when prefabricated ones are so plentiful and inexpensive. When you get the starter off, you also need to clean the commutator and grease the bearings. It's all actually rather simple and if you need help doing it, let me know and I can walk you through it. Be careful in getting the starter off because it's rather heavy. You can pinch your fingers. Good luck.

[hank63]

Just disconnect the negative (earth) cable from the battery before you get into the starter. Then no worries.
/H

[rockne10]

Would that be the wrench some of us call a crowfoot?

[John Kirchhoff]

A crow foot wrench may work but the one I'm talking about is a box end and nearly the shape of the letter "C". Or an art deco style C to be more accurate. It allows you to snake the business end up and over the starter but being somewhat shaped like the starter, you have room to operate it.

[rockne10]

Okay. I know the one you mean. My friend, who owns the shop where I do my work, recently had his first grandchild and she is cutting her teeth on an obstruction wrench. Ofcourse, we need to wipe it off everytime she drops it to the floor.

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
33 Rockne 10
51 Commander Starlight
53 Commander Starlight

previously: 63 Cruiser, 62 Regal VI, 60 VI convertible, 50 LandCruiser

[am not r2]

well I got it off. I did score a bent wrench from the old timer across the street. he is 85 and was a wrench in wwII. he has tools from HIS father in law that was a truck mechanic in the early days of the truck. he has tools we both can't identify.
I have to remove the duels that the previos owner had made. welded up with an H pipe. so both sides need to come down to remove the starter the rest of the way.
I will be attempting to rebuild it myself. there is a first time for every thing.
I also tried using all the socket extentions I had and got room by the tail of the tranny to swing and tug. I will should have it out tonight.
by the way who has the brushes or is that an Item I could pick up local? thanks for the help.Rich

64 Daytona HT

[rockne10]

They would be from an auto-electric shop (alternator/starter/generator service); also available from Studebaker International. I don't think your local FLAPS would carry something that specific.
That's one of those jobs I've always let the A/S/G shop do for me. While it's apart, they can tell if it needs bushings, bearings, springs, commutator, etc. Well rebuilt is cheap and confident.

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
33 Rockne 10
51 Commander Starlight
53 Commander Starlight

previously: 63 Cruiser, 62 Regal VI, 60 VI convertible, 50 LandCruiser

[John Kirchhoff]

You should be able to pick up brushes at the local auto parts store. Take along the starter make and model number. There are/were only a few manufactures of starters, so the don't let the raised eyebrows of the 18 year old kid behind the counter deter you when you mention the "S" word (Studebaker). Replacing the brushes is very simple and straight forward. They are on the front end of the starter but take the opportunity to pull the whole works apart and grease the bushings (front, middle and back). If the commutator (the cylinder of copper segments on the front end of the shaft) is worn enougth that there are noticable ridges on both ends, you need to take it to a generator shop or auto parts store and have it turned down and the mica undercut. Mica is the insulating material separating the copper segments of the commutator and it needs to be cut down so that it isn't flush with the surface. If the surface is fairly flat the the mica is below the surface of the segments, just clean the surface up a bit with some emery cloth or sand paper and put it back together after you've replaced the brushes. On most auto starters the a screw connects the little copper cable attached to the brush to it's respective place. The only brushes I've come across that had to be soldered in place were on large diesel starters. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me or any of the other experienced guys out there.