Alternator Brush Replacement

[StevieJ]

Hi guys... i'm about to replace the alternator brushes on my 2000 Vmax for the first time...and wondering if I need to disconnect the battery before I do it or anything else I should know about replacing them... Any info or tips would be greatly appreciated...

 

[Fire-medic]

Starter brushes yes, but 'alternator brushes?'

 

[StevieJ]

Starter brushes yes, but 'alternator brushes?'

Yeah, the two brushes on the alternator that recharge the battery... Everything I've found calls them 'alternator brushes'...but no one says anything about disconnecting the battery to replace them...

 

[Fire-medic]

Where on this page do you see them, and what #?

https://www.ronayers.com/oemparts/a/yam/500456adf8700209bc793157/generator
I believe you may be referring to this page/component, and #5.
https://www.ronayers.com/oemparts/a/yam/500456aef8700209bc793159/starting-motor

 

[StevieJ]

Yup, they are #5...

Where on this page do you see them, and what #?

https://www.ronayers.com/oemparts/a/yam/500456adf8700209bc793157/generator
I believe you may be referring to this page/component, and #5.
https://www.ronayers.com/oemparts/a/yam/500456aef8700209bc793159/starting-motor
View attachment 85926

Yes, they look like the #5 brushes on the starter motor... As you can tell, I'm a noob at my bike's electrical system... My battery wasn't recharging properly, so I installed a new battery and it still wasn't recharging properly... I was then informed that these brushes wear down over time and can cause that to happen... Is this correct???

 

[gentsvmax]

Yeah, the two brushes on the alternator that recharge the battery... Everything I've found calls them 'alternator brushes'...but no one says anything about disconnecting the battery to replace them...

LOL Get and read, then re-read a manual. Maybe the battery, alternator, regulator, wiring and or connections but not your starter or the "brushes".

 

[StevieJ]

LOL Get and read, then re-read a manual. Maybe the battery, alternator, regulator, wiring and or connections but not your starter or the "brushes".

So my battery not recharging has nothing to do with those brushes... Great... What a royal waste of time... I'm getting seriously sick of this BS... I can't get my bike fixed because the only shop near me decided to turn into A-Holes and not to do repairs on bikes older than 15 years... I had the manual and you need to be a mechanic to make sense of it... Time to get rid of this headache...

 

[gentsvmax]

So my battery not recharging has nothing to do with those brushes... Great... What a royal waste of time... I'm getting seriously sick of this BS... I can't get my bike fixed because the only shop near me decided to turn into A-Holes and not to do repairs on bikes older than 15 years... I had the manual and you need to be a mechanic to make sense of it... Time to get rid of this headache...

Take an aspirin for the headache, read that manual, post questions to this forum in the morning.

 

[CaptainKyle]

You need to read the article's on charging system problems.

 

[maleko89]

https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/charging-fault-finding-flowchart.994/

 

[Fire-medic]

https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/charging-fault-finding-flowchart.994/

I've used that before, that's a good place for info.

Here's another, from one of our members (RaWarrior) who has since sold his VMax, but his advice is still good for anyone trying to fix electrical issues.
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/how-to-fix-your-vmaxs-low-voltage-or-charging-problems.19108/

 

[StevieJ]

Take an aspirin for the headache, read that manual, post questions to this forum in the morning.

Good advise... My own fault for listening to a knucklehead who didn't have a clue... I don't have that monster manual anymore, but I'm sure that I can get another one easy enough... On the positive side, this situation is forcing me to learn the mechanics of my bike and how to do repairs myself...which will save me alot of $$$...

 

[StevieJ]

You need to read the article's on charging system problems.

Yes, that's what I"m going to do...

 

[StevieJ]

https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/charging-fault-finding-flowchart.994/

Thank you for posting this...

 

[Fire-medic]

This link is always a good place to start/use: http://vmoa.net/VMX12-Service-Manual01.pdf

Be sure to read it enough to see the layout. The first ~64 pages are yearly updates, then begins the engine, chassis, fuel, electrical, etc sections, and the appendix. The appendix has nut & bolt sizes, torque values, lubrication and gas paths, cable routing, and more.

I suggest you print-out a copy, and put it into a loose-leaf binder, so you have a workbench 'bible' and you don't have to stop work and go to your computer to research something. Office Max or Office Depot has plastic sheaves for your loose-leaf binder which accept an 8-1/2" X 11" page, for those pages where your fingers would be greasy if you needed to access several pages to complete a piece of work.

 

[StevieJ]

I've used that before, that's a good place for info.

Here's another, from one of our members (RaWarrior) who has since sold his VMax, but his advice is still good for anyone trying to fix electrical issues.
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/how-to-fix-your-vmaxs-low-voltage-or-charging-problems.19108/

Thank you... I realize that I really need to learn how to work on my bike myself... I did replace the header pipes on it without removing the rest of the exhaust system... Took me three tries and destroying a bunch of those brittle gaskets...but I finally got it... Lol...

 

[StevieJ]

This link is always a good place to start/use: http://vmoa.net/VMX12-Service-Manual01.pdf

Be sure to read it enough to see the layout. The first ~64 pages are yearly updates, then begins the engine, chassis, fuel, electrical, etc sections, and the appendix. The appendix has nut & bolt sizes, torque values, lubrication and gas paths, cable routing, and more.

I suggest you print-out a copy, and put it into a loose-leaf binder, so you have a workbench 'bible' and you don't have to stop work and go to your computer to research something. Office Max or Office Depot has plastic sheaves for your loose-leaf binder which accept an 8-1/2" X 11" page, for those pages where your fingers would be greasy if you needed to access several pages to complete a piece of work.

Thank you for that link... Awesome...

 

[Fire-medic]

Try using water-soluble gel like KY Jelly or comparable generic product. It will evaporate when the pipes get hot, and it helps during assembly.

If you have an OEM exhaust, and you decide to remove the megaphones in the future, don't forget there's a nut/bolt in the middle-top (Parts #36-40) holding it in place. This needs to be removed to drop the megaphone/collector. Here's a link on OEM exhaust work: Exhaust leak problem/ carb reflected.

2006 Yamaha V-MAX 1200 (VMX12V) Exhaust | Ron Ayers parts fiche, exhaust.