alternator advice.

jmcmillan39

Joined
Dec 7, 2011
Messages
7
Location
bonney lake wa
I just picked up a 1991 St 1100

Prior owner was riding and alternator when out .
132,000

He had the swing arm removed and alternator out , but not the gear part, just electric part.
He decided to just have it rebuilt sent it to a guy back east.

He broke one of the bolts in the inner gear-cover so I pulled it, I can tap it and it will be fine, I realize I will have to do the pin trick to get
It back in.

So I am trying to decide, should I put the rebuilt 28amp or upgrade to the 40 amp?

I don't do allot of winter driving so I don't have extra power needs.

What do you think, bike is apart alternator is out I could, sell it.

Sucky part is I will have to put it back together, I hate picking up, were someone left off, but I only paid 500.00

Definitely plan on doing a valve unjust while its open.

Anything else I should do while its apart?

Any advise would be great
Thanks.
 
If you can source the alternator at a good price then go for it. May as well do the timing belt, and check the water pump while its all opened up.
 
At that price, with a reworked 28A alternator, it's a fixer upper and keeper!

40A is only really needed if you intend to use more electrical loads.... in reality, it is more reliable than the 40A, in the UK anyway.... being oil rather than air cooled...
 
I concur that the 28, especially if you have one in hand, is fine when you don't need additional power. Some actually deliver 32 amps, FWIW. All the "stator wire plug service" cautions and such.

You can save some work by using the same Allen bit as for the swing arm...I'll go check the ST1100 engine in the garage if remember and confirm but not a problem as the Allen either fits the alternator drive spline or doesn't. ;)

Use the Allen and a breaker bar to rock the drive back and forth slightly against the resistance of engine compression. This is enough to allow the spring loaded split alternator drive gears to be aligned so that the drive can be installed. I found the pin system to be a PITA so much, much easier to do by rocking. Either way, not a huge difference in wrenching.

Being an electrical ****, it is difficult for me to recommend having less power available than the 60 amps from the newer series of the "40 amp" alternator.

While you are in there, I recommend cutting out the main fuse on the starter relay and installing a weatherproof inline fuse. Much less likely to give trouble than a 25 year old fuse socket. The ST1100 has some big voltage drops which can be addressed quite easily by some simple modifications. I've posted them here but can review if cannot find. I miss my 1994 ABS/TCS....

HIH

Norm
 
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