Another russian alternator bites the dust.....

[co_g30]

Long story short: the gear on the alternator and shaft sheared off after who knows how long a time of wobbling around....I say who knows how long because the gears on the alternator's gear were worn smooth as was half the surface area of the mating timing gear.

Please, no commentary re how I should have "heard the noise", my excuse is not knowing the "normal" sounds of a Ural and the fact that the "marbles in blender" noise did not start until day of the failure.

Guess I got lucky, all it did was shear off and not create shrapnel that went through the engine casing.

I was able to ride the bike home after it completely sheared off (I didn't know it at the time), and only found out about it when I took the alternator off to look. Classic case of the "marbles in a blender" noise. Yeah, should have turned around when I first heard it but was heading to my first day at new job....no way I could be late.

Details of the event: http://redlegsrides.blogspot.com/2009/10/natashas-swan-song.html

Was going to try and replace the timing gears and alternator myself but gave up when I could not remove the last two screws from the front cover. I really tried, heck, even bent the tip on the screwdriver without the screw yielding!
Details here: http://redlegsrides.blogspot.com/2009/10/natasha-is-going-to-shop.html

Rainy with a 70% chance of snow today in the Denver Metro area, it would have been Natasha's debut in snow....dammit.

[JohnBG]

Wow! I'm amazaed the bike even ran with the gear looking like that.

A true testimony to the beating these rigs can take.

Pull the motor, drill out the two screws and do the job yerself! Don't be a sissy!

Here's how to do it!

http://sovietsteeds.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1073

http://sovietsteeds.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1195

If a ham-handed klutz like me can do it, anyone can!

[co_g30]

yes, I did experience a moment of sissyness....but as you can read below....with the aid of am impact driver and a friend....got the damn front cover off, and the cam gear off.....crank gear is next. Have to procure gear puller first.

http://redlegsrides.blogspot.com/2009/10/rescued-by-russian.html

[JohnBG]

yes, I did experience a moment of sissyness....but as you can read below....with the aid of am impact driver and a friend....got the damn front cover off, and the cam gear off.....crank gear is next. Have to procure gear puller first.

Good. Go for it! You can do it!

As far as the gear puller, a Chinese Harbor Frieght cheap one won't work. The end of the jaw that extends past the gear won't clear the engine case.

I had to borrow one from BillyG. His is a Sears Crapsman (Craftsman)model.

I pulled the engine from the frame to do the job. Folks tell me you can do it and leave the engine in the frame but it's a huge pain in the a$$ to work around the fram downtubes.

Since my a$$ and back don't like the concrete floor very much, I found it was easier to do with the engine on the workbench.

Bite the bullet and buy a Denso alternator.

[co_g30]

but since they're backordered for the foreseeable future .... and the russian made adapter for them has been reported to have "issues".....am going to try the "total loss system" way first.....if it works for my riding needs, good, if not, I can always get the denso......

http://redlegsrides.blogspot.com/2009/10/thinking-about-going-with-total-loss.html

[JohnBG]

but since they're backordered for the foreseeable future .... and the russian made adapter for them has been reported to have "issues".....am going to try the "total loss system" way first.....if it works for my riding needs, good, if not, I can always get the denso......

http://redlegsrides.blogspot.com/2009/10/thinking-about-going-with-total-loss.html

I guess the factory hasn't the money to pay the Japanese!

A little Krytox grease on the alternator adapter bearings and it's all good.

[co_g30]

got her buttoned up last night, gears went in the night before actually but then ran into an electric gremlin in terms of the small wire kthat used to be connected to a spade connector in back of the failed rpoc alternator.

http://www.sovietsteeds.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9284&highlight=

That resolved, some cleanup of the wiring/connectors while things were taken apart and now waiting for the gasket sealant to fully "cure" before taking her out on a test ride.

some pics here of the new gears:

http://redlegsrides.blogspot.com/2009/10/putting-natasha-back-togethertest-ride.html

again my thanks to JohnBG and Bill Glaser's postings/website, the info therein made the job easier. and yes, it's quite the PITA to do this with the engine mounted.....