Update on that 1980s traction unit we rebuilt in March

The motor bearings were shot and we were getting 3 times the normal amp draw. After a full rewind and new bearings, the draw is back in spec and the car runs 20% quieter. Anyone think a full rewind was overkill versus just swapping the motor?

3 comments

3 Comments

lopez.ivan3mo ago

Nice! A full rewind was the right call for sure. Those old units get cooked insulation that you can't always see, and new bearings with old windings is just asking for trouble. How many hours did the rewind take you guys?

daniel5113mo ago

Yeah, cooked insulation. My buddy found that out the hard way last year.

reed.eva1mo ago

Hell yeah, you absolutely did the right thing. I had a similar job on an old 70s era unit a few years back. The bearings were grinding but the windings looked okay from the outside. Figured I'd just swap the bearings and call it a day. Ran fine for about two months, then one night it just locked up and smoked. When I pulled it apart, the insulation was totally brittle and cracked in places you couldn't see without tearing it down. That full rewind was the only way to guarantee it wouldn't fry again. Plus, the quietness difference is night and day, just like you said. You saved yourself a callback headache for sure.