Alternator Rebuild - DIY or advice on a good shop (1 Viewer)

[coultl]

My alternator is just barely keeping up and it's time for refresh before I get stranded. Voltage drops below 12V when lights are on for a little while. Checked power and grounds. All seem good.

I'm thinking about doing it myself but wish there was a writeup. I didn't find anything but please send if it exists! Any rebuild shop recommendations welcome as well.

If I DIY, here are the parts I'd replace:
Front Bearing 6203
Back Bearing 6201
voltage regulator VR-160
brush set JX138

Thanks all!

 

[coultl]

Just talked to D and D Auto Electric in Denver. Great guy on the phone who talked through the rebuild. Seemed to really know our vintage of Toyotas. If I end up going that route I'll share how it goes!

 

[g-man]

Some stuff I've learned. The VR is one banana job, just a few screws. Removing the big nut so you can remove the pulley usually means hitting it with an impact wrench. I do this on the vehicle before removing. But if you want to do in a vice use soft vice and grab the rotor..the big chunky part NOT the slip rings in the back. You'll have to take the rear frame #11 off first.

 

[Seth S]

The common things that fail in an alternator include:

1. Mechanical failure due to a failed bearing (not so common)
2. Brushes - brushes wear down over time and eventually reduce enough that they no longer maintain good contact on the armature. Some alternators you can change the brushes, some are not so easy to do.
3. Armature wears out - the surface the brushes ride on can wear down just as the brushes can. Eventually this surface can wear away.

Some of the older Bosch alternators had voltage regulator/brush packs that could be bought for about $50 and swapped out with just 2 small screws. The external regulator toyota alternators are easy to swap. But most new alternators are internal regulator. When my stock alternator went bad I got one off Rockauto for about $50 and it was internal reg, other than swapping pulleys it went right in and came with an adapter harness. Also ToyotaMatt sells really nice OEM units if you want to stay Toyota Stock.

 

[g-man]

The brushes are held in position in the rear frame in the rectifier housing. and its a bit of a trick but you run the brush wire thru the rectifier brush housing, hold in place against spring tension and solder the wires. after you solder new brushes on you have to EDIT: get the brushes in place and pin the brushes in position with a stiff wire like a paper clip that goes thru a hole in the back of the frame. THEN you can slide the rotor in but not until the brushes are pinned in place. I think I used curved forceps to push the brushs in all the way and then wiggle the temporary keeper wire in thru the hole in the back of the rear frame. Once the rotor goes in the frame and the slip rings are in position in the back you can pull the wire...so the brushes are now under spring tension and pushing against the slip rings.

 

[Spike Strip]

If there's a shop you trust, I'd let them do it. Just specify Japanese or American bearings, only.

The shop will also polish and test various components that the normal DIYer doesn't do or can't really test without the proper equipment, like the rectifier. To me, it's worth the extra 50 bux. Sometimes, if the shop is more than just a replace bearings and media-blast it rebuild, they can up the amperage output, if you ask.

 

[coultl]

I ended up getting it rebuilt at D and D Auto Electric in Denver. Great old school alternator shop (not many of these left) and the guy really knows his stuff. Knew what car the alternator came from within 10 seconds. Rebuild took a few days. Working great!

 

[FJ Silver]

Does anyone know where I could source these?
I'd love to replace all of these on my alternator.

" if I DIY, here are the parts I'd replace:
Front Bearing 6203
Back Bearing 6201
voltage regulator VR-160
brush set JX138 "

 

[sims]

Does anyone know where I could source these?
I'd love to replace all of these on my alternator.

" if I DIY, here are the parts I'd replace:
Front Bearing 6203
Back Bearing 6201
voltage regulator VR-160
brush set JX138 "

All of the parts can be found on eBay

SimS

 

[ToyotaMatt]

Does anyone know where I could source these?
I'd love to replace all of these on my alternator.

" if I DIY, here are the parts I'd replace:
Front Bearing 6203
Back Bearing 6201
voltage regulator VR-160
brush set JX138 "

Your CHINA VR-160 is ON EBAY .....

your NOS 27700-38100 is right here ....

NOS OEM TOYOTA Genuine NipponDenso Voltage Regulator 27700-38100 FJ60 FJ40 FJ55 1978-1987 2F - VintageTEqParts.com

NOS OEM TOYOTA Voltage Regulator GENUINE NipponDenso JAPAN Made 27700-38100 - OLD Superseded / Interchange Part #'s 27700-28030 , 27700-41050, 27700-45021...

vintageteqparts.com

 

[FJ Silver]

Got it, thank you

Your CHINA VR-160 is ON EBAY .....

your NOS 27700-38100 is right here ....

NOS OEM TOYOTA Genuine NipponDenso Voltage Regulator 27700-38100 FJ60 FJ40 FJ55 1978-1987 2F - VintageTEqParts.com

NOS OEM TOYOTA Voltage Regulator GENUINE NipponDenso JAPAN Made 27700-38100 - OLD Superseded / Interchange Part #'s 27700-28030 , 27700-41050, 27700-45021...

vintageteqparts.com

View attachment 3211680

Do you have the 62 versions of these as well? @ToyotaMatt

I'm mainly looking to replace the brushes on my alternator, but having a hard time finding those on eBay.

 

[CruiserTrash]

I ended up getting it rebuilt at D and D Auto Electric in Denver. Great old school alternator shop (not many of these left) and the guy really knows his stuff. Knew what car the alternator came from within 10 seconds. Rebuild took a few days. Working great!

I realize this is an old thread, but I had the same experience at D&D Auto Electric. Before I got to the counter with my alternator in hand the guy said "Land Cruiser with a 2F motor?" That gave me the warm fuzzies. My only complaint is that he couldn't source a NOS voltage regulator and put a no-name on there ... and it died 9 months later. I drove straight to his shop once I realized the alternator wasn't charging and arrived showing 10.1V on the aftermarket voltmeter in the cab. He replaced it for free with a NOS unit he had recently scrounged up from a dusty bin somewhere, saying "this is my warranty, if something isn't right you let me know and I take care of it." Several other local folks have had great experiences with the place too - including one guy who brought in a 24V starter from a 70 Series. The counter guy at D&D said it wasn't the first one of those he'd done, so he must have a lot of experience with Land Cruiser electrical components. I'm not sure if he will do work through the mail, but it's definitely worth the phone call to ask.

That being said, if I had to do it again I'd order a NOS regulator from @ToyotaMatt and bring that to D&D. I ordered a couple from Matt a while ago just to have as backups - one lives in my trail spares kit.

 

[ToyotaMatt]

I realize this is an old thread, but I had the same experience at D&D Auto Electric. Before I got to the counter with my alternator in hand the guy said "Land Cruiser with a 2F motor?" That gave me the warm fuzzies. My only complaint is that he couldn't source a NOS voltage regulator and put a no-name on there ... and it died 9 months later. I drove straight to his shop once I realized the alternator wasn't charging and arrived showing 10.1V on the aftermarket voltmeter in the cab. He replaced it for free with a NOS unit he had recently scrounged up from a dusty bin somewhere, saying "this is my warranty, if something isn't right you let me know and I take care of it." Several other local folks have had great experiences with the place too - including one guy who brought in a 24V starter from a 70 Series. The counter guy at D&D said it wasn't the first one of those he'd done, so he must have a lot of experience with Land Cruiser electrical components. I'm not sure if he will do work through the mail, but it's definitely worth the phone call to ask.

That being said, if I had to do it again I'd order a NOS regulator from @ToyotaMatt and bring that to D&D. I ordered a couple from Matt a while ago just to have as backups - one lives in my trail spares kit.

I have GOOD stock on OEM DENSO japan KOYO parts maker REAR bearings too …

FYI

 

[FJ Silver]

I have GOOD stock on OEM DENSO japan KOYO parts maker REAR bearings too …

FYI

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D you have brush kits for the 62 good sir?

 

[ToyotaMatt]

D you have brush kits for the 62 good sir?

YES , i have many different land cruiser brush holders

for what exact unit ?

post a fresh photos here below please , there are way too many variations out there to shoot from the hip on the bruch holder topic ...

thanks