Reman Alternator Options

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Irish Reiver

Irish Reiver

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10 Year
Joined
Oct 24, 2015
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Location
Orlando, Florida
Came back from a business trip yesterday to find out that '96 is no longer charging. Luckily my daughter spotted the red charging light and knew the cruiser wasn't going anywhere until I got home. I did all the onboard electrical tests and all is good. Wipped out the alternator checked the brushes - good (new last year), checked the wiring on the rotor & stater -good, checked the rectifier and it was also good. Only thing I can't check is the voltage regulator. I took the unit down to Autozone and had them confirm my own findings.
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I assumed my options were 1) buy new from Toyota, 2) Overhaul my current unit or 3) Purchase a reman unit from Rockauto. Unfortunately it appears that option 1 & 3 are no longer available. Toyota only appear to offer their own reman unit for $188 but I have no idea what "Reman" means - do you get new bearings, brushes and regulator or do they do the minimum and slap a 12 month warranty and hope for the best.
A new regulator and bearings are still available from Toyota but would be north of $200 - I think this would more or less give me a fairly reliable unit going forward
I have no need or interest in a higher output unit.
Would really appreciate some guidance from the hive mind on what route to take.
 
Thanks @Skydog94 however I can get a Toyota reman unit from Toyota for $188 that said, I have no idea what work is performed for it to be classed as manufactured. Does anyone have any real world experience of the Toyota reman units? Do they last or are they only good for a few weeks past the guarantee?
 
Based upon past history comments on the forum I would have no problem with a Toyota reman unit. In the past there have been reports that some, but not all remans, were actually new units. Most failures with the originals are worn brushes and failed voltage regulators that would be replaced in a reman. I don't recall anyone with a bearing failure. The failures of Toyota reman starters were caused by poor installation/alignment of the contacts and plunger.

At this point pick you poison either new or reman unit, Toyota or Aisin. I would open it up to inspect the internals, reseat the contacts /plunger and apply some lubrication.

I would not buy any other reman or aftermarket units sold a the local auto parts store like a Delco Bosh etc.
 
IME, toyota reman is a new unit with an old frame. All of the remans I've bought over the last few years have new varnish on the windings, indicating to me that they were rewound, and new bearings, rectifiers and voltage regulators, unless those parts were meticulously cleaned and recoated.
 
That would be spectacular and i really appreciate your feedback. I am just super suspicious of what they actually do as part of the remanufacturing process. I don't know what a new unit cost but Partsouq lists them at just shy of $800 albeit no longer available. A new regulator alone is $200 so what does your $188 for a reman unit actually include? Logic says its a new set of brushes and a good clean. Maybe I am over thinking this :meh:
 
Pretty sure I keep the OEM Remans on the shelf here and could have had one in your hands same day.
 
Thanks Mat. I swapped in the one from my project truck so things are back up and running for now.
 
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