Headlight Motor brushing
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 3,243
Likes: 1,403
From: Mid-Atlantic
2025 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
I'd considerd them but then I got to thinking that they were likely originally made from vinyl for good reason. That likely being so that the gear itself breaks apart before anything else it comes into contact with through operation tears up. A metal gear might have the opposite effect and tear up whatever it comes into contact with through operation.
That's my theory anyway.
That's my theory anyway.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 3,243
Likes: 1,403
From: Mid-Atlantic
2025 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
I used to own an '84 Ford Thunderbird that was souped up. Well, actually all that was done was suspension work and wide tires and American Racing rims on it.
But that was one sweet looking ''Muscle'' type of car. That work changed it's entire look and stance. It had a 302 in it. Pretty much mint condition, inside and out too. Gray velour interior, nice silver paint and power everything. I loved that car. Wish I had soem pictures of it. I may have some on some old, undeveloped film, but I dunno where I could even get it developed.
Anyway,all of that rambling aside, the timing gear crumbled away on it. It was vinyl.
So that's where I developed that theory mentioned above.
But that was one sweet looking ''Muscle'' type of car. That work changed it's entire look and stance. It had a 302 in it. Pretty much mint condition, inside and out too. Gray velour interior, nice silver paint and power everything. I loved that car. Wish I had soem pictures of it. I may have some on some old, undeveloped film, but I dunno where I could even get it developed.
Anyway,all of that rambling aside, the timing gear crumbled away on it. It was vinyl.
So that's where I developed that theory mentioned above.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,256
Likes: 3,082
From: So Cal
2023 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I've renewed a bunch of motor assemblies by replacing the pellets. Because the big gear is installed in the housing with the pellets down, the big gear must be removed. Because the big gear has a depression in the middle that the motor's worm gear drives, the big gear doesn't just 'pull out' without first removing the motor shaft and drive gear unless you force (pry) it up and out. This probably damages the gear, and perhaps that's why it fails in the future and is replaced with a metal gear "because the plastic gears broke or stripped."
I'm pretty sure the assemblies I've worked on were virgins in that they had not been "had" by previous bubba's prying out the big gear, so the gears I've encountered were A-Ok, and I reused them.
Removing the armature and drive gear is easy. Putting it back together is not so easy because you have to retract the brushes into their holders to install the cover plate that holds the brush assemblies. I tie the brushes back with dental floss. With the cover almost all the way seated, cut the floss, pull it out and install the two motor bolts.
I'm pretty sure the assemblies I've worked on were virgins in that they had not been "had" by previous bubba's prying out the big gear, so the gears I've encountered were A-Ok, and I reused them.
Removing the armature and drive gear is easy. Putting it back together is not so easy because you have to retract the brushes into their holders to install the cover plate that holds the brush assemblies. I tie the brushes back with dental floss. With the cover almost all the way seated, cut the floss, pull it out and install the two motor bolts.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 3,243
Likes: 1,403
From: Mid-Atlantic
2025 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
That part of the job was a giant pain in the rear end when I did mine.
I needed four hands and only had two. lol.
After about an hour of fiddling around with it I had my son help me out with extra hands. Didn't even consider stopping to think about any kind of workaround like you did with yours. i just yelled, ''hey, comere for a minute.'' And it still took a few times to get it. But the second one went much quicker once we got the first one out of the way.
The power window motors are basically the same way; same setup.
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Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,295
Likes: 153
From: Antioch Ca
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
I've renewed a bunch of motor assemblies by replacing the pellets. Because the big gear is installed in the housing with the pellets down, the big gear must be removed. Because the big gear has a depression in the middle that the motor's worm gear drives, the big gear doesn't just 'pull out' without first removing the motor shaft and drive gear unless you force (pry) it up and out. This probably damages the gear, and perhaps that's why it fails in the future and is replaced with a metal gear "because the plastic gears broke or stripped."
I'm pretty sure the assemblies I've worked on were virgins in that they had not been "had" by previous bubba's prying out the big gear, so the gears I've encountered were A-Ok, and I reused them.
Removing the armature and drive gear is easy. Putting it back together is not so easy because you have to retract the brushes into their holders to install the cover plate that holds the brush assemblies. I tie the brushes back with dental floss. With the cover almost all the way seated, cut the floss, pull it out and install the two motor bolts.
I'm pretty sure the assemblies I've worked on were virgins in that they had not been "had" by previous bubba's prying out the big gear, so the gears I've encountered were A-Ok, and I reused them.
Removing the armature and drive gear is easy. Putting it back together is not so easy because you have to retract the brushes into their holders to install the cover plate that holds the brush assemblies. I tie the brushes back with dental floss. With the cover almost all the way seated, cut the floss, pull it out and install the two motor bolts.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,256
Likes: 3,082
From: So Cal
2023 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Select a socket that the O.D. will almost, (but not force) the brushes into their fully-retracted position and place the socket between the brushes. Put the dental floss through both braided brush leads, tension it gently and tie it together on top of the end cover. Remove the socket and check that the brushes are still far enough apart to fit over the commutator. Install the cover, cut the floss, install the bolts. Cheers.