Rear Alternator removal - Any tips?

[mshac]

Has anyone R&R'ed their rear alternator? If so, how did you get the bottom nut off at 6:00?

Looks to me like I'll need to drain the oil, remove the oil filter, remove the oil filter adapter, then I can access that bottom nut.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

[JAG]

I have the Airwolf remote filters...so you probably have more stuff in your way than I do. What I can tell you, is you need a lot of patience, and an offset wrench (I love my Snap-on offsets). On my aircraft, I would have to switch the offset ends of the wrench for each 1/16th of a turn. It takes forever to get that nut off...
Jeff

[mshac]

Thanks for the tip JAG (used to love that show BTW). I'm not certain what an offset wrench is, but I intend to find out! I tried several tools yesterday with no success. I can get an angled box end on it, but then no room to turn it any. I bet there's an old A&P out there that has some magic tool that makes it a tolerable job! One member suggested welding up my own special tool, but that assumes I have a welder...

[Kim Geyer]

I agree with JAG I’ve don’t dozens of front and rear alternators and a Snap-on offset or angle wrench Is a must and yes it is a pain in the buttocks.

[JAG]

Mshac - I refer to them as offsets, but I see that Snap-on calls them:
4-Way Angle Head Open-End Wrench

When I started in aircraft maintenance at 19, this was the first wrench set I purchased, and it is probably the most used tools in my wrench drawer. Get a set that goes from 3/8" to 3/4".

Jeff

[mshac]

I bought a set of offset wrenches, but no joy. The offset was too long for the wrench to fit onto the nut and also clear the alternator. What worked for me was a half inch box and on about a 15 degree angle from the shaft. I can see the where the 4-way angle head wrench may actually work much better because you'd be able to come up at the nut from the bottom instead of the side.

So now that the alternator is off, I need to determine what I'm going to do. The original Falcon overall was installed August 29th 2019 according to the logbooks. This would be within their normal warranty claim., but I do not have the receipt because I didn't get it when I bought the airplane. I'm going to reach out to Falcon and see what they will do, but honestly this is not a job you want to do again. If there is a better alternator out there that will not break the bank I would certainly consider it. I know Hartzell has some new alternators that will fit as does Plane Power but they are not inexpensive.

[mshac]

Spoke with Bill at Falcon Aero. He told me to send the alternator in, and he would take care of it. I will update with results!

[mshac]

Alternator is repaired and on the way back to me! Falcon received it Friday at 3 pm, and had it turned around and shipped back out in 1 business day!

Bill really came through for me. I'll update once more after I've reinstalled the alternator.

At this point I think Falcon has my alternator business for life!

[mshac]

Alternator is installed and making power!

Had a scary moment when I was tightening the nut on the ground terminal with a small 1/4" drive ratchet - THE BOLT SNAPPED OFF! I was not putting too much torque on it when it broke off either. I had no issue with the other two terminals.

So I've just spent untold hours doing the pain in the ass job of R&Ring this alternator, and now I've got to do it again!!!

Ahh, then I saw it - there is a second ground terminal on these alternators!!
I switched the wires over and hooked them up there with no issue.

Word of warning - the bolts that Falcon Aero uses to overhaul the terminals have a "Made in China" look to them. If you've dealt with enough chinese metal products, you know what I mean. I'm going to write an email to Falcon suggesting they spend an extra $.50 on each OH and put good old fashioned AMERICAN made bolts in the alternator terminals!