Where to get replacement brushes?

[chinny]

So i've been working on getting my bike running (see link below for history so far) and have found the brushes are pretty worn and will probably need replacing at some stage.
285484285485

Bike is a Yamaha YB125E (1970's/80's?).
Shop manual says replace brushes with material MH23, and thats all the info they give.

Can anyone say where I can find replacements, apart from asking my local bike store?
I'm not so keen on some of the markups i've been quoted on (~$40 for a condensor anyone?).

Cheers

history on fixing bike:
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/156097-Wrong-battery-preventing-bike-starting

[unstuck]

If your not willing to support the motorcycle industry as a whole, why would they support you?:msn-wink:

[Akzle]

starter brushes? I have a handful somewhere. Else repco. Get some fatties with pigtails and file em to size.

[chinny]

starter brushes? I have a handful somewhere. Else repco. Get some fatties with pigtails and file em to size.

Good ol Repco. They seems to have more parts than Supercheap, which i visited today.
I guess they all the same size aye. Will take a look there next weekend.
If they don't have anything, ill get it touch - thanks for the offer.

[Akzle]

Good ol Repco. They seems to have more parts than Supercheap, which i visited today.
I guess they all the same size aye. Will take a look there next weekend.
If they don't have anything, ill get it touch - thanks for the offer.

they may have something specific. You need to get someone who isnt a monkey.
There will be diffrent sizes for diffrent shafts etc. They generally list them by model, local stores might not hold much stock.

[jellywrestler]

they may have something specific. You need to get someone who isnt a monkey.
There will be diffrent sizes for diffrent shafts etc. They generally list them by model, local stores might not hold much stock.

try a local auto electrical whoeslare at least they will have the knowledge on whats good for what application

[neels]

Looks like a hitachi symbol on the worn brush, if it's original it shouldn't be too hard for an auto sparky to track down the right bits.

Or as Akzle suggested, it is possible to get something a bit bigger and make it fit, need to know approximate length and get it pretty right or they'll stick though.

[chinny]

they may have something specific. You need to get someone who isnt a monkey.
There will be diffrent sizes for diffrent shafts etc. They generally list them by model, local stores might not hold much stock.

Thanks for the headsup. I'll have to try my luck-still some life inthe bushes, for now.
Excuse my ignorance, but i guess the bushes wouldn't impact how the engine performs at high RPM? It seems they only affect starting, correct?

[chinny]

Looks like a hitachi symbol on the worn brush, if it's original it shouldn't be too hard for an auto sparky to track down the right bits.

Or as Akzle suggested, it is possible to get something a bit bigger and make it fit, need to know approximate length and get it pretty right or they'll stick though.

You're onto it- Hitachi starter dynamo, and i think bushes are original.
Cool i might have to try an auto sparky, as i may need to replace field coils (correct term?) too as the bike 'bogs' at mid/high RPM.

[chinny]

285509285510285511

Here are some photos i took.
1. Armature?
2. Starter dynamo assembly (Hitachi)
3. "field coils"

[jellywrestler]

285509285510285511

Here are some photos i took.
1. Armature?
2. Starter dynamo assembly (Hitachi)
3. "field coils"

looks like your commuatator needs a clean, use a bit of 1200 wet and dry and make sure you clean out the grooves in between before you finish

[chinny]

looks like your commuatator needs a clean, use a bit of 1200 wet and dry and make sure you clean out the grooves in between before you finish

Sorry i should have mentioned i did some tidy up after i took the photos. Commutator has been cleaned.

[Coldrider]

Don't know what MH23 is but MH32 is an industry standard for copper to carbon composition of a brush.
Those brushes are not overly short, as long as they have good spring tension on them they have a bit of life in them yet.
brushes are not cheap but if you decide to replace them you should compare them with car starter motor brushes and grind them down to size to fit using a linisher.

Also brush holders can wear, the armature pushing the tips in one direction and the spring action, check for wedge marks up the sides of the brushes.

[chinny]

Don't know what MH23 is but MH32 is an industry standard for copper to carbon composition of a brush.
Those brushes are not overly short, as long as they have good spring tension on them they have a bit of life in them yet.
brushes are not cheap but if you decide to replace them you should compare them with car starter motor brushes and grind them down to size to fit using a linisher.

Also brush holders can wear, the armature pushing the tips in one direction and the spring action, check for wedge marks up the sides of the brushes.

Ok thanks for that. The manual did say MH was the material, so I'll double check the number.Didn't know they are expensive - might hold off for a while then as they're only going to affect starting, which is fine at the mo.
Thanks for the tip on car brushes-good to know.
If anybody cares, im going to test the coils next to see if they're buggered.

[Voltaire]

Points ignition too, condenser may be ok. Points faces should be clean and flat, if condenser was faulty you would get arcing and see some build up on the points face.

[chinny]

Points ignition too, condenser may be ok. Points faces should be clean and flat, if condenser was faulty you would get arcing and see some build up on the points face.

Yea the points have been burning. I replaced the condensor already but didn't fix the problem. So i think its voltage regulation, which i will check soon.
The voltage readings on the battery i took today weren't good either.