HOOVER 541 bearing play as a result of wear

[watsonw]

Hello Folks,

The restoration of my 541 is nearly finished; I only recently received a fantastic repro bay from Marty Kaplan which makes the machine look magnificent. Alas the motor sleeves show play horizontally and vertically. Is there a way to compensate for this or can the bearings be replaced?

Thanks, Walter, Shropshire (middle of England, UK)

 

[bikerray]

Yes, the bearings can be replaced, but you have to have the reamer to align everything. If you have the Hoover service manual it tells you how to do that.

 

[watsonw]

Bikerray, thanks...

but where to find the new bearings and reamer?

 

[hoover300]

I have a 543 motor that I don't need, it doesn't have brushes right now but last time it did, it ran like a top. Let me know if interested.

 

[madman]

If you're gonna ream them anyway, doesn't that mean you could just mush any roughly correct bearings in it, and ream them to size? I'm just guessing, I don't know what it looks like.

 

[bikerray]

The motor bearings in the 541 are just bronze sleeve bearings.

Since this isn't a Robbins & Myers motor you don't have to worry about the set screw holding the bearing in.

The bearings on a 541 motor are driven out with a drift pin tool, the new bearings are driven in with the drift pin tool.

You then need to bevel the inside edges of the lower bearing.

Try fitting the armature in the bearings for fit. If the bearings are too small you will need to ream them out.

Put the motor back together, there shouldn't be any side play but the should be some end play (the armature will slide up and down in the bearings) about 1/64" if there is more than that install a fiber washer at the top end of the armature to compensate for play. If there isn't any end play you may have to mill the lower bearing.

Sounds like a fun evening project at the kitchen table.

 

[watsonw]

Gentlemen

Thank-you for your time and advice.

Hoover300, I will certainly keep your kind offer in mind.

The trouble is that the 541/3 models of hoover are so rare over here!!

Regards, Walter.