Whilst rebuilding my 1969 Commando I decided to upgrade to a Lucas three phase 180w high output alternator to cope with better lights, heated gloves etc. When I got to fitting the stator I found that the diameter of the indents in the green resin insulation was too small to fit over the mounting pilars at the back and too small for the nuts and washers on the front. Although my nuts are definately original, I've noted that 'reduced' size nuts are offered by parts suppliers and mine are full size. However, even with the reduced size nuts, the washers won't fit and anyway there is no way to fit a socket or box spanner and definately not a ring spanner, so at the end of the day I cannot tighten the stator up. I've also found that the mounting holes for the studs is such an exact fit that its going to be very difficult to do any alighnment if I ever do get to tightening it up.
My supplier replied but doesn't seem over keen to jump in and help and Lucas have not replied to my enquiries either from the classic motorcycle, or the main department. Did anyone else have this problem or have i got a badly made one?
I had a similar problem wi…
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I had the same issue with…
I had the same issue with a Sparx 3phase stator. Whatever it was designed to fit, it certainly wasn't my Commando. I had to drill out the mounting holes to 11mm before I could get it to fit properly, and then apply lavish amounts of Loctite to keep it in place.
You can remove quite a lot of the resin around the fixing holes in order to get the fixings in place. To tighten them up, I ended up using a tap backnut spanner (something like this: https://www.bes.co.uk/tap-backnut-spanner ) - which is very thin walled.
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Thanks for replying Martin…
Thanks for replying Martin. It sounds like yours is the same as the genuine Lucas one but sold through a different reseller. Regardless, the nuts are the same size for most bikes surely and they just dont fit. I think its time the manufacture was hauled over the hot coals and held to task for making a product that can't be fitted without modification. I would like Lucas to join in and help if enough people could verify they had the same problem.
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Hi Dave. Thanks for postin…
Hi Dave. Thanks for posting the link. I have a spanner like this... Still couldn't get it on the nut. Like so many people i had to start grinding away the resin. I stopped at a certain point but when i get back to it I expect I will need to drill out the holes of the Lucas one a little in order to be able to get a bit of fine adjustment. its just not right.
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I bought one of the Lucas…
I bought one of the Lucas three phase stators recently and am now also toying with modifying it because of a lack of clearance for the stud nuts. I'm using 7/16" AF nuts and wouldn't want to use anything much smaller.
I'm assuming that the suggested modifications will invalidate any warranty?
I read on Access Norton that Wassell might offer a better fit and another brand that I'm not familiar with, LOP, was recommended as being more reliable and offering a better fit.
Given the air space this topic has on this and other Brit bike/Norton sites, it's disappointing that Lucas hasn't responded. Having said that, the low regard that Lucas enjoys universally does now seem entirely justified! I also question why the distributors supply stuff that isn't fit for purpose.
Has anyone tried any of the Sparx versions?
Further to the above, I boughta Silverline thin-walledbox spanner on eBay which I had to modify slightly (Dremel rules ok) by rounding the corners but itnow fits within the recesses onthe alternator and all's well using the original nuts. However, I did change the original washers for smaller diameter ones. In this instance, my preference was not to modify the stator.
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Lucas of course was the su…
Lucas of course was the subject of several doomed takeovers etc and now the name (logo etc) belong to a company called Elta Lighting. They produce a number of components but I have no idea of their quality control (or lack of it).
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I bought a high output sin…
I bought a high output single phase Alt for my 99 from our Norton stockist. Nothing really fitted ,stud diameter, rotor spacer, leads exit point etc . you are on your own. Do what you have to.
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I had a similar problem with the one I fitted. It wasn't "genuine Lucas" but all it lacked was the green box. Anyway, I found getting a spanner on the nuts was very difficult because of the excess resin around the stud holes. My solution was to carefully remove resin around the mounting holes with a Dremel tool. That way I could at least get a box spanner in to tighten the nuts. I've done about 3k miles on the bike since doing this and am very pleased with the 3P alternator performance. I have a MKIII with electric start so a good charging system is essential.