Flap motor woes

I have a three year old RV-8. Over the weekend the well known flap motor failure got me. The problem is that grease from the acutator gets into the motor and contaminates it. The airplane flies (and lands) fine with out flaps but I still need to fix it.

I read the Van's tech note and very carefully removed and cleaned the motor. No Joy. I went through the process several times and could get the motor to run intermittently at best.

When I checked the Van's store for this motor I was very dismayed to find that it is priced at $280! Arghhh! The motor looks fine, so I suspect it is just a problem with the brushes not contacting the commutator properly.

I spoke to the manufacturer and they told me that a brush kit was $15. Just before I ordered it, I mentioned that it was for an airplane. He then refused to sell it to me saying that it was a liability issue.

Anyone know why this tiny little motor costs $280? Any thoughts on a cheaper alternative?

thx,

bruce

Flap motor

Get your wife to call back and order the brush kit for her "off road vehicle".

Brush Source?

Try taking the motor to your local appliance repair shop and see if they can find replacement brushes that will fit the motor.

You kind of wonder what the heck they think their liability is going to be when the thing doesn't work right now. How is it going to get worse?

Good Luck,
-mike

N297NW said:

Just before I ordered it, I mentioned that it was for an airplane. He then refused to sell it to me saying that it was a liability issue.

Click to expand...

This is something that many of us have learned. NEVER, EVER, tell a parts supplier that you are building an airplane. One of two things will happen. One, they won't sell it to you or two, they'll jack the price up. I learned this lesson when buying a battery for my Long-EZ. The "airplane" version was $175. Sent my wife into the shop to buy a battery for her son's "go-cart" and it was $49.

Yup, same thing applies to old Cessna parts. Generator armature yellow tagged from the aircraft parts supply: $140. Identical generator armature with exactly the same part number, same windings and same varnish from Delco Auto Parts: $35. Guess which one I bought?

Old Piper Cherokee inside door handle (made by Volkswagen) from Piper: $180. Exact same door handle from Volkswagen: $7. Only difference was on the letter "A" preceeding the same part number. Besides, it wasn't a structural part and didn't violate any regulation.

Cessna Voltage regulator from Delco: $14. Same part number, same internal coils and switches....I didn't even ask Cessna what they wanted for it!

Had my Cessna (no longer own it) condition inspected by the FAA for my own issued STC for an engine conversion I did myself. EVERYTHING was checked. Didn't even get a second look at the Delco parts. You just have to know what the equivalent part is. Not all parts are the same. Non-structural parts are no big deal. I.e., why buy that Piper Aircraft nylon gear for the rotating beacon for $75 when you can get that same gear from the manufacturer for 5 or 6 bucks and install it yourself? Takes about 10 minutes to install. It's a non-structural part. Okay, I may have bent the rules just a little bit, but that's what it took to afford to fly the plane.

**Also, what f1rocket said: Don't ever tell any supplier that you'll be using it on an airplane!

And remember...those alternators and starters that get rebuilt at the auto shop are for your AIRBOAT! (Hey, that works well down here in the south....)

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Just to follow up - I received the new motor brush assembly from Motion Systems today a mere 24 hours after talking to them.

For $16 you can clean and refurbish one of the older actuators with a new brush assembly (p/n 79633-004) - and I'm sure that their service for complete motor replacements is just as good.

They are in New Jersey at
www.motionsystem.com
(732)222-1800

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Heading to the airport for wing assembly!

From Rosie: I just bought a new set of brushes on 12 Oct 2011, no change in price, part & contact info all good ;-)