The Siren Board

Hello everyone. I am currently in the process of restoring my Thunderbolt 1000B siren, but have a problem. The bearings have gone bad and sound terrible. I dont want to take the siren apart myself because I dont want to break it. So, if anyone knows someone in the Georgia area who could do the job for me? Thanks, Nick

NKTBOLT wrote:Hello everyone. I am currently in the process of restoring my Thunderbolt 1000B siren, but have a problem. The bearings have gone bad and sound terrible. I dont want to take the siren apart myself because I dont want to break it. So, if anyone knows someone in the Georgia area who could do the job for me? Thanks, Nick

I suggest contacting any motor shop.. or murrfarms.

Valtonus wrote:

NKTBOLT wrote:Hello everyone. I am currently in the process of restoring my Thunderbolt 1000B siren, but have a problem. The bearings have gone bad and sound terrible. I dont want to take the siren apart myself because I dont want to break it. So, if anyone knows someone in the Georgia area who could do the job for me? Thanks, Nick

I suggest contacting any motor shop.. or murrfarms.

I may contact Ian or Jeb (Blue10AEMia)

I don't know how much experience your family has or you have but try asking them. Or take it to a machine shop. They definitely could do it. I did it myself and I have next to no mechanical skills.

Its really easy to take the bearings out. All you need is a simple bearing puller (which you can get form eBay for pretty cheap). You gotta take the entire chopper assembly out and before you remove the armature, make sure to take the brush holders out or else you can damage the brush holders/brushes. Here is a video from murrfarms of him showing how to remove and install bearings from a Model 2 (which is basically the same thing as a Thunderbolt chopper).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7abRQAaosk

SoundMaster 391 wrote:Its really easy to take the bearings out. All you need is a simple bearing puller (which you can get form eBay for pretty cheap). You gotta take the entire chopper assembly out and before you remove the armature, make sure to take the brush holders out or else you can damage the brush holders/brushes. Here is a video from murrfarms of him showing how to remove bearings from a Model 2. Which is basically the same thing as a Thunderbolt chopper.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7abRQAaosk

I used this video to assist my project. When you do take the chopper cap off I'd recommend not using a regular hammer to take it off. Find a copper one instead. It will help to not warp the metal. That is if the bearing doesn't come out when you take the chopper out.

When you do take the chopper cap off I'd recommend not using a regular hammer to take it off. Find a copper one instead. It will help to not warp the metal. That is if the bearing doesn't come out when you take the chopper out.

Can't you use a mallet too?

SoundMaster 391 wrote:

When you do take the chopper cap off I'd recommend not using a regular hammer to take it off. Find a copper one instead. It will help to not warp the metal. That is if the bearing doesn't come out when you take the chopper out.

Can't you use a mullet too?

Depends on the type of head. Copper is harder but malleable which makes it perfect to hammer pieces of metal. Instead of warping the surface it warps the head of the hammer. It's much more efficient in my opinion. And my granddad's who's been an engineer for a long time.

SoundMaster 391 wrote:Its really easy to take the bearings out. All you need is a simple bearing puller (which you can get form eBay for pretty cheap). You gotta take the entire chopper assembly out and before you remove the armature, make sure to take the brush holders out or else you can damage the brush holders/brushes. Here is a video from murrfarms of him showing how to remove and install bearings from a Model 2 (which is basically the same thing as a Thunderbolt chopper).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7abRQAaosk

NK THIS is the video I was telling you about.

You mean a brass hammer don't you?
I don't think I've ever seen a copper hammer.
Thunderbolt chopper caps/stators are either
bronze or aluminum usually. I think some might have been cast iron but ive never seen
one. You could still damage a chopper stator
with a brass hammer. Use a plastic deadblow hammer. I've never had much trouble getting the motor out of a thunderbolt chopper housing.