electrical and ignition Fan Shaft Cap Or Clip

[Ferrance]

Lacking a cap or clip to hold the fan on a heater motor, I'm looking for an effective substitute.  Suggestions?

Fran Ferrance

1972 2002

Ferrance@aol.com

[jgerock]

If you are talking about the bushing that secures the fan on the motor shaft, you might look at McMaster-Carr or in a large hardware store for a bushing with set screw.  Another cheap alternative is to look for a plastic cap with metal spring washer like used on the end of an axle (kid's toy or wagon).

 

Here is the bushing that came on my Bosch replacement heater motor/fan

[Mike Self]

In the picture above, the red plastic bushing is actually the fan hub and part of the fan blade assembly; they're pressed together, and are pretty easy to separate inadvertently when trying to remove the fan assy from the motor shaft.  If you found a hub with a set screw, you'd have to solder or somehow glue it to the fan.  If the hub you find is pot metal, soldering won't work; you'd need a steel or brass hub.

 

mike

Edited November 29, 2013 by mike

[jgerock]

In the picture above, the red plastic bushing isactually the fan hub and part of the fan blade assembly; they're pressed together, and are pretty easy to separate inadvertently when trying to remove the fan assy from the motor shaft.  If you found a hub with a set screw, you'd have to solder or somehow glue it to the fan.  If thehub you find is pot metal, soldering won't work; you'd need a steel or brass hub.

 

mike

Sorry Mike but my replacement assembly uses (2) red plastic bushings that locate the fan on the shaft.  One below and one above the fan blade.  When I installed the assembly in the heater box top, I accidently moved the bottom bushing, making the fan wobble.  I was surprised it would come that way.   My original heater blade came with a hub with tiny set screw.

[Mike Self]

Thanks for the update on the new fan/motor assemblies.  They're not anything like the original ones.  Older '02s had a metal fan hub with a set screw; later ones, a plastic hub that was a press fit.  These later ones were really difficult to remove from the motor shaft without breaking something (usually the plastic hub) or bending the blades.  

 

Regardless of style, it's important to get the fan positioned so it doesn't hit the heater housing either while operating or just freewheeling from airflow while the car's moving.  It'll cause a dinging sound that'll drive you crazy--and to cure it you'll have to remove the heater and take it apart to reposition the fan blades. 

 

If those plastic hubs work themselves loose again you might look into finding a couple of metal hubs with set screws to replace 'em...

 

cheers

mike