The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Starter brushes

For guys like me with OldTimer's disease, I'd recommend replacing the brushes one at a time so you get them back in facing the right way. When I did mine a few years back my local O'Reilly's had the brushes, springs and bushings in stock. The Bendix arrived the next day. May as well replace them all while you have it apart.

Mine is a GMC, but has the same 1107108 starter.

I used the following Borg Warner parts:
Starter drive (Bendix) SD212
Drive end bushing SB65
Commutator end bushing SB0
Brushes (set of 4) X265
Brush spring (need 4) SC204

Eight years ago I posted the write up below on a different old truck web site:

Removed the ground wire from the battery, then all wires from the stomp starter switch.

Took the starter apart and cleaned everything up well. Under a layer of paint from a previous overhaul, I found the starter part number 1107108 as I hoped and a build date of Aug 3, 1952, newer than my truck. Painted all the exterior parts.

The Maintenance Manual warned against using Emery cloth on the commutator. My buddy Bill (retired electrician at an Exxon gas plant) said that was because the dust will conduct. I used regular garnet 220 grit sandpaper to clean up the commutator and then Bill used a modified hack saw blade to clean out the gaps and undercut the mica insulators.

We cut the old bushings out with a small chisel, folding the bushing material into the center of the hole. Then we carefully installed the new bushings using the back side of a 9/16" socket as a driver and tapping gently with a hammer.

Replaced the springs and brushes one at a time so I could look at the other 3 to make sure I was putting it back together correctly. Left the brushes slightly loose in their holders. Installed the commutator end plate onto the armature and then tightened the screws holding the brushes once they were properly positioned.

Used a small dab of high temp grease in both bushings and on the pivot point of the arm that throws the starter drive in.

Bolted everything else back together and re-installed the starter.

A tip for getting the starter back in by yourself. Get a 2"-3" 5/16" bolt and nut. Put the bolt through the hole in the top end of the arm that activates the starter switch and turn the nut on a few turns. Makes a good handle to hold the starter while getting the nut on the top mounting stud. Once the nut is on the top stud a few turns, crawl underneath and install the underside bolt all the way tight before you finish tightening the nut on the top.

Don't forget to wait until all the starter wires are installed before connecting the battery ground cable.

By the way, I've been running this 6 volt starter on 12 volts for 11+ years now.

WORKS GREAT!