bakerocb
Joined: 15 Jan 2006
Posts: 727
Location: FAIRFAX VA
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 Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:39 am Post subject: Alternator quit working, Coupling |
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10/27/2009
Hello Travis, You wrote:
1) "My alternator coupling failed...AGAIN!"
Bummer -- I feel a bit guilty because I steered you in the direction of
Drake back in November 2006. The history of your alternator couplings is not
clear to me:
a) Your original TCM factory provided coupling that came with your engine
failed after how many hours?
b) You sent the original failed coupling off to Drake and they refurbished
it. How many hours did you get on this refurbished coupling before it
failed?
2) "I emailed Drake Air this morning and was inquiring as to why their part
failed...prematurely...in
my opinion!"
In addition to this query to Drake (from whom you may not get a completely
unbiased answer) I would call TCM Technical Services (1-888-826-5465) and
ask some questions:
a) What is the expected service hours life of their elastomeric coupling?
b) What factors could shorten that service life?
c) Do they have any info from the field on the durability of Drake's
coupling versus TCM's coupling?
d) Who makes the TCM coupling?
You can see where this is heading. It may turn out that a $1,600 TCM
coupling is a more cost effective item than a $450 Drake refurbished
coupling. The durability of the Drake refurbished coupling would be
dependent upon: A) The quality of the elastomeric material used, and B) The
quality of the workmanship in casting / assembling the coupling.
Can you recall how the original TCM coupling failed? Was it a shearing of
the elastomeric or was it a separation of the elastomeric from the metal
parts?
Similarly, how did the Drake refurbished coupling fail? Was it a shearing of
the elastomeric or was it a separation of the elastomeic from the metal
parts?
Regardless of which coupling source you decide to use you may want to apply
the torque test to it before you install it. The torque test is described in
the TCM SB95-3B.
Good luck and please keep us informed.
'OC' Says: "The best investment we can make is the effort to gather and
understand knowledge."
PS: I am flying a KIS TR-1 with a TCM IO-240 B9B engine with a Prince P tip
prop. 263 hours tach time with the engine above 1,500 RPM. With my new wheel
pants I can get 140 knots indicated airspeed.
===========================================================
Time: 01:18:14 PM PST US
Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: Continental IO-240: Alternator quit working,
Coupling
Failed
From: "FlyboyTR" <flyboytr(at)bellsouth.net>
The past 254 hours have been great...until yesterday. My alternator
coupling failed...AGAIN!
I had purchased a rebuilt unit from Drake Air (as noted above
in this thread). $450 versus $1,600 from TCM for a new one.
Is there any reason this part should fail so soon? Oil, hours, temps,
alternator
load, how the load is applied, etc?
I emailed Drake Air this morning and was inquiring as to why their part
failed...prematurely...in
my opinion!
I have to pull my engine to remove the alternator. ...insult to injury! 
Again...I welcome input from the forum!
Travis 
--------
Travis Rayner
Mobile, AL
Skystar Vixen, N-789DF
Continental IO-240, Prince P-Tip Prop
ADI-II Autopilot
AnyWhereMap Navigation with weather
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 69543#269543
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