Notes from 40 amp Upgrade

Joined
Aug 19, 2016
Messages
14
Location
Mt. Shasta, CA
Bike
1991 ST1100
STOC #
8921
Here are some notes from my 28 to 40 amp alternator upgrade using the STOC kit. The good news is that it was a success! I had a few problems along the way though - which by sharing will hopefully spare you from something similar.

The kit is comprehensive - including the special tools you?ll need like the 17mm allen, swing-arm nut wrench and the custom Lewis Pin and Frenstick. It also includes the three greases you?ll need - Honda moly paste, regular moly grease and some waterproof bike grease for the rear wheel. Also included is ALL of the web notes and tips both in a binder for inside and looseleaf for out in the shop. What a great resource!

I was working on a 1991 with just over 150K. This is a California bike - so there was no corrosion to deal with. Everything came apart pretty easily.

Here is what I found upon checking out my alternator problem:

IMG_2145.jpg

While I already had a pretty good set of tools before I started, I purchased a 3/8? torque wrench and a 6? vise for putting the drive gears together with the new shaft. You?ll need a 1/2? torque wrench for the swing-arm and rear wheel nuts. I also bought a couple of parts bins - which keeps everything organized.

The rear wheel, rear drive unit and swing-arm all came off easy - just follow the instructions in the manual and in the STOC notes. I did not drain the rear drive oil.

FIRST PROBLEM: I was having trouble getting the nut off of the gear shift bolt, and I was afraid of stripping it. I noticed in Mike Martin?s tips that he had left his shift lever on. It just said in parenthesis ?I didn?t do this? where it said to remove the gearshift lever. SO - I thought maybe I could just leave it and move forward to removing the alt. What I discovered after I had removed the first section and begun removing the drive gears was that the bottom bolt holding the drive gears in would not come all the way out before hitting the gearshift bolt. By this time, I had already pried the gears free - and there was no getting them back in again - AND the shifter bolt would not come out because it hit the alt bolt. Classic pickle!

IMG_2152B.jpg

SOLUTION: Remove the shift lever before removing the old alt. I had to cut the bolt with a sawzall to get the alternator out - at which time I also removed the shift lever. All of the linkage and hose guides get in the way of removal and install anyway. Not sure how MM did it without removing it.

After that - getting the new drive gears installed with the Lewis Pin was a little tricky. I had to keep pulling them and re-inserting the pin. After doing this for the third time - the pin pulled out easily. Don?t force it - if it doesn?t pull out - remove the gears and re-set the pin.

Watch the video on installing the new alternator. I removed all of the wires and hoses from that space - and it went in first try after watching the video.

I used the factory 50 amp fuse box - which fit perfectly and makes for a nice clean install. I also decided not to unwind the whole wiring harness to get the old wires out - instead I just cut the wires and removed the the old plugs. This was probably not wise though - see below?

SECOND PROBLEM: First off - electricity is not my strong point. I thought I followed the wiring instructions correctly - and cut the appropriate wires from the old plug, plus the red and white wire. I taped the ends like they said and retained the green ground wire. I hooked it all up and started the bike - reading 14.35 volts at the battery. Cool. So I put everything back together. At this point - I think I decided to go back into the wiring harness and add my GPS back in - connecting it to the red/white hot wire. Somewhere in here I got confused and inadvertently cut the black wire coming out of the black 2p connector from the original wiring harness. Maybe I got it confused with the other black wire from the old connector that gets thrown out - not sure now - but long story short - DO NOT CUT THAT WIRE! I broke down the next day and had to trailer the bike back home. I was getting nothing from the alt.

IMG_2155.jpg


SOLUTION: See above - make sure that wire stays intact. I thankfully was in touch with John O on this and he caught what I had done. After reconnecting the 2p black wire - I was again getting over 14 volts at the battery. Moral of the story - don?t underestimate the importance of getting the wiring right! Had John not caught this for me - I would have had to go through a series of tests to determine what the problem was etc.

Besides the wiring mishap - it went pretty well. This is a great upgrade - and if you have a high mileage bike that hasn?t had a new driveshaft or rear-end this is the time to replace those old parts. I had both replaced just prior to the alt failing - which is too bad, since I could have saved a chunk of change doing it as part of this upgrade.

I just finished installing new Oxford heated grips! :D

Thanks to all who have contributed to this upgrade process!



 

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Joined
Dec 21, 2016
Messages
1
Location
ontario canada
Bike
1993 ST1100
Hi Knightrider I need 40amp upgrade I wonder where you got the installation kit I have complete alt from 2000 st thanks Docn9a
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2006
Messages
3,512
Location
British Columbia
Bike
2021 RE Meteor 350
Hi Knightrider I need 40amp upgrade I wonder where you got the installation kit I have complete alt from 2000 st thanks Docn9a
John O. on this site is the alternator upgrade kit co-ordinator, but he is in the USA and I'm not sure that the kit crosses the border. Send him an email, not private message, to see if he can help.
 

John OoSTerhuis

Life Is Good!
Joined
May 10, 2005
Messages
5,218
Location
Bettendorf, Iowa
Bike
1991 SSMST1100
STOC #
1058
.... I need 40amp upgrade I wonder where you got the installation kit I have complete alt from 2000 st thanks Docn9a
Hi Grant. The kit should be on its way to you in FL via USPS tomorrow.

Not sure what Jeff's problem was with the shifter bolt interference, first I've heard of that. The new alternator should not have to be split in two to install it, nor should there be a need to remove the shifter.

Regards, John
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
15
Location
Lucas, TX
Bike
'94 ST1100
STOC #
1972
Hey John, I hope I can borrow the the tool kit for my pending upgrade. My '94 ST, which is my primary transportation is down with no battery charging occurring. I've sent you an email with my address. I've been filling my few available hours scouring these threads getting ready for it.

Interestingly enough, when my battery first died, I noticed one of my fork seals leaking, so I followed the instructions here for a successful seal replacement only to have my bike die on my new battery. Turned out to be the ol' 28 amp alternator.

Any help you could provide on it's upgrade will be greatly appreciated!
 

John OoSTerhuis

Life Is Good!
Joined
May 10, 2005
Messages
5,218
Location
Bettendorf, Iowa
Bike
1991 SSMST1100
STOC #
1058
Hey John, I hope I can borrow the the tool kit for my pending upgrade
Hey Phil, got your email.

Everyone, to borrow any of the STOC tool kits go here (register if you haven't already) and follow the simple instructions:
Special Tools and Toolkits
http://www.st-riders.net/index.php/board,15.0.html

The main reference for the upgrade procedure that so many have used successfully with the kits:
ST1100 Archive Of Wisdom (AOW): 40 Amp Alternator Upgrade - A Two Part Series ! Now With VIDEO !!
http://www.st-riders.net/index.php?topic=942

John
 
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