28 amp to 40 amp how hard?

citall

Joined
Jun 1, 2009
Messages
13
Location
Mount Forest Canada
Saturday started a two day ride 2 1/2 hours in made it to the ferry. Bike(1995 st 1100) goes dead. Boosted it and it ran for about 10 mins then died again. Running with heated grips GPS and Ipod on charge with the back light on. The high beams where on most the time. The boat left with out me. The better half came wiht a trailer and I trailered it home. My guess is it is the alternator. I have the 28map model. The Previous owner had heated clothing as there is two auxilary plugs for heated clothing which I'm sure helped to shorten the life.

Is it fairly straight foward to swap out the 28? What is the best step by step inscructions for this job. Is there somewhere on line that it can be bought for a good price? Anyone that has already done it want to come north and help me out:bow1::D

Thanks Jonathon
 
Take a look at this thread. There is lots of info and links to where you should go to get the directions and some ideas on parts. When getting all the parts to do this the most expensive part is the alternator. So if you shop around for that and then buy the rest of the stuff from the same place to save on shipping. I see you are in Canada so prices that I have seen are in US Dollars on the post. I don't know what the exchange rate is or how you guys get hit on import duties. PM me your email address and I can send you an Excel Spread Sheet with all the parts needed with part numbers and quantities. There are prices on there from last summer. I think the total was about $466 for everything then. In the post that I am linking you to he ran the current prices and it was a little over $500 now. Plus you will have shipping and other fees.

Anyhow here is the link

Link To 40 Amp Upgrade Discussion
 
The alt swap is a very well documented procedure. A great place to start is Mike Martin's site. There are even some videos posted. And, join up on the original ST-Riders ST1100 LiST where John Oo has a "loaner" tool kit with the specialty tools necessary to do the job.

If you have a good mechanical aptitude, some tools, and some patience, you can do this job. I did it about a year ago, took my time and did the swap along with some other maintenance.

The process requires removing the rear wheel, fuel tank, swing arm and a few other goodies but really is not that difficult. Read up on "the LiST" and Mike Martin's site and decide for yourself.

If you purchase all the parts new from Honda, it will cost you about $500. If you can luck out (like I did) and find a used one, it can be a good bit cheaper.

Good Luck and Keep us posted!!
 
I have a 91 and had the upgrade done last winter. I love it. I installed a voltmeter in the lid for my right pocket and it so nice to see it reading 14.2 when running.

I say go for it!

:bk11:
 
Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to get started right away. First thing organize the gargage! I'll give constant up dates. I will also be taking photos to help with reassembly. Don't be jealous guys but my wife is going to help me. She did a frame off on a 1978 triumph spitfire and fancies her self as mechanicly inclined. Sennister I will send you an email to get that spread sheet and I have to get in touch with John Oo for the tool kit. (First time I'll have the right tools for the job)

Thanks again Jonathon
 
Take it one step at a time and you will be fine. We are here if you have questions.

I like the updates and photos idea too!
 
citall said:
Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to get started right away. First thing organize the gargage! I'll give constant up dates. I will also be taking photos to help with reassembly. Don't be jealous guys but my wife is going to help me. She did a frame off on a 1978 triumph spitfire and fancies her self as mechanicly inclined. Sennister I will send you an email to get that spread sheet and I have to get in touch with John Oo for the tool kit. (First time I'll have the right tools for the job)

Thanks again Jonathon
Click to expand...

:worthless (of yur wife. :D)
 
There is no need for a special tool kit if you make the swing arm socket from a deep socket. An impact gun makes things a lot easier. I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't borrow the kit if it is easily available but simply that you can get it done without.

Too bad you're at the wrong end of the country, if you were here on the West Coast, I'd be pleased to help out. I have all the tools and have done the alternator swap.

Keep in mind that my 40 amp alternator actually puts out 59.6 amps at full load which may be worth keeping in mind when considering wire size, etc.

You may also wish to consider the ignition circuit by-pass relay modification because of the benefit of less power loss to the fuse box. This improves headlight output and delivery to the complete electrical system.

HIH

Norm
 
Norm's right, I made a tool out of a socket. Makes it a little hard to set the pre load on the swing arm bushing....

All it costs you for the kit is postage (<$10.00), it has a "Lewis pin" with the set. Way worth it, you get to be on the long list of kit users. Be sure you fill out an 'after action' report for John, I haven't done so, yet:)
 
Norm said:
Keep in mind that my 40 amp alternator actually puts out 59.6 amps at full load which may be worth keeping in mind when considering wire size, etc.
Click to expand...

Some do, some don't. Honda snuck a few 55 amp alternators in and labeled them 40 amp alternators anyways. You may or may not get a 55 amp alternator if you buy a new one, but the chances are greater for getting the 55 amp alternator if you buy a new one rather than a used one.
 
Norm said:
There is no need for a special tool kit if you make the swing arm socket from a deep socket.
Click to expand...

BigTom said:
Norm's right, I made a tool out of a socket.
Click to expand...


How did you guys set the left pivot bolt lockring torque to spec? The Honda special tool is a 'crowfoot' type socket so the pivot bolt's preload (13 ft lbs) can be held fixed with a 17mm hex-bit socket through the center of the tool while the locknut is torqued via the offset to spec (76 ft lbs).



Here's a schematic with measurements for DIYers:

[attachment for download added below]

Alt upgrade, with videos: 40 amp upgrade - a two part series ! Now with VIDEO !! - ST-Riders

Upgrade tool kit loan (register to read): ST1100 40amp Alternator Upgrade Tool Kits - ST-Riders

HTH

John

[attempted attachment... can only manage another image, not a downloadable link copy]

edit: sorry, I can't seem to work this out, the forum software sez I already attached this jpg in another thread. Copying the address in that thread's attachment's properties window doesn't work like I thought it would. I've added the other thread's post below... dunno how else to do it...

edit: thread post with downloadable special tool schematic:
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showpost.php?p=609509&postcount=18
 
juddspaintballs said:
Some do, some don't. Honda snuck a few 55 amp alternators in and labeled them 40 amp alternators anyways. You may or may not get a 55 amp alternator if you buy a new one, but the chances are greater for getting the 55 amp alternator if you buy a new one rather than a used one.
Click to expand...


I did not know that. I bought mine new but from http://www.beaverdamhondakawasaki.com/ , Think I might have got a 55amp?
:bk11:
 
John, open the old picture, right click, copy "image location", past that into the 'postcard' icon on the new message.
 
George said:
John, open the old picture, right click, copy "image location", past that into the 'postcard' icon on the new message.
Click to expand...

Huh? George, "image location" is not in any right-click dropdown menu on my IE8. Nor do I have a 'postcard' icon (the 'Insert Image' icon?). Like I said, I copied the URL address shown when I right-clicked and selected 'properties' (an ST-Owners.com address), and inserted that into the 'Manage Attachments' window (Upload error, invalid file). Also tried the 'Insert Image' but it wasn't a clickable thumbnail for a download.

John
 
John OoSTerhuis said:
Huh? George, "image location" is not in any right-click dropdown menu on my IE8. Nor do I have a 'postcard' icon (the 'Insert Image' icon?). Like I said, I copied the URL address shown when I right-clicked and selected 'properties' (an ST-Owners.com address), and inserted that into the 'Manage Attachments' window (Upload error, invalid file). Also tried the 'Insert Image' but it wasn't a clickable thumbnail for a download.

John
Click to expand...

Hmmmm, I'm running Vista at home and XP on the portable, both have the same options. Sorry, guess I didn't help.
 
John OoSTerhuis said:
Huh? George, "image location" is not in any right-click dropdown menu on my IE8. Nor do I have a 'postcard' icon (the 'Insert Image' icon?). Like I said, I copied the URL address shown when I right-clicked and selected 'properties' (an ST-Owners.com address), and inserted that into the 'Manage Attachments' window (Upload error, invalid file). Also tried the 'Insert Image' but it wasn't a clickable thumbnail for a download.

John
Click to expand...

John, if the pic is already on STO somewhere, as an attachment, then you can just insert that url into the
insertimage.gif
icon... With IE it is the right click properties method whereas with firefox it's just rightclick/copy image location.

You can't attach the same file if you have already attached it somewhere else.

I fixed the image in your post but it was the thumbnail pic of the schematic.
 
Hey, John.

I used the socket as a socket to take it off, then cut the drive end out of it to set the pre load going back together.

I've never admitted that I had to do the deal twice, might as well do it now. I dropped and broke the adapter bracket, somebody else needed the tools, I sent them on while waiting for the new bracket...Now you know why it's been so hard for me to post an after action report.
 
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