Prbably a stupid question,but...

kirkcdl

Joined
May 30, 2010
Messages
55
Location
Orygun
Is it possible to have a 28A alternator rebuilt to increase the amperage?Or is it simply a case that you can't fit 10 lbs in a 5lb box?I ask because I really want to upgrade my 93,but I am not confident enough in my mechanical ability to pull it off,and the 3 Honda dealers withn 150 miles of me have never heard of the upgrade,at least according to the service people that answered the phone when I asked...Also,is the only source for a 40A a wrecked/parted bike?Or does Mother Honda sell new ones?
 
Can't speak on the rebuild, but I am guessing your analogy ain't fair off. AS to mother Honda doing the upgrade, they don't. It is home brewed by some very creative people. There is actually traveling kit, that makes the job as simple as possible, John Oosterhouse should chime in at some point on this one. Ther eis also a parts list up on st1100.org that lists all of the parts to purchase new from Honda to complete the upgrade.
 
I read on one of these lists of a member working with his mechanic to do the job. He took in all the documentation about the procedure and the mechanic did it. Of course, you'd have to be good friends with the mechanic. Most likely an independent shop. I did mine, with the help of the aforementioned John Oosterhuis and the kit. I wasn't very mechanically inclined either, but was much more so after he guided me through it and did a lot of the work. Take a look at the procedure and see if anyone around you might be willing to help. You can also get a lot of online help through the lists.

Good luck.
 
Here is the deal. In order to pull out the 28 alternator to rebuild, replace or whatever and you are already 80% of the way to the 40 Amp Upgrade. The only thing you do different is swap in the 40 amp then make some modifications to the electrical system which are not all that big of a deal. The hard part is pulling the swing arm and getting the old one out. I haven't done mine but mine also works. If I was going to do anything to the charging system it would come out and be replaced with the 40.
 
RichPeabody,thank you for the kind offer,but mine works fine right now.It's just that the consensus is that it will fail somewhere around 80K,and although I'm only at 53K now,I really don't like the "sword hanging over my head" feeling that I have,knowing it'll get worse as I put miles on the bike...Plus,I would like to feel comfortable in adding powered accessories...I just had an idea that I could remove the 28A and take it to an automotive alternator shop and have them rebuild it with a higher amperage output.Thinking this mainly for the ease of installing it back onto the bike...I just wasn't sure if that was even possible,as far as the physical dimensions of the alternator are concerned...From what I've read,and admittedly,I have only scanned the alternator swap articles on this site,one of the modifications that are required involve modifying the original engine casings somehow,and I don't feel comfortable with my ability to do that...I have no problem with the wrenching part...
 
I have done the upgrade, If you are going to go through the trouble of taking out your old alt, you might as well put in the 40 amp. You have done most of the job just trying to get the old one out. Don't bother asking anyone at a Honda dealer, they will look at you like you have three heads??? Never heard of the upgrade. You should have seen there faces when I walked in with the paarts list and started ordering all of these parts. They had no idea what I was doing and just kept telling me that these parts are not returnable!! It really is not a bad job, if you just take your time, label stuff, it will go fine. My Clymer repair manual even had the 40 amp upgrade in there....step by step instructions!! Scan this site, there are so many articles and links to everything. Here's a good link http://home.insightbb.com/~mmartin36/Alt.htm Good Luck!! Yes, when you start adding stuff is when the 28 will start to fail.
 
I'd do the standard 40 amp upgrade. Much safer and most likely it will be far more reliable, since it is designed to produce that kind of output. Home-grown hybrids may or may not be a good thing. Also don't forget that a permanent magnet alternator upgraded to higher output requires better oil cooling and a much more robust regulator as well.

Like someone said here, you're 80% of the way to a 40 amp conversion. Why not just buy one? Or rebuild one of them if cost is an issue?

Ross
 
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