I could just rip the compressor and the motor out of the A/C unit I have.. and then it is just an issue of replacing a small part (or parts) as opposed to the whole Unit.. if the lines and fins and all that is still good.. no point in doing all the labor of a full change.. unless there is an issue with the gas that used.. but I believe you can buy that at an autoparts store... let me know if you would consider that plan.
It only needs the condensor fan motor. On this unit, it is a separate motor. Since it is exposed, it needs to be outdoor rated, which I am having trouble finding.. I can find one, but not outdoor rated, or I can find one outdoor rated, but 240 volts. I had as one of my contacts, a man that worked for Armstrong. Unfortunately, he has passed away, and he no longer has access to his stockpile of old Armstrong parts.
If the unit you have is one of the old Armstrongs from around 1969-1975, the condensor fan/motor is all we need to get this one going.
Until you have to repair something with absolutely zero resources.
I climed the ladder onto the roof of Bertha this morning, and spent a little over an hour removing the offending motor. I took the motor over to a friend's shop, where i dismantled the motor. After taking it apart, everything worked as it should. Scratching head... Put it back together, and the motor wouldn't turn.
Took it back apart, checked everything. Both bearings worked fine, no rust, no binding. Checked the rotor in the motor, no problem. Checked the windings, they ohmed out good. Put it back together, it spun freely. Cool! picked it up off the bench, and spun it again. It wouldn't turn. Again. $%^$%%$^&^%$%%
Took the piece of crap apart again, everything worked fine. Put it back together, and noticed there seemed to be a bit of end play in the motor shaft. I looked closely at the bottom bearing. Looks like there used to be a fiber thrust washer between the base of the motor and the bottom bearing. When assembled, and put upright, the rotor would drop down and bind. Naturally, there were dozens of fiber washers just falling out of drawers everywhere in the shop. I asked my friend if he had anything that would work. He mumbled something about having thrown away a bunch of hardware last week. You're kidding, right?
I then got creative, and we started looking in the cabinets for aluminum carbeureter washers. He happened to have ONE that fit the shaft, and seemed about the correct thickness. Yay! Put it in, and the motor spun just like it was supposed to. Now, all I need is 4 #8 bolts, 4 inches long, to clamp the three large pieces of the motor back together. My friend reminded me he had thrown out a bunch or hardware last week. You tell me that again, Jack, and you're going to be wearing this motor.
So, off to the hardware store I went, with one of the bolts as a sample. No one has #8 bolts 4 inches long, the longest they have is 3 inches. Sigh. Just shoot me now. As I was leaving the last place, I noticed a rack of allthread sitting there. Gee, there's a chunk of #8 allthread, about 4 feet long. I'll take it!
I arrived home with the motor, thrust washer, allthread, washers, and nuts to reassemble this demon-infested fan motor from hell. I stepped out of the truck, walked to the back, and the heavens opened on me. A mad dash to the house, I guess I'll bolt the motor together in the morning. We have been very dry this month, with only an inch or so of rain so far. Until this afternoon. I'll post pictures of the reinstall tomorrow, if nothing else bad happens.
OK, here is a Q. that may put me in the corner with the dunce hat but here goes anyway ...... could you not just turn the antenna a bit so it clears the shroud and have the other end point toward the roof center? Is the bracket near the roof vent something the antenna just rests on or does it fasten the antenna in place during travel? If it's just a rest for the antenna, could it be made a little taller?
suz
__________________ sue and ike '75 Tradewind - 25' "Cupcake" air-912 2004 GMC Yukon XL 2500 Michigan - "middle of the mitt"
Why not make a slight adjustment to the wing with a grinding wheel? Is a half inch going to make any difference in reception?
I don't know if it will make a difference, the grinding wheel will be an item of last resort. I am also considering bending the end either up or down so it will clear, if my shim idea above doesn't pan out.
OK, here is a Q. that may put me in the corner with the dunce hat but here goes anyway ...... could you not just turn the antenna a bit so it clears the shroud and have the other end point toward the roof center? Is the bracket near the roof vent something the antenna just rests on or does it fasten the antenna in place during travel? If it's just a rest for the antenna, could it be made a little taller?
suz
The main bracket has a slot that the arms have to rest in or the antenna will swivel around while driving. This slot faces directly rearward, toward the shroud. I already have the Batwing resting on the old Skyliner mount, and that mount turned upwards as far as it will go. I am thinking about adding a smallaluminum b lock to raise the antenna the requisite amount. Maybe it will work.
While I was leaving the storage lot, I noticed a Flair class A with a batwing--completely resting on the a/c shroud.
Okay, I'll angle it if nothing else works. I just don't want to put more holes in the roof, that would, to me, be worse than the batwing wearing a hole in the shroud. Also, I am seriously considering replacing the Armstrong before we start fulltiming. The failure of the unit a couple of weeks ago has me very worried that in the middle of the day, it would get a lot hotter than 100 in there if it shuts down when we are at work, or out. That would literally cook our dog, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if our dog died because I didn't want to spend the money on a new a/c.
I may wait till after we replace the a/c, and see if the batwing still rubs the new unit. If not, great, if it does, then I'll get creative.
Anybody want a slightly used Armstrong 12,000 btu a/c unit? Works good, but is old.
A large box arrived today from Jackson Center. I wonder what's in it? I always seem to create more work for myself, this was one of the things I wanted to change when we got Bertha. Stay tuned, more photos coming this weekend.
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. I asked my friend if he had anything that would work. He mumbled something about having thrown away a bunch of hardware last week. You're kidding, right?
I'll post pictures of the reinstall tomorrow, if nothing else bad happens.
Our Excella came like that, and we ordered one from the Dallas dealer from his used stock. 
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