Replacement Lucas Stators T140

[nedbonnie]

Has anyone experienced any problem with the new "Genuine Lucas" stators being sold ??I fitted one to my T140 but found that it squashed up against the inside of the primary cover.The wires that come out of the resin come straight out and not slightly to the side as on original stators.The pimary cover will go on but will crush the wires .If you've recently fitted one I would suggest whipping the cover off and checking .

 

[Rudie]

It's a bit late for you but people should be careful of this "Genuine Lucas" stuff. It's made by Wassell, who have rather ... errr ... chequered ... quality control. Wassell have had an exclusive licence since about 2014 to use the "Lucas" brand name and packaging from the company that bought the original Lucas in 1979.

Smaller and cheaper parts, you're probably stuck with "Genuine Lucas" or other equally-dubious pattern stuff. However, there is a company in the UK making Lucas-pattern stators - before the Wassell licence, they used to print "Lucas" on their stators; now they're known in the trade just as "Made In England" or "Made In UK" stators.

 

[triumph david]

I am glad to know this!

 

[Rocky]

My two old bikes are 51 an 48 years old and the stators are still putting out the juice after all these years.
Of course that's not continuously as they sat for years, but it's still amazing.

 

[triumph david]

I was thinking when i read this that it might be a good idea to buy a used one on E-Bay instead of a new one.

 

[Rudie]

it might be a good idea to buy a used one on E-Bay instead of a new one.

Why? Which one? Is it very cheap? Do you have a test rig, or will you fit it to the bike and hope for the best?

 

[grandpaul]

New rotors are good as far as I know. I heard Wassell stators are weak, and Sparx 3-phase stators had a large batch that failed, but haven't heard further in almost a year.

 

[Rudie]

New rotors are good as far as I know.

Don't know of any problems with their magnetism but do know of problems with their bore sizing. Rotors are supposed to be a very precise sliding fit on cranks; Wassell either don't know, don't care or don't check. This bungling incompetence coupled with buyer/fitter ignorance has led to incorrectly-sized rotors being hammered on to cranks, with consequent removal difficulties ...

I heard Wassell stators are weak,

Haven't had anything to do with their 3-phase (I avoid Wassell parts wherever possible) but, if the Wassell single-phase stators labelled "16A" and "20A" are extrapolated to "Amps", on one hand, I haven't seen any verification - Wassell or independent - of the claims; otoh, there are several internet forum posts that such maximum Amps figures, or even increased output at lower rpm, weren't forthcoming.

Sparx 3-phase stators had a large batch that failed,

Interesting to know ...

 

[Mikel J.]

Has anyone experienced any problem with the new "Genuine Lucas" stators being sold ??I fitted one to my T140 but found that it squashed up against the inside of the primary cover.The wires that come out of the resin come straight out and not slightly to the side as on original stators.The pimary cover will go on but will crush the wires .If you've recently fitted one I would suggest whipping the cover off and checking .

I haven't gotten that far yet with installing a new, 180W , Wassle stator. The original flat washers are to "wide" & bind with the stator insulation.
The original flat washers do not lay flat on the stator base. If I were to torque the stator nuts, the washers would cut the insulating material off the new stator.
Smaller O.S. diameter flat washers would work but....???
Unless it's a quality control issue Wassle, I sure hate to improvise....?
Thoughts, suggestions....?
Mikel J.

 

[Rudie]

installing a new, 180W , Wassle stator. The original flat washers are to "wide" & bind with the stator insulation.
Smaller O.S. diameter flat washers would work
Unless it's a quality control issue

By "180W", you mean a 3-phase (3 wires) stator?

Then it depends on the outside diameter of the "original flat washers" you are trying to reuse - if the washers' o.d. is 5/8", and the new stator is 3-phase, those washers were never fitted with 3-phase stators ... despite what it says in all the parts books ...

The washers fitted originally with all 3-phase stators are 'small o.d.' - although they are 5/16" i.d., they are only 1/2" o.d. They're an industry-standard size but there's also a Triumph part number for them; if you're using a good Meriden Triumph parts vendor, they should know it.

Otoh, if 1/2" o.d. washers are what you are trying to fit but the insulation on your new stator is too close to the stud holes, "it's a quality control issue" ...

You can try returning the stator to the vendor but you could well find any replacement Wassell stator is exactly the same. If so, you could ask the vendor to swap it for a "Made In England" stator mentioned earlier in the thread (if the vendor needs a distributor, I believe it's Coventry Spares in the US)?

If either of those options aren't possible, you could try removing the excess insulation around the stator holes? If you have the correct 1/2" o.d. washers, on the bench, fit one to each stator mounting hole with a nut and bolt, using them to squeeze the washer on to the excess insulation so the washer marks it. Then remove the nut, bolt and washer, carefully cut around the mark with a sharp knife or scalpel and use the tip of a small screwdriver to lift the excess insulation up to the cut off the stator laminations?

 

[Mikel J.]

By "180W", you mean a 3-phase (3 wires) stator?

Then it depends on the outside diameter of the "original flat washers" you are trying to reuse - if the washers' o.d. is 5/8", and the new stator is 3-phase, those washers were never fitted with 3-phase stators ... despite what it says in all the parts books ...

The washers fitted originally with all 3-phase stators are 'small o.d.' - although they are 5/16" i.d., they are only 1/2" o.d. They're an industry-standard size but there's also a Triumph part number for them; if you're using a good Meriden Triumph parts vendor, they should know it.

Otoh, if 1/2" o.d. washers are what you are trying to fit but the insulation on your new stator is too close to the stud holes, "it's a quality control issue" ...

You can try returning the stator to the vendor but you could well find any replacement Wassell stator is exactly the same. If so, you could ask the vendor to swap it for a "Made In England" stator mentioned earlier in the thread (if the vendor needs a distributor, I believe it's Coventry Spares in the US)?

If either of those options aren't possible, you could try removing the excess insulation around the stator holes? If you have the correct 1/2" o.d. washers, on the bench, fit one to each stator mounting hole with a nut and bolt, using them to squeeze the washer on to the excess insulation so the washer marks it. Then remove the nut, bolt and washer, carefully cut around the mark with a sharp knife or scalpel and use the tip of a small screwdriver to lift the excess insulation up to the cut off the stator laminations?

By "180W", you mean a 3-phase (3 wires) stator?

Then it depends on the outside diameter of the "original flat washers" you are trying to reuse - if the washers' o.d. is 5/8", and the new stator is 3-phase, those washers were never fitted with 3-phase stators ... despite what it says in all the parts books ...

The washers fitted originally with all 3-phase stators are 'small o.d.' - although they are 5/16" i.d., they are only 1/2" o.d. They're an industry-standard size but there's also a Triumph part number for them; if you're using a good Meriden Triumph parts vendor, they should know it.

Otoh, if 1/2" o.d. washers are what you are trying to fit but the insulation on your new stator is too close to the stud holes, "it's a quality control issue" ...

You can try returning the stator to the vendor but you could well find any replacement Wassell stator is exactly the same. If so, you could ask the vendor to swap it for a "Made In England" stator mentioned earlier in the thread (if the vendor needs a distributor, I believe it's Coventry Spares in the US)?

If either of those options aren't possible, you could try removing the excess insulation around the stator holes? If you have the correct 1/2" o.d. washers, on the bench, fit one to each stator mounting hole with a nut and bolt, using them to squeeze the washer on to the excess insulation so the washer marks it. Then remove the nut, bolt and washer, carefully cut around the mark with a sharp knife or scalpel and use the tip of a small screwdriver to lift the excess insulation up to the cut off the stator laminations?

Thank you for the advice!
Yes, it's a 3 phase / wire, 180W stator with 145A stenciled on the outward side. Its claimed to be a higher output than stock (T 140D).
Yes, the washers I'm trying to reuse are 5/8" wide. It appears, by the markings on the old Lucas stator someone "made them work".. : (
I would rather use the locknuts alone then "ill fit" the old washers.
I'll locate 1/2", O.D. flat washers.
Thank You!
Mikel J.

 

[Mikel J.]

Thank you for the advice!
Yes, it's a 3 phase / wire, 180W stator with 145A stenciled on the outward side. Its claimed to be a higher output than stock (T 140D).
Yes, the washers I'm trying to reuse are 5/8" wide. It appears, by the markings on the old Lucas stator someone "made them work".. : (
I would rather use the locknuts alone then "ill fit" the old washers.
I'll locate 1/2", O.D. flat washers.
Thank You!
Mikel J.

1 more question, the rubber grommets that seal the stator wires. Is there a "preferred " method of threading the 3 wires, with the bullet connectors attached through the grommets? WD 40 helps but..
Thoughts, ideas, suggestions??

 

[Rudie]

3 phase / wire, 180W stator with 145A stenciled on the outward side. Its claimed to be a higher output than stock (T 140D).
washers I'm trying to reuse are 5/8" wide. It appears, by the markings on the old Lucas stator someone "made them work".. : (

Like all '79-on twins without an electric starter, the T140D was fitted originally with the 10.5A (at 5000 rpm) version of the 3-phase stator.

You hope it wasn't the production line workers who made the incorrect 5/8" o.d. washers "work" ...

rubber grommets that seal the stator wires. Is there a "preferred " method of threading the 3 wires, with the bullet connectors attached through the grommets? WD 40 helps

The bullet connectors shouldn't be level with one another - the three stator wires should've been cut and terminated so two of the terminals are beside other plain wires.

I've tried several lubes on the cable through the grommet, I prefer spray-on furniture polish as it's easier to ensure it doesn't leave WD40's sticky residue. But ime, whatever I use, getting the 3-phase cable through grommet is a struggle ...