Model 14

[SWI712]

Does the motor in a federal Signal model 14 have ball bearings? I have a few fed sig lights but have never taken the motor apart. Bought a model 14 and it showed up with what looks like ball bearings in the pan. Doesn't work either.

 

[Stampeed Valkyrie]

Federal Type 1 and 3 motors do not have ball bearings in them. Well techincally the Type 3 has 1 in the endcap.
If your Model 14 is an A4 it uses the newer motors, and I do not believe it has them either.

 

[SWI712]

Thanks for the info SV. I am going to tear it down and rebuild it anyhow. Just try to figure out where this ball bearing came from.

 

[ex416]

the ball bearing in the shaft endcap that Stampeed referred to above is a single ball bearing that is about an 1/16-1/8 inch in diameter. i have seen a number of lightbars and beacons with the motors that are missing the endcap.

 

[SWI712]

Yep, I tore it down last night and the end cap is off. That's exactly the size of the ball bearing that was in the pan. The end was under the motor. I cleaned it up and fixed the ground and now it's running. I'm guessing the end cap and bearing are not crucial to it's operation. It is a type 1 motor.

 

[Jennifer Rose Towing]

It is fairly common for them to fall off and disappear. That motor is used in a bunch of Federal products. I have not heard of any issues nor have I had any in ones I have that do not have the cap/ball. The ones I have with it have all gotten noisy from the shaft contact against it while running. I have had to remove and grease the ball to quiet them down on plenty of bars!

 

[SWI712]

Many thanks for all the helpful information. I have taken the motor out of my Twinsonics and the end caps were missing also. I figured that's the way they were made.