Cracking open an 80s spinner without damaging it?

[JW]

Anyone know how to open up one of the heavy spinners without hitting it with a hammer a bunch of times?

I just got a variable speed GE vent fan yesterday that runs extremely fast on high, but sounds like the bearings are shot. It hung motionless in a flea market for 20 years and two of the blades broke off, but I have the other two blades. When I put the 4 blades from the Baylor fan on it, it ran fast (albeit they were the lightweight Lowe's blades), but with the two original blades (which are extremely heavy - they are marked 444 and 448 in fact) it still went phenomenally fast even for 2 blades.

I would like to find a way to get rid of the noise without damaging the motor. Obviously, taking the three screws out did nothing. I've never been able to open any spinner without hitting it with a hammer and I'd like to be able to do so.

Thanks for any help...

[Deleted]

Have you tried oiling it without opening it? If that doesnt work, you remvoe all screws, then pry it open with a hammer and two large screwdrivers.

[JW]

How do I oil it without opening it? Do I just put oil where the center of the motor meets the shaft? There is one small hole in the top of the motor core, but when I stuck a WD40 straw down there to feel for anything the oil might touch, I just got empty space except for one notch sticking out of the center of the shaft.

[Deleted]

Yes. Let it drain in, then add some more.

[Adam D.]

I usually hit the screw driver with a hammer when prying open. Once I get an open space I use two flat head screw drivers to pry open....

[Deleted]

why are those spinners so hard to open?

[Deleted]

They're press-fit together. So is the stator in K55-type motors.

[Deleted]

i geuss these manufacturers just want you to spend money on replacing a fan rather then repairing it by making some very difficult to open.

[Deleted]

No ceiling fan motors are "designed" to be opened but they all can be. I dont think the manufacturers envisioned a scenario in which it would need to be fixed.

[Deleted]

i see what u mean

[organist89]

I have four ways of getting spinners to open up, depending on how much they've pissed me off. This is modeled off the Army's "DEFCON" system:

PISSCON 4 - I STILL LIKE THE FAN
Spinner motors are composed of two metal shells, which fit over the motor's internal guts like a clam shell. I clamp the top shell at several points around the side, and then gently pry and pound with a rubber-head hammer until I can get the bottom shell to loosen off.

PISSCON 3 - I KIND OF LIKE THE FAN, BUT AM WILLING TO RISK DENTING IT A BIT JUST TO FINALLY GET INSIDE
Like what Adam said, I attempt to pry the two shells apart with a hammer and two flathead screwdrivers.

PISSCON 2 - ANGRY WITH THE FAN; LAST-DITCH ATTEMPT TO OPEN IT
I toss the motor out of my third-story window onto the pavement below. Usually, I'll put down a piece of cardboard or something first, to minimize damage to the fan's paint or brass finish.

PISSCON 1 - "I AM THE MASTER, AND WHEN I SAY 'OPEN', YOU WILL OPEN!!"
I take the fan into the woods and proceed to commit fanslaughter with one or more of my three 12-gauge shoutguns.

[Ben C.]

Let's say I give you a Littleton, for free, what would you do?

[organist89]

ben said:

Let's say I give you a Littleton, for free, what would you do?

You asking me?

[Ben C.]

Yes, I would tell you to destroy it in the worst way possible. What are your thoughts?

[organist89]

ben said:

Yes, I would tell you to destroy it in the worst way possible. What are your thoughts?

I will send you a private message sometime soon. If I posted my "destroy it in the worst way possible" thoughts publicly, Adam would ban me for eternity plus forever.