My new (about 3 months old) DB Electrical alternator decided to stop working. It was working fine until my old tensioner went bad and my belt started shredding itself. Parts of the shredding belt went into the alternator- I think. Should I try to open the alternator up and clean the brushes?

I replaced the tensioner and belt. Put the belt back on the right way also.

 

If you think something got inside there then yes, open it up and clean it out. DB isn't what it used to be in terms of quality. Seems all their stuff is Made in China now and the reliability has gone downhill considerably.

 

my starter didnt last a year. it worked great for a month

 

My starter lasted two months. Everytime somebody starts thinking about getting a DB product, I strongly discourage them... Pay a little extra and get something better.

 

I'd get rid of it and go get a new one from Ford.

EDIT: I should say that I've tried 4 different alternators on my truck... None of them lasted more than 3 or 4 months except this one I got from Ford. It's been on there about a year and a half.

 

DB is terrible!!!!!

 

Mine is still original

 

Thankfully we have a great shop nearby that rebuilds alternators and starters. I don't know if they do work through the mail. It' called Star Electric in Cornelia, GA.

 

If you have a good starter/alternator shop near you I would take it to them and have it rebuilt.Most I have dealt with use better parts than China or Mexico and so they last a long time.If something did go wrong with it at least it is closer to get it looked at.

 

I R&Red mine a month ago or so. Somewhere on here or one of the other forums is a great write-up on alternators. It's the rectifier bridge that needs beefed up in most of them, IIRC. I still have my original that lasted 14 years and I'll have it rebuilt sometime soon as a backup. I ended up going with a new Bosch. I have not been disappointed with anything of theirs yet and I don't think this will either.

I cannot find the links right now, but if anybody wants them, I can dig further.

 

I put a DB electrical starter on my 98 harley last year. It still starts strong, but now and then the jack shaft doesn't do it's job and it sounds like it's binding up. I'm not saying their stuff is junk because this is the only item I've bought from them, but I don't think I'll buy from them again. I saw you guys talking about them so I figured I'd toss my 1 cent in. I would have put 2 cents in but I just paid my taxes and I'm short on pennies.

Chris-

 

double post

 

It'll fail on you sometime soon. It's from China.

 

Put a DB starter on the 97 I had didn't last 2 weeks before it started acting up, had them send another they did same story. They told me my charging system was at fault.

 

Then 2 DB starters I have are over 2 years old, and still working.
I wonder if things have changed for them in recent years. ??

Travis,
Were any of those you had go bad reman from a local shop?
Or from Parts stores, etc?
Just curious.

I am also going to have the local place rebuild my spare starter and alternator to have as good spares ready to go.