Atwood furnace blower wheel replacement: Notes and pix

[WesternHorizon]

The furnace blower wheel hangs unsupported on the motor shaft. Eventually the bearings wear out and the blower / motor starts to squeal. The motor needs to be replaced.

This job is within the reach of the RV owner but it is not simple and you really have to be prepared.

I have put a bunch of notes on getting the exact parts kit, tools needed, and key steps.

It is very likely you will have to saw the motor shaft and I explain how to do this.

In order to handle text and photos, I have put the writeup here: http://bit.ly/2EEQ4sz

Hope this information is helpful to others. Feedback welcome.

[azrving]

pnichols wrote:

azrving wrote:
A good air powered pencil type engraver is very hand for vibrating things loose. Sometimes you can soak a broken bolt and use a center punch to put a spot on it near the edge. You then use the engraver to work it back and forth. If the blower wheel could be reached it might help loosen it. It's like micro beating it and breaks the bond.

Great tip .... thanks!

I wonder if there are now available battery powered pencil type engravers - so that I don't have to break out the compressor I carry in the RV and start up the Onan to power it?

I have an old electric model but it's useless. But, sometimes you never know until you try

[pnichols]

azrving wrote:
A good air powered pencil type engraver is very hand for vibrating things loose. Sometimes you can soak a broken bolt and use a center punch to put a spot on it near the edge. You then use the engraver to work it back and forth. If the blower wheel could be reached it might help loosen it. It's like micro beating it and breaks the bond.

Great tip .... thanks!

I wonder if there are now available battery powered pencil type engravers - so that I don't have to break out the compressor I carry in the RV and start up the Onan to power it?

[azrving]

Thanks for posting, I just double checked my parts. After 18 years mine started howling. I removed the clamp she'll cover and reached through the squirrel cage with a zip tie that I dipped in motor oil. I was able to get a couple drops on shaft/motor area and the noise stopped. I ordered the parts and will install when I'm at my daughter's house. The whole furnace was almost $600. I bought the motor, over temp switch, sail switch and circuit board for $200 delivered. As he said, the worse that happens is the hot side fan is stuck because it's metal on metal vs plastic on metal on the other side.

A good air powered pencil type engraver is very hand for vibrating things loose. Sometimes you can soak a broken bolt and use a center punch to put a spot on it near the edge. You then use the engraver to work it back and forth. If the blower wheel could be reached it might help loosen it. It's like micro beating it and breaks the bond.

Yes, I have an 120 v air compressor powered by a Honda and a 120 v flux core mig welder. Hey, ya gotta be prepared. I learned that in the Boy Scouts before they were destroyed by...well... never mind.

[BFL13]

Good info and write-up, thanks! Ours has the 1991 (or before) 8531-II, and it is never quite right, but keeps going somehow with "a bit" of TLC. ( I got an 8531-III cheap off a guy, so that is my spare parts bin). I agree with the attitude that it is more fun to keep things going if you can, than buy new. 🙂

[WesternHorizon]

old guy wrote:
Good grief! won't it be easier to buy a new furnace and replace it then go through all that??

Depends what you like to do. A new one is $500 and that's enough that -- for me -- it's good sport to try to rebuild it.

I have been doing field expedient repairs since I was a teen and it is just a lot of fun to solve problems.

Every time the furnace spins silently to life now I get the satisfaction of having fixed it. That's Recreation to me.

Thanks all for the feedback. Happy to help.

[WesternHorizon]

doxiemom11 wrote:
We have an Atwood and hubby replaced the blower motor without sawing anything. Didn't take that long to do it either. Easy access from the back of the furnace. We do have an older (2000) motorhome so maybe a different set up.

That's great. But it's good to be prepared to cut the shaft because with the steel burner wheel and just a bit of rust (my '95 RV has never been out of the desert) it's not coming off.

[old_guy]

Good grief! won't it be easier to buy a new furnace and replace it then go through all that??

[doxiemom11]

We have an Atwood and hubby replaced the blower motor without sawing anything. Didn't take that long to do it either. Easy access from the back of the furnace. We do have an older (2000) motorhome so maybe a different set up.

[pnichols]

Thanks for the great writeup ... along with photos!

Now if someone would do what the OP did, but for us Suburban furnace owners!

Our RV uses a Suburban furnance that has it's blower in the front - sitting right there looking at you after you remove the furnace cover on the outside of the RV's coach wall - where the blower appears very easy to get at and work on (?).

Is this the only blower in a Suburban furnace? If so, I really don't see any issues with an owner replacing the blower assembly entirely, or only the motor in it. (But I'm probably wrong regarding the "any issues" part!)

[MrWizard]

Well done...thanks

[Lwiddis]

You must be/have been a teacher. Well done.