hunt magneto disassembly

[mred]

i got a hunt magneto in a box at a swap meet. it is for a sportster or flathead. rotor shaft is broken off at the gear and the lock is locked and i do not have a key. does the lock need to be open so i can remove it? i do not see any c or e clip holding it in. thanks

[Chris Haynes]

The lock is actually a switch. Remove the screws holding the bade on and it should come apart easily. Good luck finding a new shaft.

[mred]

i do not know what screws you mean. thanks

[billpedalino]

I haven't looked at a Joe Hunt magneto in many years, but they used to be built using the Fairbanks-Morse magneto, as did Harley and Morris Magnetos. If so, the key lock should be encased in a black plastic housing located on the inboard side of the body, above the red field coil. It has a spring-loaded detent ball which makes a ground-contact when the key is in the 'Off' position. Remove the black grounding wire and the internal mounting screw. You should be able to work the lock mechanism out by twisting it while using a machinist pick as the internal spring lock doesn't offer much tension. If the configuration has changed since I last saw one, you may need to all Hunt. Also, a call to to Dave Shaw at Morris Magneto in Morristown, New Jersey might be a help if you still have problems. He's a good guy and an AMCA member as well.

If the Hunt unit is similar to the Fairbanks and/or Morris unit, the shaft is integral to the magnetic armature and the complete assembly will have to be changed, as I'm sure you already know. Morris offers an armature built around rare-earth magnets that develop a stronger field than the original magnets and is a highly-recommended replacement. If it were me, I'd call Dave.
Good luck.

[mred]

thanks, i will give it a try in a couple of days when i get back.