I am trying to replace the brushes on a Lionel 364 Lumber Loader. I removed the two armature? screws but the coail wire attached seems too short/tight. The brushes fell out but I do not have room (working space enough) to install new brushes. What am I doing wrong? Also, is "bad" brush just one that has worn down and is too short? If it is clean at both ends and almost near to normal size what could be wrong with it?
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Clean the armature commutator and the brush holder, that may be the real problem.
Wizzer old trick learned long ago straighten out a paper clip and bend a very small hook at its end,you then use it to lift up the brush spring far enough and over to the side then drop in the brushes through the top of brushplate.
If you have soldering gun better yet just loosen the fields solder and remove cap and clean commutator etc
The brushes can easily be sanded flat should be same size of each other as well
GunrunnerJohn and Dieseler, Thanks fro your suggestions and help.
On many Lionel motors that field wire needs to be unsoldered before the brush plate comes off.
I've been known to unhook the field wire from the tab it is wrapped around thus gaining enough slack to lift the brush plate off the retaining dowels without resorting to soldering.
Oh, and when cleaning the commutator face (I use a pink eraser) don't forget to (CAREFULLY) clean out the gaps between the segments.
@geysergazer posted:I've been known to unhook the field wire from the tab it is wrapped around thus gaining enough slack to lift the brush plate off the retaining dowels without resorting to soldering.
I find desoldering it much easier than trying to avoid a simple soldering job. 
I will try that. I hope it works. I don't want to make more work for myself ---at age 79 sometimes I'm all thumbs.
Lew, Thanks. Sounds like a good idea. I will gitve it a try.
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