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Trouble pulling out hard drive motors

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    IanH84 started this thread.
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    Trouble pulling out hard drive motors

    We're ripping apart some old hard drives and read in a post here that it's worth more to pull out stepper motors and sell them. A bunch of them have the motor attached to the aluminum casing, and I'm wondering if there's an easy way to remove the motors and make it worth taking the time. I tried pounding one out as suggested in a Youtube video with no success. Here's one of the drives in question and another that I destroyed trying to figure out how they're attached.
    i.imgur.com/WNrval.jpg

    Any ideas or should I just bring them to the scrapyard as-is? I'm also wondering if it's really worth the time to rip them apart just for the magnets if the motors won't come out. Logic boards are easy enough to remove so those go to Boardsort, but I'm not sure about the rest.

    Last edited by Mechanic688; 09-28-2012 at 08:24 PM. Reason: added picture


  2. #2
    Mechanic688's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by IanH84 View Post
    We're ripping apart some old hard drives and read in a post here that it's worth more to pull out stepper motors and sell them. A bunch of them have the motor attached to the aluminum casing, and I'm wondering if there's an easy way to remove the motors and make it worth taking the time. I tried pounding one out as suggested in a Youtube video with no success. Here's one of the drives in question and another that I destroyed trying to figure out how they're attached.

    Any ideas or should I just bring them to the scrapyard as-is? I'm also wondering if it's really worth the time to rip them apart just for the magnets if the motors won't come out. Logic boards are easy enough to remove so those go to Boardsort, but I'm not sure about the rest.
    I flip them over and use one to support the top edge of the second one. Lay one down flat and put the top edge of the second one on it. Then take a 1/4"-3/8" punch and center it in the middle of the motor axle and usually one good smack with a hammer will drive it out. The inner wire-wound part will stay put so just use your screwdriver and pry it out.

    You might also want to check out some of our buyers here, you might be pleasently surprised.

    http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/scrap-buyers-sellers/
    P & M Recycling - Specializing in E-Waste Recycling.
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  4. #3
    IanH84 started this thread.
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    That did the trick. Is there any way to pop out the windings and salvage it as a usable motor or are they all destined for the scrap yard?

    Also, thanks for the tip on the buyers forum, I have a few hundred drives and a whole lot of cable ends, so those will add up fast.

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    If the motor is pressed into the drive casing like it's shown here, there is not any value to the motor other then scrap. If the motor is screwed into the housing and comes out in one piece, you may be able to sell them as spindle motors... but I haven't tried it.

    Some have gotten $0.50 -$1 for each motor... but more misses then hits. Interesting enough... The bearing for these motors bring a little cash...

    hard drive motors | eBay

    NSK 696Z - 20 Used 15mm OD x 5mm x 6mm ID Stainless Sealed HDD Motor Bearings | eBay

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  7. #5
    Filthy's Avatar
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    Once you have the base clean except the motor.. take a few well placed hammer whacks. Always works to get clean cast
    We're the renegades of Junk!

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    IanH84 started this thread.
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    I knew the motors were worth something thanks to another post I saw here, but not the bearings. Looks like I'll be selling a few lots of each on eBay later this week. Now the hard question - how many motors do I hand onto to play with

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    Newbie question, the hard drive cases are cast aluminum, and the cpu heat sinks are extruded aluminum , right?


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    Some are extruded and some are sheet.

  11. #9
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    The stepper motors, magnets, platters and reading heads all have different values. Check out fleabay completed listings.


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