Repairs and Lagging
Factory Authorized Van der Graaf Drum Motor Repair
Valley Drummotor Great West is the only factory authorized Van der Graaf warranty service center in the western United States. We rebuild drum motors in Fresno, California, using genuine Van der Graaf components and factory certified technicians. Every motor we return carries the same product and labor warranty as a new one.
Van der Graaf work comes back under warranty. Other brands come back running.
We are the only factory authorized Van der Graaf option in the West, and we rebuild other drum motor brands as well. Your motor goes to Fresno, not across the country, and the freight bill reflects that.
Inside the Drum
Know what we are working on
Everything that drives the conveyor lives sealed inside the shell: motor, gear train, bearings, and oil bath. These are the components our technicians inspect and replace on every rebuild.
SECTION VIEW · MOTOR AND GEARBOX SEALED INSIDE THE DRUM
Replaced new on every rebuild to keep washdown out
Inspected against factory tolerance, replaced with genuine parts
Tested on every rebuild, quoted separately if the winding is compromised
Reservoir refilled to factory fill, and the cable re epoxied on designs that use it
Van der Graaf specifies an oil change after 50,000 hours of operation
Scope of Work
What a standard repair includes
Every motor gets the same teardown and the same rebuild kit. What varies is whether anything beyond that kit needs replacing, and we quote that before we do the work.
- Full teardown and inspection of the drum, shaft, and internals
- Complete clean and degrease
- New bearings and bearing races
- New seals and gaskets
- New snap rings, screws, and washers
- Cable re epoxied on the designs that use epoxy
- Oil refilled to factory fill, food grade or high temperature
- Full run test under load before release
Quoted separately, and only replaced once you approve it
- Stators are always priced separately from the rebuild
- Shells, shafts, and lagging
- Gear housings and motor flanges
- Gears, pinions, and rotors
- Sprockets, junction boxes, and lids
Nothing gets reused that should be replaced, and nothing leaves the shop untested.
The Process
How to get your drum motor repaired
Send it
Drop your motor at any Green Rubber Kennedy Ag branch in California or Arizona, or ship direct to Fresno. Eight shipping hubs to expedite repair and return of your motor.
We evaluate it
We inspect the unit and quote the work based on what we find. Failure analysis is available on request.
We rebuild it
Once you approve, the motor is rebuilt to factory specification with genuine Van der Graaf parts.
You get it back under warranty
The rebuilt motor ships back carrying the same Van der Graaf product and labor warranty as a new unit.
Lagging
Food grade roller lagging
We apply lagging in house and vulcanize it directly to the drum, so there is no seam to lift, peel, or trap product.
Lagging is where most food plants see the fastest return. A properly lagged drum holds traction in a wet washdown line and stops the belt slip that quietly costs throughput every shift.
- USDA and FDA approved compounds throughout
- Plain, diamond, and chevron patterns
- Machined profiles for positive drive belting
- Available in multiple thicknesses
The Difference
Why factory authorized matters
There are independent shops that will open a Van der Graaf drum motor. What they cannot do is return it to you under the factory warranty.
An authorized rebuild uses genuine Van der Graaf components and factory certified technicians, and it carries the same product and labor warranty as a new motor. An independent rebuild carries whatever that shop chooses to offer, on parts they sourced themselves.
If the motor fails again, that difference is the entire conversation.
Shipping
Where to send your motor
Ship direct to the Fresno service center, or drop it at any Green Rubber Kennedy Ag branch and we move it in from there.
Common Questions
What people ask before they ship a motor
Will an outside repair void my Van der Graaf warranty?
A rebuild done here is factory authorized and returns under the same product and labor warranty as a new motor. That is the difference between an authorized center and an independent shop.
Do you repair drum motors from other manufacturers?
Yes. We take in drum motors from other manufacturers and rebuild them in the same Fresno shop. What changes is the warranty. Van der Graaf is the only line we are factory authorized on, so a Van der Graaf rebuild leaves here under the same product and labor warranty as a new unit. Work on any other brand carries our own warranty instead. Send us what you have and we will tell you which one applies.
Should I repair or replace?
Send it in and we will tell you. We evaluate the motor and quote the rebuild before you commit to anything, so you are comparing a real number against a new unit instead of guessing. If the housing or shaft is damaged past the point where a rebuild makes sense, we will say so rather than sell you the work.
What information do you need before I send it?
The motor tag information, the conveyor it came off, and a note on what failed or what you are hearing. That is usually enough for us to scope the repair before it reaches the bench.