Services / Drum Motor Repair
Drum Motor & Motorized Pulley Repair
A Plus Electric Motor Repair, Inc. repairs drum motors, also called motorized pulleys or roller motors, at our shop in St. Charles, Illinois. We work on Van der Graaf and Interroll drum motors.
The motor, gear reducer and bearings are sealed inside the drum, so when one fails the whole conveyor stops. We open it up, find what failed, and rebuild it: rewinding, bearings, seals, gears and oil.
& replace
- Makes
- Van der Graaf, Interroll
- Standard
- 7–10 days
- Rush
- 3–5 days
- After hours
- (630) 283-8433
Free within 50 miles · Calls our office
Drum motors we repair
Drum motors go by a lot of names: motorized pulley, motor drum, roller motor, drum drive. If it is a conveyor pulley with the motor inside, we repair it.
What to send us
A photo of the nameplate, the drum diameter and face width, belt speed, voltage, and what the conveyor carries.
Schedule a Free PickupCall (630) 283-3569Request a Quote OnlineHow a drum motor is built
A drum motor packs the motor, gear reducer and bearings inside the pulley shell. Many run partly filled with oil, which lubricates the gears and carries heat from the motor to the shell, where the belt and surrounding air take it away.
That sealed design is why they last, and also why a single failed shaft seal matters: oil gets out, water and washdown chemicals get in, and the windings and bearings follow.
Where drum motors run
Food processing and packaging lines, airport baggage and parcel handling, distribution center conveyors, and bulk handling such as aggregate and recycling. Stainless sanitary models are common in food plants; see our food and beverage motor repair page.
Drum motor and winding work in our shop
Drum motors get the same in-house rewinding and testing as every motor we repair.
Our drum motor repair process
Inspection
We record the nameplate and check the oil, the seals and how it sounds.
Teardown
End housings off, gears, bearings, seals, shaft and stator inspected and measured.
Written estimate
Within one business day, with a replacement quote when a new drum makes more sense.
Rebuild
Rewound with Grade H magnet wire and Elantas varnish as needed, new bearings and seals, gears replaced if worn.
Fill and test
Refilled with the correct oil, run tested and checked for leaks before it goes back.
Signs your drum motor needs service
For more on roller and conveyor motors, see our article on roller motor repair.
Need a new drum motor instead?
Call with the nameplate and we will quote a matched replacement alongside the repair, so you can compare cost and lead time before deciding.
Straight answers on drum motors
Q1Can you repair a drum motor that is leaking oil?
Yes. A leak is usually a worn shaft seal. Caught early, it is a seal and bearing job. Left running, water gets in and it becomes a rewind, so call when you first see oil.
Q2Do you repair stainless sanitary drum motors?
Yes, including stainless models used in food plants. We rebuild them to go back into washdown service.
Q3Is it worth rebuilding, or should we buy new?
It depends on the damage and the lead time on a new drum. Drum motors are built to order by size, so a new one can take weeks. We quote both.
Q4What should we send with the drum motor?
The nameplate photo, drum diameter and face width, belt speed, voltage, and what the conveyor carries. That lets us quote the repair and a replacement fast.
Q5Do you pick up?
Yes. Free within 50 miles of St. Charles. Farther out, call (630) 283-3569 to arrange pickup or freight.
Conveyor down?
Office: Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Saturday 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Emergency line answered 24/7.
A Plus Electric Motor Repair, Inc., 3483 Swenson Ave, St. Charles, IL 60174. Van der Graaf, VDG and Interroll are trademarks of their respective owners. A Plus Electric Motor Repair, Inc. is an independent repair facility and is not affiliated with or authorized by these manufacturers.