7 Best Andis Clipper Motor Brushes to Restore Lost Power

You know the feeling—halfway through shearing a sheep or clipping a show calf, your trusty Andis clippers start to sputter and lose their bite. The motor whines, the blades bog down, and a simple grooming job suddenly becomes a frustrating battle. Before you resign yourself to buying a whole new unit, understand that the most common culprit is a simple, inexpensive part: the motor brushes.

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Why Clipper Motor Brushes Wear Out on the Farm

On a farm, even the cleanest barn is a hostile environment for electric motors. Fine dust from hay, animal dander, and microscopic bits of dirt get pulled into the clipper’s housing by the cooling fan. This abrasive grit accelerates the wear and tear on the carbon motor brushes, which are designed to be sacrificial parts that conduct electricity to the motor’s spinning armature.

Think of motor brushes like the brake pads on your truck. They are made of a softer material than the components they contact, ensuring they wear out first and protect the more expensive parts of the motor. Every hour of use grinds them down a little more. When they become too short, they can no longer make consistent contact, leading to a loss of power, erratic performance, and eventually, a motor that won’t run at all. This is normal, planned wear, not a sign of a faulty tool.

Signs Your Andis Clippers Need New Brushes

The symptoms of worn brushes are often mistaken for a failing motor, but they’re distinct if you know what to look for. The most obvious sign is a significant loss of power or torque. Your clippers might run fine in the air but bog down immediately upon entering a thick coat of wool or hair, a task they used to handle with ease.

You might also notice excessive sparking visible through the motor vents, which indicates a poor connection between the brushes and the commutator. An inconsistent motor speed—surging and slowing down without you changing the setting—is another classic symptom. In the final stages of wear, the clippers may run intermittently, requiring a tap to get going, or they may refuse to start altogether. Catching these signs early prevents a mid-job failure and potential damage to the motor itself.

Andis 20650 Brush: For Versatile AGC/AG Models

If you own one of the ubiquitous Andis AGC, AG, or AGP series clippers—the workhorses found in countless barns—the Andis 20650 Brush and Spring Assembly is the part you need. These clippers are the jack-of-all-trades, used for everything from body clipping horses to shearing goats and cleaning up cattle for a local fair. Their reliability is legendary, and keeping fresh brushes in them is key to that performance.

This brush set is designed to handle the constant, heavy load these multi-purpose clippers endure. When your single-speed AG starts feeling sluggish or your two-speed AGC seems to have lost its high gear, a new pair of 20650 brushes is almost always the solution. For the hobby farmer who relies on one primary clipper for multiple animal types, this is the essential maintenance part to keep on hand. Don’t wait until you’re in a bind; having a spare set in your grooming kit is just smart planning.

Andis 64275 Brush Set for ShowEdge Clippers

The Andis ShowEdge clipper is a specialized tool built for one purpose: getting that perfect, smooth finish on show cattle. It’s all about power and precision. The Andis 64275 Brush Set is engineered specifically to maintain the high-torque performance that a dense, professionally prepared coat demands. A weak motor simply can’t drive the unique angled blade head through that kind of hair effectively.

If you’re preparing animals for show, you can’t afford for your clippers to underperform. Worn brushes in a ShowEdge will lead to lines, uneven patches, and a frustrated operator. This brush set ensures the motor delivers the consistent, powerful RPMs needed for a flawless finish right before you step into the ring. If you invested in a ShowEdge for its specific capabilities, using the correct 64275 brushes is the only way to protect that investment and get the results it was designed to deliver.

Andis 29330 Brush for the SMC Excel 5-Speed

The Andis SMC Excel 5-Speed clipper is all about control. Its multiple speed settings allow you to dial down the power for sensitive areas and ramp it up for thick bodywork. The Andis 29330 Brush is critical for maintaining the integrity of that variable-speed system. As brushes wear, they can struggle to deliver consistent power, especially at the lower, more delicate speeds.

If you find the lower settings on your Excel have become weak or useless, new brushes are the first thing to check. This set ensures the motor receives stable current across all five speeds, restoring the crisp response and control you depend on. For groomers who need the versatility of an Excel for different coats and different animals—from nervous goats to thick-coated dogs—the 29330 brush is the key to keeping that precision tool performing exactly as it should.

Andis 65161 Brush Set for Pro-Animal Groomers

The Andis Pro-Animal series, including the popular MBG-2, is built for high-volume, continuous use. These are the clippers you’ll find in professional grooming shops or on farms with large numbers of animals that need regular clipping, like a flock of fiber goats or a kennel of working dogs. The Andis 65161 Brush Set is designed to withstand the heat and long run times associated with this kind of demanding work.

These clippers are often run for hours at a time, and worn brushes can lead to overheating and premature motor failure. Replacing them with the 65161 set is a crucial preventative measure. If your livelihood or farm operation depends on getting through a long list of animals efficiently, you can’t afford the downtime. This is the correct part to maintain the professional-grade endurance and reliability of your Pro-Animal clippers.

Andis 23370 Brush for Older Classic AG Clippers

Many farms have an old, indestructible Andis AG clipper rattling around in a toolbox—a testament to when tools were built to last a lifetime. These older, often single-speed models are simple, heavy, and incredibly reliable. The Andis 23370 Brush is the specific part needed to keep these vintage workhorses running strong.

Don’t make the mistake of trying to fit a newer brush model into these classic clippers. The 23370 is designed for the specific motor architecture of those older units. If you have a trusted AG clipper that has served you for decades, this is the part that will keep it in service for decades more. For the farmer who values durability and repairability over new features, the 23370 brush is an absolute necessity for preserving a legendary tool.

Andis 64450 Set for Heavy-Duty Livestock Shears

When you move up to shearing a small flock of sheep or slick-shearing a steer, you need the immense power of a dedicated livestock shear like the Andis Shearmaster. These tools are built to cut through dense, greasy wool and thick, matted hair without hesitation. The Andis 64450 Brush Set is engineered to transfer the high amperage these powerful motors demand.

Using the wrong brushes or letting the originals wear too thin will starve the motor of the power it needs, causing it to overheat and struggle through the job. This not only produces a poor-quality cut but also puts immense strain on the motor. If you rely on a heavy-duty shear for big jobs, this brush set is non-negotiable. It’s the key component for maintaining the raw torque required to power through the toughest coats on the farm.

Andis 40129 Brushes for Finer Detail Trimmers

Not all clipping jobs require raw power. For trimming goat udders, cleaning up around the ears and faces of show lambs, or bridle paths on horses, a smaller, more precise trimmer like the Andis T-Outliner or Styliner is the right tool. The Andis 40129 Brushes are designed for the smaller, high-speed motors in these detail-oriented tools.

While these trimmers don’t face the heavy torque demands of a body clipper, their motors run at very high RPMs, leading to steady brush wear over time. When your trimmer starts to sound sluggish or fails to cut cleanly, these brushes restore its speed and precision. For the detailed, sensitive work where accuracy is paramount, the 40129 set ensures your trimmer has the nimble performance it needs to do the job safely and effectively.

Installing New Brushes for Lasting Performance

Replacing the motor brushes on most Andis clippers is a straightforward task that takes less than five minutes and requires only a flathead screwdriver. Always unplug the clippers from the power source before beginning any maintenance. The brushes are typically housed under two plastic or metal caps on opposite sides of the clipper body. Simply unscrew these caps to expose the old brush and spring assembly.

Gently pull out the old brush. It’s normal for a small amount of carbon dust to come with it. Take the new brush and slide it into the housing, making sure it’s oriented correctly to slide smoothly. The spring will provide some resistance. Once the new brush is seated, simply screw the cap back on, ensuring it’s snug but not overly tight. Repeat the process on the other side, plug the clippers in, and enjoy the restored power and performance of your tool.

Regularly replacing your clipper’s motor brushes is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to ensure your essential grooming tools are always ready for the job. It’s a small act of maintenance that extends the life of your equipment and reinforces the valuable farm skill of self-sufficiency. A five-dollar part and five minutes of your time can save you the cost and frustration of a failed tool when you need it most.