I have a R3002 reciprocating ridged saw and I would like to know how to take it apart to replace the armature.

Frank remove lever,pin and shoe, and slide/pry rubber boot off, Check the attached links,manual,instruction and guides, Good luck
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Ridgid R864 Cordless Reciprocating Saw Parts
How do remove the rubber boot which covers the front of the Rigid R3002...
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Ryobi removal Reciprocating Saws Questions & Answers ...

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We have a ryobi rj150v model reciprocating saw (older model) which needs the ... How do I remove the rubber boot which covers the front of the Rigid R3002 ...

How do I remove the rubber boot which covers the front of ...

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Feb 18, 2013 - How do I remove the rubber boot which covers the front of the Rigid R3002 recip. saw? - Ryobi Ridgid R3002 Fuego Orbital question. ... We have a ryobi rj150v model reciprocating saw · Ryobi Reciprocating Saws · 1 Answer ...

[PDF]operator's manual reciprocating saw rj150v-02 - Gar

scroll down to the bottom of the page on the link, it gives you some dismantling instructions.
Ridgid R3030 One Handed Fuego Reciprocating Saw Parts

you may be able to order your parts here.
RIDGID R3030 Reciprocating Saw Parts

The cover is a very tight, stretch-fit boot. After removing the shoe release lever, shoe pin and shoe assembly you have to pull, stretch and pry the boot off. It helps a lot to have someone assist The boot is fairly tough rubber but be careful not to tear it. It helps to have the boot warm to almost hot so it stretches easier.

Expensive job. You have to replace the armature and the gear which retails around 110 pound alone you would be better buying a new one unfortunately.

It could be, but it could also be the switch, or a bearing.

Most of the time sparks in these tools come from where the brushes make contact with the armature. Some causes for sparks are: The brushes are worn down to where they don't make firm contact with the armature. Brush springs overheated and no longer push the brush down on the armature. The comutator on the armature is damaged and causes the brushes to spark excessivly. You can take it apart and try to find which parts are hurt but I don't know if any Clarke Power Products parts are still available. The company went out of business around 2009 so you'd have to find someone with left over parts. It may be easier to buy new and go with a name brand and new warranty.

usually there is a screw in the diaphragm to hold that assembly tight. You need to remove the brushes first and you might need to GENTLY pry the diaphragm from the motor housing. Then using a soft blow hammer tap the armature out of the plate. I would recommend replacing the bearings and brushes when doing the armature. Let me know if you need more assistance.

You have to remove the blade clamp lever assembly first by unscrewing the philips head screw underneath the front then you need to remove the cage like shoe assembly from the front of the saw. Use a torx 20 bit I think it is on the 4 screws inside the cage. You need to have 6 inch extension bits in order to get in there. Then you need to slide the boot cover off the assemby and you are inside. Now you can undo the 4 screws that are holding the drive assembly onto the motor. Be sure you take the brushes out first if you remove the armature. You can damage the brushes if you do not remove them prior to removing the armature.

That small black piece, was it somewhat flat? I am thinking that it could be part of the fan or baffle. As far as the smoking when you had it apart how did the windings look on the armature and field? It is possible that this piece of plastic opened up the windings and there is a short in the electrical components. If that is the case I would suggest taking to a repair center to get is looked at. Let me know what you find