Endplay adjustment and bearing decoupling in an electric motor

An electric motor has an armature structure including a shaft, a lamination stack coupled with the shaft, a commutator coupled with the shaft, and windings carried by the lamination stack and connected to the commutator. Brushes engage the commutator to deliver electric current to the windings. The motor includes a frame structure carrying permanent magnets, at least one sleeve bearing operatively associated with an end of the shaft to support the shaft for rotation, and a unitary bearing retainer structure coupled with the frame structure and holding the at least one sleeve bearing. The retainer structure is constructed and arranged 1) to prevent movement of the retainer structure in a direction towards the end of the shaft, 2) to provide a spring force against the frame structure to prevent the retainer structure from moving in a direction away from the end of the shaft, and 3) to control endplay of the armature structure by controlling engagement of the retainer structure with the frame structure.