Thread Number: 16414
Kirby Tradition Question
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Post# 175253   3/29/2012 at 18:41 (4,381 days old) by louvac (A)        

OK Guys.....I need help with this one.

 

I have two Kirby Tradition models that have floppy headlights. I have checked out some schematics that don't really show a spring clip that holds it up or at least gives it some tension to stay up when lifted.

 

Question is this: How does one fix this headlight from just slamming down when you change attachements?  

 

Note: This is on Kirby Tradition models with the speed selector switch located at the bottom of the fan housing. In other words, it's not the first rendition that had the speed selector switch located within the visor itself. 


Post# 175256 , Reply# 1   3/29/2012 at 18:59 (4,381 days old) by IL-Kirby-Fan ()        
Hi Louis

There is a metal clip that actually goes on the bar that hinges the hood to the top of the motor mount cast. That clip is what will allow the hood to stay up and not flop down. It's been a while since I've looked at the older models schematics to see if it's shown very well but if you raise the hood and look at the bar that goes through to hinge the hood to the unit you should see it, if not it's probably missing and needs one.

Post# 175283 , Reply# 2   3/29/2012 at 20:41 (4,381 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

Yup, there's meant to be a clip which can sometimes either break off or get left off if a non-kirby person repairs the machine, resulting in the floppy headlight cap...

I've done it myself, taking the clip off and forgetting what it was and where it went, only realising after it's been put back together and the headlight not staying up... :P


Post# 175287 , Reply# 3   3/29/2012 at 20:58 (4,381 days old) by louvac (A)        

Thanks guys! It's just as I had suspected. One Kirby dealer near me says that there was not clip!  He says that it must have just gotten machined down from wear over the years. Yea OK Jerk! I will have to order that clip thru my vendor.

 

Thanks!

 


Post# 175361 , Reply# 4   3/30/2012 at 18:39 (4,380 days old) by IL-Kirby-Fan ()        
Pictures?

Will you post photos of your Kirby Traditions?


Post# 175430 , Reply# 5   3/31/2012 at 13:25 (4,380 days old) by louvac (A)        
Photos of Tradition

Brad,

 

I will post pictures soon.....just need some extra time......


Post# 175433 , Reply# 6   3/31/2012 at 13:46 (4,380 days old) by compactelectra (Palm Springs)        
Brad

compactelectra's profile picture

I know where there is a stash of brand new in the box Traditions.  Here is one that Dan Pontow got - coming out of the box.


Post# 175434 , Reply# 7   3/31/2012 at 13:48 (4,380 days old) by compactelectra (Palm Springs)        
And

compactelectra's profile picture

Being demonstrated by Ms. Tania.  Still toying with getting one for me.  I bought one new when they came out, but it just didn't suit me.


Post# 175435 , Reply# 8   3/31/2012 at 14:25 (4,380 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

But it's not New in Box if you take it out of the box... :P

Post# 175437 , Reply# 9   3/31/2012 at 14:39 (4,380 days old) by compactelectra (Palm Springs)        
David

compactelectra's profile picture

True.  But I always allow my self the joy of taking it out of the box. Close enough.  Still know where there are some that are new in the box so can relive it if I want to.

 

Fred


Post# 175444 , Reply# 10   3/31/2012 at 15:10 (4,380 days old) by fairfax88 (Orlando, FL)        
New in box Kirby


Who has them,how much are they and how do we contact the seller???

~David


Post# 175454 , Reply# 11   3/31/2012 at 15:48 (4,380 days old) by kirbymodel2c (Nottingham, England)        
Hi

kirbymodel2c's profile picture
Hi, From what I remember there was a thread about them. Someone who had several NIB Kirby models not just the Tradition that they had up for sale. I think they also had a NIB Filter Queen and Compact off the top of my head also.
I think the thread was over a year or so ago.Time passes so quick.
Quite a few members off here was interested at the time. I'm not sure who got one in the end. They was quite cheap considering...

James:o)


Post# 175455 , Reply# 12   3/31/2012 at 15:50 (4,380 days old) by kirbymodel2c (Nottingham, England)        
p.s

kirbymodel2c's profile picture
Fred great Kirby Tradition by the way!!

James:o)


Post# 175479 , Reply# 13   3/31/2012 at 21:50 (4,379 days old) by compactelectra (Palm Springs)        
Here's One Of Terry

compactelectra's profile picture

Using Dan's brand new Tradition.


Post# 175546 , Reply# 14   4/2/2012 at 02:20 (4,378 days old) by bnsd60m9200 (Akron OH)        
how to fix the headlight cap issue

bnsd60m9200's profile picture
to answer the original question of the floppy headlight cap, i have restored several traditions/heritages (they have the same cap) and the non locking caps DID NOT come with a tension clip on the headlight cap shaft. the only thing you can do to these that i've found that's worked is getting two small washers and putting them in 1 at a time as you repound the cap pin in between the holes attached to the body mount and the ones on the cap itself. a new pin will NOT fix the floppy light. its the holes on the headlight cap casting itself that are too enlarged from excessive use and this cannot be fixed short of replacing it. washers are a cheap easy fix to get your headlight cap to stay up again. i did this on my heritage II and it worked great. only classic III and older models have the tension clip on the headlight cap pin.

Will Hemb


Post# 175549 , Reply# 15   4/2/2012 at 03:04 (4,378 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

Both my Traditions have said clip, and I KNOW the gold one was NEVER rebuilt, as that was an award given to my dad's former employer at a Kirby distributor (and had it's original motor removed to fix another Kirby that was in for repair)...

My two also have different headlight caps to the Heritage style, the gold one, being based on a 1980 model, has the parts where the locking mechanism & safety switch would have attached, but my blue one, a 1981 model, hasn't got all of them, but still some remnants of where the parts would have fitted, the Heritage sstyle hasn not got anything at all, so, the headlights fitted onto Heritage models is not the same as those fitted on all three years of the Tradition, the only reason for them being the same is if the headlight caps were replaced during refurbishment... :)

And seeing how I just happened to mention it, here's my gold Tradition and it's blue counterpart... :P


Post# 175651 , Reply# 16   4/3/2012 at 07:09 (4,377 days old) by sarasvacshack ()        
Wow

That gold one is quite a neat looking machine. I have always liked the look of the Kirby tradition when they are all buffed out. That royal blue really pops against the chrome (or viceversa)

Post# 175675 , Reply# 17   4/3/2012 at 11:11 (4,377 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

The goldie is a rare one, I think I've counted about 8 or 9 that are known about so far, and mine is number 20... :)

And yeah, the blue & shiny aluminium (when I can be bothered to polish the thing!!!) looks pretty nice, which is why the Trad is one of my favourite models, along with the Sanitaire S663 which is blue & chrome too... :)


Post# 175790 , Reply# 18   4/3/2012 at 21:12 (4,376 days old) by louvac (A)        

OK Guys.....so which is it? Do I need to pop a clip in the headlight or not? Or will the Tradition that I have not accommodate it? I can get the clip from my supplier. I just don't know whether or not the machine will accept it, though I don't know why it wouldn't. 

 

Will your idea sounds great and perhaps I may need to do it  unless the original clip will not work. 

Dave, my favorite Kirby is also the Tradition. If the vacuum is blue and chrome----well I've got to have it!  And besides, I love the Tradition's hounds tooth cloth bag.  I know this model doesn't get rave reviews from most Kirby enthusiasts but nonetheless it's my favorite. Aslo, to me, the motor has a very harmonious sound to it. It's not so pitchy as some other models are. Agree?

 


Post# 175796 , Reply# 19   4/3/2012 at 21:43 (4,376 days old) by bnsd60m9200 (Akron OH)        

bnsd60m9200's profile picture
louis, i have several kirby's and the majority of mine are from the "
classic" series. i have an omega, classic III and tradition. the tradition ive used like crazy and have it with a new oem shake bag and metal fan. people's views of kirby's are as wide as the people who use and collect them. i love any kirby before the g series. can't wait to restore my sanitronics i have so i can compare them to my classics and heritage II.

Will Hemb

according to the link schematic below from sears parts direct which the 3cb DOESNT have the headlight cap lock, trads built in the US DO NOT have this clip.


CLICK HERE TO GO TO bnsd60m9200's LINK


Post# 176597 , Reply# 20   4/10/2012 at 00:15 (4,370 days old) by adambomb (Undisclosed )        
OMG!!!

SOOOO BEAUTIFUL!!! I really would like one. That's something you truly do not see everyday!!! LOVE IT!!!!

Post# 251808 , Reply# 21   10/1/2013 at 17:57 (3,830 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        

kirbyclassiciii's profile picture
Brad, and Louis,

Would you actually have a copy of the schematics for the old-style speed switch of the Tradition? I mean, I would love to see what it looks like, how it goes together.

If so, please contact me at either classictvlover81@comcast.net or benjamin.marioe1@gmail.com.

Thank you,



Ben Edge


Post# 251814 , Reply# 22   10/1/2013 at 20:29 (3,830 days old) by Louvac (A)        

Ben,

 

Does this help?

 

This is all that I have.

 


Post# 251815 , Reply# 23   10/1/2013 at 20:31 (3,830 days old) by Louvac (A)        

Ben, 

 

For some reason I don't think this is the original set up. This looks like the schematic after the rendition where they moved the speed control switch back to the bottom.


Post# 251818 , Reply# 24   10/1/2013 at 21:08 (3,830 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        

kirbyclassiciii's profile picture
Louis,

Thank you so far. I am still trying to find an actual 1980 Kirby service manual that shows the repair procedure on the Traditions which were made prior to serial no. F500000.

I'd think the motor schematics for the first version were withdrawn shortly after Kirby had issued its advisory over the units that carried a serial no. of F499999 or lower.

~Ben


Post# 264675 , Reply# 25   1/24/2014 at 22:19 (3,715 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        

kirbyclassiciii's profile picture
Replacement part numbers for the original headlight cap/speed switch assembly:

102168 - speed switch mounting screw
108979 - headlight lens
109273 - headlight bulb
109678 - speed switch insulator
110878 - headlight lead wire w/terminal and field wire
110973 - headlight wire, black
111678 - headlight wire insulator tube
112579S - terminal with insulation
112679 - headlight wire terminal, single
112779 - headlight wire terminal, double
113178 - double terminal lead
134379 - speed switch
160079S - headlight cap complete, blue
161979 - headlight bumper, blue
162079S - headlight lock button assembly
162179 - headlight lock button
162279 - headlight lock shaft
162379 - hold down bar (may or may not have been used on the earlier versions, other than rebuilds)
162479 - headlight lock spring
162679 - headlight assembly screw
163379 - headlight hinge pin

Feel free to correct me on any part numbers related to the headlight lock button assembly.

~Ben


Post# 418618 , Reply# 26   1/13/2020 at 19:51 (1,535 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        
Kirby Tradition Parts List - Top Mount Switch

kirbyclassiciii's profile picture
Print date: December 1980

~Ben


  View Full Size
Post# 418619 , Reply# 27   1/13/2020 at 19:54 (1,535 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        
Engineering Service Bulletin 120

kirbyclassiciii's profile picture
Issue date: November 1, 1979

~Ben


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