Thread Number: 31546  /  Tag: Recent Vacuum Cleaners from past 20 years
Hoover U5399-900 Windtunnel Lite Upright Circa 2001
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Post# 348645   3/26/2016 at 18:37 (2,923 days old) by dariusii (Utah)        

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This is only one of three Hoover Cleaners I own made in the U.S.A. This model I purchased in 2001 before my interest in vacuums necessitated the desire to begin a collection. Manufactured in the original No. Canton Ohio facility, this cleaner has proved more than its worth-in-weight. The original purchase price (I think) was around $120.00. Since then, this machine has cleaned two homes, a cement-covered basement, and (regrettably) a garage floor for 15 years. I have since re-furbished the machine with a thorough scrubbing and polishing...and a modern (and much more aggressive version) of the brush roll one may find on the Anniversary Edition Self-Propelled Machine currently sold by Hoover (made in Mexico). I love this cleaner! Though it does not possess a brush roll shut-off...it dominates in suction, carpet grooming, adequate filtration...and confident cleaning of rugs and above floor needs (impressive on-board attachments). Our Western economy has swallowed the working man's opportunity to produce quality products like this in the U.S.A. Consequently, most of anything badged "Hoover" hails from the Hong-Kong Based TTI...delivered laboriously by severely under-paid Chinese workers.


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Post# 348648 , Reply# 1   3/26/2016 at 18:55 (2,923 days old) by vac-o-matic (Saint Louis, Mo.)        

I'm right there with you on the early Windtunnels. I have one the same color, TOL at the time I believe, Supreme Windtunnel and it says Mach 3.3 on the nozzle hood. I never understood the Mach thing, maybe because it was a wider 15in. model. I leave that one in the display room as I believe that was the first run, and use my later model Turbo 5200 in black. That one is from Mexico, and it's the 15in. wide model as well. I also have an extension hose for mine, but really only use it for carpet and use one of my canisters for bare floors and detailing. At least with the extension hose, you don't pull the machine over when using the attachments. They are my favorite clean air upright for carpet cleaning though, hard to beat them.

Post# 348649 , Reply# 2   3/26/2016 at 19:02 (2,923 days old) by dariusii (Utah)        

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Interesting to read you report yours are 15 inch. My "Lite" model boasted a 14" inch cleaning area ideal for small homes (at the time was ideal for me).  I own a new Mexico-made Anniversary Windtunnel Self-propelled (ironically less-favored than my Lite) which screams its 15-inch berth as it roars its Amp-guzzling motor against any substrate that may not have "booked itself" out-of-the-way!


Post# 348653 , Reply# 3   3/26/2016 at 20:12 (2,923 days old) by Durango159 (State College, PA)        
Fantastic Looking!

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I never tried the Lite model but heard it was supposed to be very good. The Windtunnel came in 2 sizes or at least 2 brush roll sizes: 13" and 15". With the housing included from edge groomer to edge groomer on the far side it may measure a little over on each. The 15" has 2 styles. The Non- Self Propelled which has a raised solid guide middle that the belt runs on. The Self Propelled model has a holed groove that a V shaped belt runs on to spin the brush roll.

I myself actually think that the original Hoover designed brush roll for these performed better than the new yellow bristled wooden brush rolls that CWP is making for Hoover on these now. The auger design of the former plastic I feel increased airflow as well. Some years ago I refurbed a bagged Windtunnel Supreme and purchased the CWP yellow bristle 15". I was not overly impressed with the results.

Overall the Windtunnel line is a great performing line by Hoover. I'm very happy that you like it and your machine looks gorgeous!

I have 1 Windtunnel machine in the house and it is the green S3630 canister with 15" canister brush roll.




Post# 348657 , Reply# 4   3/26/2016 at 20:41 (2,923 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)        

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Indeed, you can still enjoy the cleaning performance of these powerful WindTunnels in the Hoover Tempo or Anniversary WindTunnel still being sold. Though the latest Tempo no longer has a headlight, the more expensive Blue Anniversary one does. As well, I think you can get the same WT upright in a Royal Commercial version. Simple, powerful, lightweight! The three pre-requisites for a good basic bagged carpet cleaner! :-)

Post# 348754 , Reply# 5   3/27/2016 at 12:03 (2,923 days old) by dariusii (Utah)        
Yellow bristle brush; headlight...

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Thanks for the great comments! In response to Durango, I do like how the replaced yellow bristle brush grooms my carpets as opposed to the old plastic brush (almost approaching thr grooming value of my aluminum non-beater bar brush I have installed in my Sanitaire Blue Line S645). Eurekaprince,  I have found, that though there is a headlight on my Blue Anniversary Edition, it doesn't come close to the brightness or illumination-value on my Windtunnel Lite. I have further noticed build quality concessions on my Blue Self-Propelled...which is disconcerting...aiming at the overall cheapness factor that has emerged amongst such a pioneering and ubiquitous brand that Hoover is.


Post# 348771 , Reply# 6   3/27/2016 at 17:20 (2,923 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)        

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Interesting comments....thank you, Darin. I wonder if the Royal versions are built more robustly. Look on the Royal website and you will see some uprights that are very similar to Hoover's current line-up.

Post# 348837 , Reply# 7   3/28/2016 at 04:01 (2,922 days old) by Durango159 (State College, PA)        
Two different corporate owners!

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The burgundy 13" Windtunnel Lite machine that you own was the original first generation of Hoover Windtunnel uprights. Your product sticker will have the exact manufacture date with first 4 numbers on the serial being the month and year. But respectively it should be somewhere in the ballpark of 1997- 1999. This machine was made while Maytag owned Hoover and was produced in the U.S.A and/or possibly assembled in Mexico.

The teal Anniversary edition that you have was manufactured years later. It was manufactured under TTI floorcare which is the current corporate owner of Hoover. Most likely it was manufactured in China but it could possibly be Mexico assembly still. I haven't ever used an Anniversary line that I can think of but I've heard it's a cheaper "finish".

TTI Floorcare also owns Royal, Dirt Devil, recently they acquired Oreck, they did own and essentially branded the last Regina labeled machines, they also have had some Vax labeled uprights years ago in the U.S. TTI is the reason that many Hoovers are now branded Royals. It is also the reason that the Oreck Venture canister is essentially the exactly the same as the Hoover Quiet Performance bagged canister. TTI just seems to think that's it's funny to merge and completely disrupt the uniqueness and differential of each particular manufacture name. I for one can't stand it!! A Hoover is a nice budget friendly, high performance cleaner. A Royal is a TOL metal based machine that is less expensive and not D2D like Kirby. An Oreck is a lightweight upright that's more of a power nozzle with a bag attached, though I have liked some of their canisters. A Dirt Devil is a budget friendly, low cost no frills line that was manufactured by Royal to meet the opposite end of the spectrum. Though their machines were a lower quality build, the cleaning power on them years ago was still decent and for the price range they were a nice unit. Especially the hand vacs!

Glad that you are happy with the agitation and grooming of the new CWP roller. I have been unlucky to have had experienced issues with 4 different CWP brush roll designs in 6 different vacuums. Each brush was designated by CWP as respective to the machines I've tried them in.

Even though I have never used the 13" Hoover original brush roll, I have used that same original brush texture in many other machines over the years. I've used 3 different 15" Hoover Windtunnel Supremes with the original Hoover auger style brush, I've used countless Hoover 48414081 brush rolls of original generation and the later generation which incorporated more grooves for rug guards. The 48414081 is the dual row bristle 12" brush that replaces all: Legacy, Elite, Caddy Vac, Dimension, Spectrum, Runabout, Sprint, etc. style uprights along with corresponding TurboPower lines. Additionally it replaces Futura, PowerMax canister power nozzles and their respective twins: TurboPower 5000 and 6000. I've seen a Windtunnel Supreme with the original brush roll become so aggessive that it actually ate through a soft linoleum style floor. When set right so machines with that brush roll are very very powerful!



Post# 348996 , Reply# 8   3/29/2016 at 16:53 (2,921 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)        
I agree w/ so much of this .

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I have several Windtunnels. Ialso have a few not in the"collection".Rob/Zippy:would you like to have one?They're not canisters and they need some attention. But.............

 


Post# 349021 , Reply# 9   3/29/2016 at 22:02 (2,920 days old) by Durango159 (State College, PA)        
Oh John you're too generous!

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I'm actually happy with my small collection though and looking to even pass off some of my machines to some others though. I'll be glad to try one though! Maybe in time my mind will change!! I've heard they cleaned well, would be neat to feel if the airflow is equal to the 15" Windtunnels.

Someday I do have two wish machines though. One will make you cringe--- it's a vintage Panasonic Jet Flo canister with headlight. The older classic looking one, that is more of a cream and burgundy color not the more gray/ brown colored one. There was on eBay not long ago but I passed it up.

The other wish machine is and I have no idea if this is a dream or if it ever existed:, but.... I'm curious if there is a deep navy blue Convertible with a round, non rubber grip metal handle. The white or black colored flick style on/off switch, headlight. Hood preference would be one similar to a that of a 1070, otherwise found on numerous Kmart models, or Convertible 700. I have preference to a Type A bag. Lighter sounding 4.3 Amp or similar motor tone. No offense to any and I know the 69 is one of your favorites John, but the hood style of the 70 and 719 and similar is nice but not my favorite.

Thanks for listening!! Thanks so much again for the offer! We need to find a weekend to get together soon too!


Post# 349047 , Reply# 10   3/30/2016 at 07:38 (2,920 days old) by vacuumlad1650 (Wauponsee, IL)        
Gottahaveahoove

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John
I believe I mentioned Im looking for a Windtunnel? If Rob passes, i may be interested


Post# 349132 , Reply# 11   3/30/2016 at 22:46 (2,919 days old) by s_matt37 (Utah)        
Very Nice!

What a great restoration job! They need to make 13" models like that again, sometimes the 15" models are just too big...


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