Loose dial-a-matic handle, any advice?


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Thread Number: 785
Loose dial-a-matic handle, any advice?

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Post# 8067 1/11/2007 at 17:38 (6,308 days old) by funvacfan (Canada)
Checkrate/Likes Wondering if anyone has encountered this and were able to remedy it somehow. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears! Guy

Post# 8078 , Reply# 1 1/11/2007 at 18:23 (6,308 days old) by charles~richard ()
Checkrate/Likes *I have heard that "Loose Handle Syndrome"* was endemic to Dial-a-Matics. Something about the way the handle connected to the body of the motor being very flimsy. I only remember one family who had a Dial-A-Matic. It was white and blue, with some kind of flowery patterns on the front or something. I only saw it once, standing in the front hall closet, and never actually saw it being used. I do recall it had a transluscent vinyl sack for the attachments -- it was hanging from a coathanger next to the hose.

Post# 8085 , Reply# 2 1/11/2007 at 18:41 (6,308 days old) by petek (Ontario)
Checkrate/Likes *Me Dams* Only two I have right now.. Doug in Moose Jaw gave me the orange one last year and I found the blue one just before we moved here.. There's a green one at the flea market downtown but I don't know if I really want it because it's in sorta rough shape..

Post# 8101 , Reply# 3 1/11/2007 at 20:57 (6,308 days old) by myhooverco ()
Checkrate/Likes Guy... The DAM is notorious for this handle condition. I have seen some very wobbly ones and some that are just perfect. I have even seen some fitted with a metal "neck brace" that is screwed over the handle socket. This is one of the DAM's problem areas. The best thing to do is NEVER pick it up by the handle, use the carrying handle above the exhaust outlet. Just keep the screw tight. Some people put in shims behind the handle plate (under where the screw goes in) and that stops the wobble. The bottom line is that the handles are weak and won't get better with age. When they do break, the whole cleaner body must be replaced to correct the problem which will start all over again if the cleaner is abuse. Here are my DAMs all hung up. I have all of the standard US models. I only have a few of the power drive models as they take up more space. --Tom Charlie...yes the DAM did come with a vinyl bag for the tools to be stored. It has a big Hoover logo on the outside.

Post# 8111 , Reply# 4 1/11/2007 at 21:36 (6,307 days old) by funvacfan (Canada)
Checkrate/Likes Tom, your display of DAM's is amazing, very creative! My handle does'nt wobble too much, so I'll be careful. But thank you for the advice of shimming it up if it becomes too loose. Thanks! Guy

Post# 8135 , Reply# 5 1/12/2007 at 06:17 (6,307 days old) by retromom ()
Checkrate/Likes Hi Tom: You have a beautiful collection! Are those lavender Constellations on the shelf? What did you use to hang the DAM's on the wall? What a shame that there was no distinct warning on the vaccuum itself not to lift the DAM by it's handle. Weren't they worried about the liability of a housewife lifting the vacuum and having the handle disengage, therefore dropping the entire unit on her foot? ;-)

Post# 8233 , Reply# 6 1/13/2007 at 10:15 (6,306 days old) by myhooverco ()
Checkrate/Likes Retromom... Thanks for the compliments. I displayed the DAMs like this out of necessity rather than for looks. You would not believe how much space I saved by hanging them on the wall. I used a nice two by four (I forget the kind of wood) and then just screwed in deck screws partially into the wood. Then I just hung them on the heads of the screws. I had to remove the handle springs though or they tended to pop up! Hoover did address some of the DAMs shortcomings. In the instruction booklet (that EVERYONE reads!) it shows the proper way to lift a DAM. It is very clear. However, growing up with a U5017 DAM, my mother never lifted it the way she was supposed to. I never even saw the instruction booklet for it either. Hers broke within a few years and was retrofitted with a "neck" brace. The handles did not seem to come completely off but just became more wobbly. Remember these were the days before suing Mc D's over hot coffee!!! The Constellations you mention are a rose color, model 84 and 84b from the mid 1950's. They were the first ones to float on their own airstream and were matched to the Hoover Citation model 64 upright. Again thanks for the compliments... --Tom

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