Thread Number: 15786
A question about TriStar different years ...and 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 168099   2/2/2012 at 22:34 (4,459 days old) by Alexolux ()        

HI,

I am considering buying a TriStar and want to know the performance of the different years . the CLl or DXL was recommended . BUT ...... what about earlier vintages like the C6 or others ? Do they perform nearly as well? should I wait for a CXL and pass on an earlier one ? I like the paint ( color ) on the early ones better .

Post# 168104 , Reply# 1   2/2/2012 at 23:05 (4,459 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

eurekastar's profile picture
Do you want a power nozzle with it? If so, you can't go wrong with a CXL or DXL. They're powerful vacuums.

Post# 168110 , Reply# 2   2/3/2012 at 05:45 (4,459 days old) by danemodsandy ()        
For Best Daily Driving:

 Get a CXL or DXL.

They are incredibly good vacs, and they don't have the parts problems that some of the earlier ones can have. You'd have a hard time replacing a wheel on a C-4, for instance, or getting parts for some of the earlier PNs.

And almost every change that late machines have is for the better, unlike most machines. More filtration, better wand and tool system, more maneuverability due to better wheels, bumpers that protect furniture better.

You have to get what you like, but the late machines are really great.

Post# 168125 , Reply# 3   2/3/2012 at 11:37 (4,459 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

Make sure you get one with the black-base PN, that one can be adapted with a 4-row VGII brushroll, as mine was by it's previous owner, a brilliant modification over the standard brushroll, although even with the standard brushroll it's a superb cleaner... :)

Post# 168408 , Reply# 4   2/5/2012 at 15:19 (4,457 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

Any Compact/TriStar vac is super powerful; they'll OUTCLEAN any of today's "plasti-vacs"

Post# 168831 , Reply# 5   2/8/2012 at 14:00 (4,454 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        

kirbyclassiciii's profile picture
I wonder how good the first TriStar CXL of 1982 would be, compared to its predecessor, the Compact C9 of 1979? And, would the Eureka-made "Turbo Brush" power nozzle of both periods be good by today's standards?

Also, in regards to the Compact C9, how many colors did its PN come in, besides the cleaner unit itself?

~Ben

Post# 170839 , Reply# 6   2/24/2012 at 21:03 (4,437 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

I think the very first TriStar CXL happens to be the most powerful TriStar ever; & only the red ones had two speeds.

Post# 171403 , Reply# 7   2/29/2012 at 19:27 (4,432 days old) by kloveland (Tulsa)        
Tristar DXL

 kloveland's profile picture

Just wanted to add another factor, either the DXL or CXL has a geared belt setup similar to the Electrolux power nozzles. I would prefer to have the flat belt as my power nozzle with the geared belt seems to be rather noisy. Although, I don’t have to worry about changing belts, which is nice!

 

Just as everyone has said above: "Tristars are great performers" however, I tend use my UltraLux more often. I have a generic vinyl electric hose for it, which makes it a real powerhouse. The UltraLux seems to compare with the Tristar in terms of suction on an empty bag. My grandmother had the 1205 growing up, which is why I tend to favor using the Lux more than the Tristar. Before I joined the club, I had never heard of Compact or Tristar.

 

Both are keepers and wonderful vacuums. In all honesty, the Tristar will probably outperform the Lux. I really love the “MADE IN U.S.A tag on my Tristar” glad it’s still intact.
Post# 171405 , Reply# 8   2/29/2012 at 19:37 (4,432 days old) by kloveland (Tulsa)        
Bottom picture of the power nozzles

 kloveland's profile picture

As Sandy mentioned:

 

the Tristar power nozzle cleans fine with the original brushroll. It really sweeps the carpet and leaves nice carpet lines. Can’t speak on the Eureka vibragroomer, because I’ve never attempted that, it won’t work for me since I have a geared belt. The original is just fine for me.

 

However, I did upgrade the brush roll in Electrolux PN, and it makes quite a difference. It does seem to run slower with the extra turn of bristles.
Post# 171411 , Reply# 9   2/29/2012 at 20:01 (4,432 days old) by danemodsandy ()        
Kenny:

 I have a Lux Diamond Jubilee in addition to my TriStar; the Diamond Jubilee was basically the same machine as your Ultralux.

You are correct that suction - on an empty bag - is pretty much equal on both machines. But later Luxes gained that suction at the expense of motor durability; motor failures from Diamond Jubilee through Ultralux are dishearteningly more frequent than one would like to hear.

A TriStar CXL/DXL/EX-20 has a motor that does its job without any undue stress; this was a huge plus on machines all the way back to the Compact days. My mom, who is extremely rough on appliances (we call her The Appliance Killer) actually got 30 years out of a Compact C-2 that never EVER saw the inside of a vac repair shop for any maintenance whatsoever. She never used a paper bag in the machine, only the cloth one, vacuuming up Georgia's vac-killing mix of sand and red clay. And still got 30 years out of it!

I won't say a Lux couldn't do that, but I think luck or very good maintenance would have to be involved. I see too many later metal-bodied Luxes in vac shops' "parts machine" piles to think otherwise.

Post# 171418 , Reply# 10   2/29/2012 at 20:32 (4,432 days old) by danemodsandy ()        
P.S., Kenny:

 I think one factor in the motor life of TriStar/Compact vs. Electrolux is that Lux only has one-stage filtration. Everything depends on that single bag.

Even in that abused Compact C-2 of my mom's, there was a motor pre-filter. In those days, it was a round metal frame holding a fiberglas mat, not today's foam. And my mom never bought a new one; she kept knocking the dust out of the original. Even so, having two levels of filtration in that Compact made a difference, I feel. And it would have been three had she ever used the paper bags. Years after the Compact went to the dump, I found the original sales papers for it in her garage - along with a "starter" supply of paper bags, still pristine after all those years.

Three levels of filtration before the airflow ever gets to the motor HAS to make a difference in motor life, seems to me.

Post# 171420 , Reply# 11   2/29/2012 at 20:39 (4,432 days old) by kloveland (Tulsa)        
I agree

 kloveland's profile picture

I've heard (from this forum) the same thing about the failure of later Electrolux motors. But I have yet to experience a failure. You are correct.

 

One of our members just recently burned out the motor in his Tristar. He was running it with a partially full bag, while cleaning out a Kirby Classic III bag. Your are so right about changing bags frequently. More airflow equals cooler motor.

 

I have a Compact C6 as well. But it doesn't seem to have as much power as the Tristar.

 

Enjoy reading your posts. Your information seems logical and factual.
Post# 171422 , Reply# 12   2/29/2012 at 20:53 (4,432 days old) by kloveland (Tulsa)        
filtration

kloveland's profile picture

I've opened some Electrolux canisters to find their motors very dusty. There is no way of knowing if the previous owner used genuine bags or not. I've only opened up two Tristars to find their motor compartment dust free.

 

I know I'm contradicting myself. But I do agree with you on the filtration of the Tristar.  The Electrolux just seems to be more user friendly to me with it's cord winder, flip over tool and such. The Tristar is very user friendly as well. It's very difficult for me to decided on one vacuum. Guess that's why I'm a collector, LOL!
Post# 171423 , Reply# 13   2/29/2012 at 21:00 (4,432 days old) by danemodsandy ()        
Kenny:

 It's funny - when I'm using one of my Luxes, I use the cordwinder without thinking about it.

When I use the TriStar, I wind the cord around the machine without thinking about it.

Each machine has its advantages and disadvantages. After vacuuming with a Lux, I see dust in the room again much sooner than I do with the TriStar. And that's an inconvenience of a sort, right there.



Post# 171461 , Reply# 14   3/1/2012 at 04:57 (4,432 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

The two in-hose built Tristar PNs can be differentiated easily, the flat belt models have a black base, and the geared belt, which come with motor overload protection circuitry, have a beige/off-white base... :)

The flat-belt models, like mine, can be upgraded with some skill required, turning it into what is essentially a VGIII PN, though it uses a 4-row VGII brushroll fitted with VGIII bristle strips, turns that PN into quite the cleaning beast... :D

You do need a donor VGII brushroll from a Eureka PN, and something to grind away the parts of the end-caps that prevent a 4-row (or even a true VGIII) from fitting them, just make sure to wear eye protection cos I nearly blinded myself grinding back the end caps on my Eureka Rotomatic PN's brushroll... :S

I would post a pic, but, I'm on the wrong computer for it... :P

Post# 171492 , Reply# 15   3/1/2012 at 09:54 (4,432 days old) by kloveland (Tulsa)        
geared belt

 kloveland's profile picture
My Tristar has the black base and the geared belt. My knowledge of Tristar/Compacts is very limited, but I know mine has the geared belt. Can’t argue with you on the filtration of Tristar, Sandy.

Post# 171511 , Reply# 16   3/1/2012 at 14:47 (4,432 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

Now that is intriguing, unless someone upgraded that one with the parts that normally go into the beige one... :\

That said, the black base does have the screw positions for the geared belt setup, so not exactly hard to change the guts I guess... :)

Post# 171551 , Reply# 17   3/1/2012 at 19:46 (4,431 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

I'm going to change the motor/belt/roller on my red TriStar PN.

Is there a way to change just the pulley on a Eureka VGII brush roller? I prefer the VGII better than the wood bristles-only roller; the VGs REALLY beat the dirt out of even the deepest/thickest pile carpet.

Post# 171554 , Reply# 18   3/1/2012 at 20:11 (4,431 days old) by kloveland (Tulsa)        

kloveland's profile picture

David,

 

I know my Tristar power nozzle is all original. My model number is: 2-101 and it was manufactured to have a geared belt. Below is a link to an eBay auction for a geared belt. My model number is listed.

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Alex - I think you will be very happy with either the CXL or DXL. They are wonderful vacuums! I was really excited when I first got mine. Sorry for hijacking your thread on the Lux/Tristar comparison.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO kloveland's LINK on eBay



This post was last edited 03/01/2012 at 20:53
Post# 171563 , Reply# 19   3/1/2012 at 20:51 (4,431 days old) by KC_Kirby (Kansas City, MO)        

And here is the model number from my CXL Tristar. Its 2-1000 which does not match the one that Kenny has. I once sold a Tristar DXL with a geared belt nozzle on Ebay and I needed a belt for it. I went to the Tristar distributor in my town and the guy said that there was not a silver Tristar with a geared belt. So it just goes to show you that even the vacuum distributors don't even know their own product. I know that there is also an all black power nozzle with a geared belt sold with the DXL that looks different than the CXL nozzle and not at all like the nozzle sold with the EXL.

Chad Cunningham

Post# 171568 , Reply# 20   3/1/2012 at 21:10 (4,431 days old) by danemodsandy ()        
Easy Answer!

 Folks:

In my first job out of high school, I learned why you see products that don't match any known records of what a company produced.

The job was in a watch and clock repair shop that handled warranty service for Westclox and Seth Thomas, both then owned by General Time.

Several large store chains, like Rose's, Rexall Drugs and Ben Franklin, would periodically box up large shipments of customer returns and send them to us for repair and reboxing.

What would happen is that we would normally have exactly what was needed to repair each clock exactly as it was designed. But sometimes a shipment was very large, or an uncommon clock or two would be in it - and then there might not be the exact parts needed.

What was done in those instances was to take the nearest equivalent part and substitute it. A face designed for one clock might replace the damaged face of another, or a clock normally sold only with a blue case might get a pink one that was identical, but intended for another model.

The stores didn't care, so long as they got back salable merchandise of equal value to what they'd shipped. Consumers had very little way of knowing that a particular clock's face was "wrong," or that the hands on it didn't "belong" to that exact model - so they bought the clocks anyway.

So, if you see "oddball" stuff, there is a chance it was repaired either before sale, or under warranty after having been sold. Repairing merchandise before sale used to be much more common than it is today; such merchandise is usually marked "refurbished" now, and sold at a reduced price.

Post# 171597 , Reply# 21   3/2/2012 at 00:34 (4,431 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)        

kirbyvertibles's profile picture
That geared belt model is original to tri star. When I worked for them for a while, the man I worked under said that when they came out with that (which was the first geared belt experiment ) it was a disappointment because the belt would get to hot and somtimes melt the housing. Then they went right into the all black one which also had the geared belt and still they had problems. So after that they fixed it by using the Electrolux style nozzle on the EXL.

Post# 171675 , Reply# 22   3/2/2012 at 18:53 (4,430 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

The 2-1000 & 2-101 PNs are the same thing; some TriStar PNs may have been converted from flat-belt system to geared-belt system, perhaps for user convenience.

Is there a GEARED pulley that can fit a Eureka VGII brush roller? I'm about to convert my red PN to a geared belt soon.

Is the white dot a reset switch?

Post# 171680 , Reply# 23   3/2/2012 at 19:34 (4,430 days old) by KC_Kirby (Kansas City, MO)        

Here is a link to Tristar USA's parts page, with a diagram of the 2-101 Power Nozzle illustrating the geared belt. Right below it is a diagram of another model with a smooth belt. I wonder if they they discontinued the geared belt and reintroduced a flat belt before switching to the black nozzle that Phillip mentioned.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO KC_Kirby's LINK
Post# 171686 , Reply# 24   3/2/2012 at 20:40 (4,430 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

Or TriStar was just using the last of the two-piece (black plastic husing & alumnum cover) to make the 2-101 PNs beore they went to the all-plastic one-piece housing for the 2-51.

I remember growing up around Compacts & TriStars; I was only 3 yrs old when my parents bought the 2-speed CXL back in 1985. Ever since then, I just CAN'T LET THE TRISTAR CXL GO! It even put my Dyson dc23 to shame; the TriStar has MORE suction & MORE durable than the Dyson. :P

I'll be using this for as long as I'm here. :)

Post# 171702 , Reply# 25   3/2/2012 at 21:47 (4,430 days old) by twocvbloke ()        
"Is there a GEARED pulley that can fit a Eureka VGII bru

 From what I've been told, nope, plus, a proper VGII in a Tristar PN is surprisingly ineffective, the beater bumps do not protrude from the rugplate, so it doesn't beat as it sweeps, it has to be a 4-row VGII roll (with modified VGII end caps) with VGIII strips, or like I did with my Eureka Rotomatic PN, an actual VGIII roll fitted on a modified VGII axle, it's not standard fitting, so either way it requires modification... :)

And yeah, that's an overload reset button (if you pick up a sock or the edge of a rug, etc.), something that isn't required on the flat-belt model as the belt slips enough to not cause the motor damage, thus the belt would fail first... :)

Post# 172094 , Reply# 26   3/5/2012 at 22:00 (4,427 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

The Vibra Groomer is supposed to perform its exclusive triple-action "beats-sweeps-cleans) principle; however, it depends on the type of carpet being vacuumed. It may work nicely on tacked/stapled down or carpet with padding underneath, but might not work on glued-down or commercial type carpets.

This is the style of brush roller that I sometimes use on the TriStar PN; depends on my cleaning needs, I use the 4-brush wooden roller or the VGII.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO floor-a-matic's LINK
Post# 172110 , Reply# 27   3/5/2012 at 23:59 (4,427 days old) by twocvbloke ()        

Well, in a Eureka PN, the VGII does as it's supposed to, but in a Tristar PN, all you're getitng is the sweeping, with no beating as the beaters don't protrude from the nozzle, so it's not as effective as it would be in a Eureka PN or upright vac... :\

The brushroll that's in my Tristar's PN, as fitted by it's previous owner, is a generic 4-row VibraGroomerII brushroll fitted with VGIII brush strips, and it works superbly, you can add VGIII strips to your proper VGII roll, but to be honest, it'd still effectively be just a 2-row non-beating brushroll because of the above issues with VGIIs in Tristar PNs...

These are my two PNs, top is the Tristar PN with it's black 4-row Generic VGII, and bottom is my Eureka Rotomatic PN with a proper VGIII brushroll (note the shallower angle of the strips and the raised beater section), the best part is that they're interchangeable, so they fit in either make of PN, it just takes a bit of grinding of the end caps to allow the extra 2 rows to fit a VGII axle, and after that you're home free and ready to beat the dirt out of your carpets... :)

Post# 172181 , Reply# 28   3/6/2012 at 14:34 (4,427 days old) by kloveland (Tulsa)        
yeah

 kloveland's profile picture
I have a Beam Rugmaster power nozzle that has the same setup and I didn't have to modify anything. Do I see a Kirby belt in your nozzle?

Personally, I like the soft brushes of the original brush roll. Thanks for posting your modification.

Post# 172183 , Reply# 29   3/6/2012 at 14:41 (4,427 days old) by jdrums0789 ()        

floor-a-matic:

I love your red two speed! I have one too. Altho Im jealous, you have attachments, I'm still without those :(

But I want to ask you, does yours leak alot of air around the Hi/Lo switch? Mine does quite badly. It doesnt bother me, because all the filters are infront of the exaust, but I would think if there was a way I could seal it, it would be a little queiter. Also, on high speed, my power switch/handle starts rattling around. Its rather annoying. Anyone have suggestions on fixing that?

Post# 172190 , Reply# 30   3/6/2012 at 16:01 (4,427 days old) by twocvbloke ()        
"Do I see a Kirby belt in your nozzle? "

 It's either Kirby or Royal, haven't opened the PN up for a while, they're pretty much the same belts anyway, and you can get generic ones which say they're for all three (Kirby, Royal & Eureka/Tristar PNs)... :)



Post# 172559 , Reply# 31   3/8/2012 at 19:00 (4,424 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)        

Yes, sometimes the Hi/Lo swtich are leaks air, there's carbon brush residue around it. Those tools are the new ones; the clear glitter tools have been put away just for display.


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