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Thread Number: 28407
/ Tag: Recent Vacuum Cleaners from past 20 years
My Kirby G5 finally arrived! |
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| Post# 317268 3/2/2015 at 18:16 (3,335 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
When I got home form work today, I couldn't get in the front door because of a rather huge box blocking the door. It was the Kirby G5 I had bought on eBay two weeks ago. Condition is pretty much what I expected, similar to my G6 in most respects. The handle more play side-to-side than the G6 but has greater spring tension when pulling the handle back. The Tech Drive seems to work okay but it makes a clicking noise when moving the machine with the drive disengaged in the "N" position.
I knew it needed a new plug on the end of the cord and I replaced it immediately. The cord is otherwise in good shape except for the little anchor just above and to the right of the power switch, which is broken off. I can live with $2 to replace the plug instead of $20-$30 to replace the whole cord. I knew the brush roll was bad and also replaced that. The only other thing not functioning properly is the headlight. Probably just needs a bulb. The outer bag has a small hole in it, down next to the emptor, but that doesn't seem to affect its functioning. The inside of that bag was filthy, looking like it had been run without an inner bag or that the inner bag had burst. I ended up vacuuming it out with my Electrolux 1205 and its upholstery brush/duster brush combo before mounting it on the machine and putting in a fresh inner bag. All in all, I think this vac will be a good addition to the fleet with a little TLC. | ||
| Post# 317272 , Reply# 1 3/2/2015 at 18:42 (3,335 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine) | ||
 Human, this link will take you to a thread that explains how to fix the clicking sound coming from your G5 Tech Drive:
www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-... | ||
| Post# 317278 , Reply# 2 3/2/2015 at 19:28 (3,335 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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Thanks for the link | ||
| Post# 317751 , Reply# 3 3/7/2015 at 23:08 (3,330 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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A little care package for my Kirbys came in the mail today. They both now have their missing scuff plate screws replaced and the G5 has a new headlight bulb. The G5 is taking shape nicely. It seems fairly sound mechanically. Its main issues are aesthetic. I'm not really looking to make a show piece out of either one of them, just get other people's crud off of them and keep them in a well-maintained state. One thing I need to do is get a bottle of Goo-Gone to clean the scuffs off of the plastic parts. Of course the G6 could use a little of the same sort of TLC.
I'm also thinking the outer bag on the G5 might need some deeper cleaning. I get a good puff of dust through the fabric every time I start the thing up. Any suggestions of a method for doing so? | ||
| Post# 317774 , Reply# 4 3/8/2015 at 09:11 (3,330 days old) by Miskini (Northville, Michigan ) | ||
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| Post# 317777 , Reply# 5 3/8/2015 at 10:49 (3,329 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine) | ||
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| Post# 317780 , Reply# 6 3/8/2015 at 11:25 (3,329 days old) by chicagomike (Plover, WI) | ||
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| Post# 317781 , Reply# 7 3/8/2015 at 11:26 (3,329 days old) by chicagomike (Plover, WI) | ||
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| Post# 317832 , Reply# 8 3/9/2015 at 09:26 (3,329 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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I've used Goo-Gone on plastic before. It's not bad. What I got yesterday was in a spray bottle. I just sprayed it on, let it sit a minute or two, then wiped it off with a paper towel. I had mixed results. some of the scuffed-on paint and stuff came off, but a lot of it stayed put.
I'm going to put the G5 through its paces vacuuming the living room and master bedroom when I get home from work this afternoon. | ||
| Post# 317878 , Reply# 9 3/9/2015 at 18:47 (3,328 days old) by pr-21 (Middletown, OH) | ||
Try a ...... | ||
| Post# 318249 , Reply# 10 3/14/2015 at 12:53 (3,323 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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2 Kirbys, 2 carpeted rooms
So I just finished vacuuming the master bedroom with the G5 and the living room with the G6, just to be able to do a head-to-head comparison. Both rooms have realtor grade carpet and a Persian rug, so it seemed like a pretty even comparison.
As to be expected with two such similar machines, the vacuuming experience was quite similar. The big differences I noticed were related to the brush rolls and Tech Drive. The G5 is harder to push with the Tech Drive disengaged, which at least gives the illusion that the Tech Drive is pulling more of the machine's weight when engaged than does the G6's Tech Drive. When engaged, the drives on both machines work as smooth as glass, no hopping or shuddering at all. The G5's newer, more aggressive style brush roll gives off more vibration than the G6's original style brush roll. It actually feels like it's beating the carpet. I ended up backing off slightly on the height adjustment when I had it on the Persian rug. I'm sure it reduced the suction efficiency a bit, but was a little better for the rug. One thing I love about all three of my Kirbys is the ease with which one can adjust the height on the fly, unlike any other upright I've ever used. It always amazes me just how much material those machines suck up. Both machines had brand new filter bags and in both cases, they were about half full (i.e., halfway full to the fill line) when I got done. It's a good thing I've got plenty of bags. Another minor difference was in the headlights. The G5's bulb was burned out when I got it, so I ordered a pair of replacements from Kirbyneeds. The best deal they had was on a two-pack of 12-watt Eiko bulbs as opposed to the 8-watt Kirby bulbs. The extra brightness was a nice bonus for paying half as much per bulb. I was impressed enough that I'm going ahead and retrofitting the G6 with the other 12-watt bulb and putting its original 8-watt bulb in reserve. | ||
| Post# 318335 , Reply# 11 3/14/2015 at 17:12 (3,323 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine) | ||
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Human, if you search the Vacuumland archives, you will find instructions for adjusting the Tech Drive on your G6 so that it performs normally, OR you could try these very good instructions:
www.greatvacs.com/education/kirby...
If you want to order a new Tech Drive for about $95 here are instructions for replacing the Tech Drive:
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| Post# 319183 , Reply# 12 3/23/2015 at 22:37 (3,314 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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Barkeeper's Friend
So I finally remembered to pick up some Magic Erasers when I was at Walmart this afternoon. With a little elbow grease, I was able to remove most of the scuffed-on paint from the plastic parts of all three of my Kirbys.
Then, just for fun, I started using it on the aluminum housings on my G5 and my first G6. The G6 actually regained much of its original luster, although several deep scratches remain and it's still not nearly as shiny as the one I got Sunday at Goodwill. The G5 didn't respond quite as dramatically. While not pitted—it's actually smooth to the touch—the metal has, over time, taken on a dull and leaden hue. I wore out the Magic Eraser before it brightened much at all, but then I started thinking about how my ex-wife would swear by Barkeeper's Friend, which is a very fine scouring powder. It won't leave scratches the way, say, Comet will, which isI use it frequently on my stainless steel cookware. So I sprinkled some on a sponge and added just enough water to make a thin paste, then I started rubbing it on the top of the motor housing. Instantly, the sponge turned black. I kept rubbing for a couple of minutes, then wiped it off with a damp paper towel and dried it. I honestly couldn't believe my eyes! While it didn't exactly have a mirror-like sheen, the metal was very much brighter and I could make out a faint reflection of the handle. If I got that result in such a brief time, I'm looking forward to being able to spend some real quality time with it and seeing what happens. I am going to keep my expectations realistic. This thing will likely never look as good as my newest G6, but I can definitely make it presentable. | ||
| Post# 319259 , Reply# 14 3/24/2015 at 18:14 (3,313 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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I just spent about an hour going over the G5 with Bar Keeper's Friend and I got it back to a nice satin luster. It isn't exactly mirror-like, but it's very smooth to the touch. The machine has only one really bad 'battle scar' to one side of the headlight lens. I'm probably going to keep working on it periodically, but I'm happy with the progress so far. I finished it off with a coat of car wax, just to help retard further oxidation. And for good measuret, I even put some Armor All on the plastics, It definitely looks better than it did.
Here are a few photos of it after a round of Bar Keeper's Friend: | ||
| Post# 319311 , Reply# 15 3/25/2015 at 14:03 (3,312 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine) | ||
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| Post# 319411 , Reply# 16 3/26/2015 at 22:09 (3,311 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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sptkys,
Funny you should mention Mother's. I stopped off at Wally World on the way homes from work today and picked up a can of Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish. With about ten minutes of rubbing, the G5 was positively glowing! It looked so good, I grabbed the G6 I had rescued from the dumpster and gave it a good rub-down. So now I have three shiny Kirbys. I didn't sand out all the scratches. I may do that someday, but for now, those 'battle scars' stand as a testament to their authenticity. I'm pretty pleased with the one-two punch of Bar Keeper's and Mother's. That's now my go-to combo for bringing back a leaden looking Kirby. Just look at the photos below. The G5 is on the left, the "dumpster" G6 is in the middle and the "thrift store" G6 (which needed no polishing) is on the right—Larry, Kirby and Moe. The first photo, taken without flash, doesn't really do them justice, so I went back and took one with the flash. Much better. | ||
Post# 319416 , Reply# 17 3/27/2015 at 00:53 (3,311 days old) by gottahaveahoove  (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640) |
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Wow!!! And I'm not even a Kirbylover! There's a lot of money sitting there. I use Barkeeper's friend on my aunt's Jenaire glass cooktop. I much prefer the powder over the bottle. It also brings back a glorious shine to the copper bottoms of Reverware pots and pans. I think I'll try that on my 3 Kirby(s) before I attempt to sell them. Great job there. | ||
| Post# 319439 , Reply# 18 3/27/2015 at 11:01 (3,310 days old) by Kirbysthebest (Midwest) | ||
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Mother's Mag cleaner is great I use it on all my Kirbys to keep them bright and shinny, then finish up with a little paste turtle wax to protect the metal. My Omega is 40 years old and still sparkles like the day I took it out of the box. | ||
| Post# 319440 , Reply# 19 3/27/2015 at 11:05 (3,310 days old) by marcusprit () | ||
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This post has been removed by the member who posted it. | ||
| Post# 319445 , Reply# 20 3/27/2015 at 11:25 (3,310 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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I'm a Mother's convert...
Yeah, I got the idea the other night while watching a YouTube video of a guy using it to shine up some leaden looking cast aluminum motorcycle parts. I couldn't believe how easily he brought an old kick start pedal and a clutch/brake handle back. I figured it might just be the ticket for the G5. It really exceeded my expectations. I'll be putting wax on them this weekend.
As kind of an added bonus, I found when I was cleaning my hands afterward that I had also inadvertently shined up the silver and turquoise faux Navajo ring I was wearing. Who would have thought I'd ever get this excited about shining up a vacuum cleaner. | ||
| Post# 319511 , Reply# 21 3/27/2015 at 23:17 (3,310 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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G5 before
I found a couple of 'before' pictures of the G5 from the eBay listing where I bought it. What an amazing transformation! It doesn't even look like the same machine.
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| Post# 319539 , Reply# 22 3/28/2015 at 10:50 (3,309 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine) | ||
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| Post# 319854 , Reply# 23 3/31/2015 at 21:48 (3,306 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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I can't believe I never noticed this before…
I've had that G5 for almost a month and it has only just occurred to me that it has a bojacked handle. The front part and the grip at the top are correct, but the back panel has been replaced. Instead of being the proper 'cabernet' color, it's graphite gray from G4. the reason it didn't register with me is that it looks okay; in fact, it looks quite nice where the gray back panel wraps under the bottom to meet the burgundy G5 decal on the front of the handle.
I thought at first it might be an early G5 and they were just using up some random G4 parts, but the serial number suggests it was built in December 1997. putting it almost square in the middle of the G5's run. Sure, I could spend a few extra dollars to replace it with one of the correct color, but what's the point? It looks just fine except for its mismatched cord hooks and I can live with that. | ||
| Post# 320849 , Reply# 24 4/7/2015 at 20:58 (3,299 days old) by KirbyG4Vacuum () | ||
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My Kirby G3 tech drive clicks when I push it in neutral when its off. Does anyone know how to solve this problem? | ||
| Post# 320852 , Reply# 25 4/7/2015 at 21:45 (3,299 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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See Reply #11 | ||
| Post# 320853 , Reply# 26 4/7/2015 at 21:49 (3,299 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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| Post# 322064 , Reply# 27 4/15/2015 at 11:44 (3,291 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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Taking the plunge...
After reading through the procedures and watching a few YouTube videos, I've decided I'm ready to tear into my G5's Tech Drive, which is by far the noisiest of the three machines I have. The dumpster G6 is by far the quietest and the Goodwill G6 makes just the slightest clicking sound when I pull it backward with the drive in neutral. It probably just needs adjusting. The G5 will be getting a new bracket cam assembly and drive belt while I've got it apart. The parts should be here in a few days. I'll let you know how it goes.
The ridiculous thing is I now have a whole lot more money sunk into this G5 than I do in both of my G6's combined. Were I more sane, I would have simply retired it to the barn as a parts donor. I guess the only way to rationalize it is to convince myself the knowledge I'm gaining as I fix it up is priceless. | ||
| Post# 322424 , Reply# 28 4/18/2015 at 15:39 (3,288 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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Success!
I just got finished putting the new bracket cam assembly into the G5. It was easier than I expected, although I had a little bit of trouble putting it back together. The bar that connects the power switch pedal to the internal switch came loose inside as I was putting it back together so I had to take it apart a second time, then I didn't notice on the subsequent attempt at putting it together that the direction fork didn't line up on its little pivot, so I had to partially drop the transmission a third time to get that straightened out. After that, it went together okay and the little clicking sound is no more. Thanks to all who pointed me in the direction of that solution.
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| Post# 322502 , Reply# 29 4/19/2015 at 09:19 (3,288 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA) | ||
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| Post# 322505 , Reply# 30 4/19/2015 at 09:53 (3,288 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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Very true. I always expect a learning curve whenever I attempt something like that for the first time. That's why I like to get parts for my cars from u-pull-it type junk yards. I can learn a lot about how a part goes onto my car by taking it off the donor car without having to worry about messing anything up.
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| Post# 322515 , Reply# 31 4/19/2015 at 11:26 (3,287 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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The noise is back
So I ran the G5 a little while ago, first time since I installed the bracket cam assembly and the Ultimate G bag assembly. The good news is it runs better than ever with the improved airflow of the newer style mini-emptor. When engaged, the Tech Drive works great. Everything is smooth as silk. The N/D pedal even has a more positive and precise feel to it than before. I did put a spot of white lithium grease on the two points where the bracket cam assembly makes contact with other moving parts. The old assembly didn't show any signs of undue wear and neither did the visible gears. I say all that because the bad news is the noise is back when pushing the machine with the Tech Drive in neutral. It's not so much a clicking sound as one akin to a fishing reel (especially the old Mitchell reels my grandparents used to use) when there's a fish on the line and it's pulling the drag. Annoying, but I guess I can live with it as long as it's not hurting anything. It isn't hurting anything, right?
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| Post# 322659 , Reply# 33 4/20/2015 at 13:04 (3,286 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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I have no intention of changing that handle back. It works just fine and it doesn't look bad. That G5 has evolved into an 'inter-generational' machine with its G4 handle back, Sentria style brush roll and Ultimate G bag assembly. It's definitely not all original but that's okay. Except for the aforementioned noise in the Tech Drive, it works just as well as a new one.
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