Clutch Assembly Bearing Repack For Riccar 8850

A few days ago, I was using my 2005 Riccar 8850 and I noticed a ticking (or knocking) when the brush roll was engaged during wind down. After surmising the noise was coming from the very complicated brush roll assembly, I performed a tear down and narrowed the issue down to the clutch assembly (pic #1).

What surprised me is that within the clutch assembly were not one but TWO 626D rubber sealed bearings (similar to pic #2). I was able to determine that one of the pair spun with a slightly rough feel, so I used WD40 to fully clean out both bearings. There was a miniscule amount of debris from the noisy one and essentially nothing from the other one. I re-greased both with blue Mobil EMB grease and re-assembled the clutch part.

I was all smiles when I checked the spin up and down and no ticking or knocking was heard. But there was also an added benefit...and increase in power. Specifically, I measured a 3% greater current usage and then I measured the airflow. Sure enough, I noted about a 3 CFM increase, whoohoo! The belt also now rode directly in the middle of the motor drive shaft instead of 2mm off center (toward the outside).

Bottom line: keep those bearings lubed!

Bill

Photos... < > Photo 1 of 2 View Full Size


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Post# 361853 11/2/2016 at 12:29 (2,724 days old) by wyaple (Pickerington, OH)
Checkrate/Likes A few days ago, I was using my 2005 Riccar 8850 and I noticed a ticking (or knocking) when the brush roll was engaged during wind down. After surmising the noise was coming from the very complicated brush roll assembly, I performed a tear down and narrowed the issue down to the clutch assembly (pic #1). What surprised me is that within the clutch assembly were not one but TWO 626D rubber sealed bearings (similar to pic #2). I was able to determine that one of the pair spun with a slightly rough feel, so I used WD40 to fully clean out both bearings. There was a miniscule amount of debris from the noisy one and essentially nothing from the other one. I re-greased both with blue Mobil EMB grease and re-assembled the clutch part. I was all smiles when I checked the spin up and down and no ticking or knocking was heard. But there was also an added benefit...and increase in power. Specifically, I measured a 3% greater current usage and then I measured the airflow. Sure enough, I noted about a 3 CFM increase, whoohoo! The belt also now rode directly in the middle of the motor drive shaft instead of 2mm off center (toward the outside). Bottom line: keep those bearings lubed! Bill Photos... < > Photo 1 of 2 View Full Size