Thread Number: 37399
/ Tag: Recent Vacuum Cleaners from past 20 years
Robs Kirby G6 Y2K Edition Expresto! |
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Post# 399091 , Reply# 1   10/2/2018 at 01:07 (2,400 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, IN)   |   | |
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Great find! It's a nice Kirby and they look great in this color. I have the 2001 edition myself. It still has a great finish on it so it should clean up good. You don't see these as much as any other G-series Kirby, there isn't many videos on YouTube of them either. I guess people didn't understand the "limited edition" gimmick and passed on it. I got mine for $40 from a pawn shop over eBay. Only things wrong are someone didn't know you had to put bags in it, and the transmission lever has come off (common problem).
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Post# 399126 , Reply# 3   10/2/2018 at 20:32 (2,399 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)   |   | |
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Yeah, I would have had a hard time walking away from that one for that price. I've got two Gsix Kirbys, a 2001 Limited Edition and a Gsix Performance. The various 'editoins' were a gimmick. The only difference between one edition and the next was the sticker on the handle.
My 2001 Limited Edition was my first Kirby, rescued from beside a dumpster on a drizzly December evening in 2012. It only needed a bag and a belt but that apparently was enough to prompt somebody to toss it. Oh well, their wastefulness was my gain. |
Post# 399508 , Reply# 5   10/13/2018 at 23:54 (2,388 days old) by vacuumdevil (Vacuum Hell )   |   | |
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Post# 399748 , Reply# 7   10/19/2018 at 01:11 (2,383 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, IN)   |   | |
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I always say replace and clean up everything that sounds or looks worn-out now while you have it open, rather than having to re-open the vacuum to the degree in your photos to do it again. You can put the new parts back in as you are in the reassembly stage in a single fluid process. Sometimes, especially with vintage vacuums on their plastic parts, you only have a certain amount of times you can unscrew a screw before either the threads strip or the screw post breaks apart. $15 for a vacuum that originally sold for something like $800 new, but is built to outlive you, is not a bad cost.
For the mismatched part dates, the vacuum might have been repaired at a vacuum shop, authorized dealer or not. That time frame, adding a couple years for parts distribution (the date wheel is only when they left the injection mold, not when they started hitting the street) is when the Sentria came out so that is probably a good indicator of when it was repaired, 2009/2010 maybe. For someone that is rough on the vacuum and stomps the pedal, or turns the vacuum on and off a lot during a vacuuming session, it might prematurely wear the pedal out. Same happens to the transmission switch. I admit I've been rough on my Ultimate G sometimes in setting it on the floor or carrying it to the basement, and the front wheels have fallen off, and keep falling off the axle, which is why it's been in the garage for the last couple years. That is not a common failure part, but it does happen. I know how to fix it now since I've become a collector so it should be no sweat. |
Post# 399919 , Reply# 9   10/22/2018 at 21:34 (2,379 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)   |   | |
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Hey
The motor housing on g series is sealed. Tradition and every other model lint could get to motor no matter what. You will find motors in immaculate shape. They have like 3 layers of protection. There bearing plates i don't like. The carbon brushes are easy to change. The safety switch got me when i was putting my first g6 back together this summer. The aluminum is alot easier to polish. Older vacuums haves more curves and vent lips. G series flat edges. Your sandpaper doesn't hit vent and tear. They polish up easy. The nozzles have challenges but nothing too hard. I dislike the belt lifter. I like the belt lifter but I would keep on for polishing. That damn wavy washer the plastic inner washer. They get me every time. I choose to not mess with it. I have a second g6 2001 se i picked up. I had to get bpi sensor back wheel cover and new axle. The axle was bent. If you lowered it thde axle flexed and toe touch became stuck. I will be getting it Wednesday. I finally got a phone so ill post pics when i work on it. Ill show both g6s. I dropped my body after polish on first g6 making small ding. I got mine for $15 at thrift store. I got a sentria for $15 a year ago but g series you never see. I seen the g 6 was shocked. We went to salt lake and hit up about 8 thrift storez and found it. Major score. I also got a sanitronic 7 this past weekend. Ive got a junk d80 a legend a tradition and a legend2. I love going to check out with them. They always ask if they work. I go it's a kirby of course it works. The sentria was a score. I love the g6 color scheme. Its bezt looking vacuum since tradition. I rambled on enough but im excited to finish g6's and see how it compares to sentria. Good luck with rest of reno. I know you will do well. I have 2 g6s tradition classic and sanatronic 7 562 and 560 im doing. I should do one at a time. Classic c has screws stripped on field. The tradition i need to solder wires on sanitronic nic nic 7 needs bearings packed legend 2 just needs amodel l fan. I plan to polish all at same time. I wNt to fix mechanics before cosmetics. Les |
Post# 399929 , Reply# 10   10/23/2018 at 00:39 (2,379 days old) by broomvac (N/A)   |   | |
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Out of curiosity, exactly which bearings did you select? IIRC, Kirbys use 608 size bearings (as do most vacuums), but there are many grades of such bearings available.
A while back while I was climbing the learning curve, I made the mistake of using cheap-o non electric motor grade 608 bearings in a vacuum motor. They didn't last long and got noisy fast. I think they were actually low-grade bearings intended for a skateboard or something, not a high speed/high temperature application. These are the bearings I trust to use in vacuums now. They are C3 electric motor grade and from a trustworthy brand. The link I posted is for the ZZ bearings fitted with "labyrinth steel shields," but if you want removable rubber seals, both non-contact and contact rubber sealed versions of the same bearing are available. If you found equivalent 608 C3 grade EM bearings for cheaper, I'm all ears. CLICK HERE TO GO TO broomvac's LINK |
Post# 400026 , Reply# 12   10/25/2018 at 01:24 (2,377 days old) by broomvac (N/A)   |   | |
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Thanks for the info. Indeed, it seems Kirby (at least currently) turns to Peer for their bearings. I’ll have to get ahold of some and compare them to the NTN EM bearings. Perhaps i’ll Like them even better.
If this is your first experience with a G-series machine, you are in for a treat. They are well thought out. I actually like my G-series Kirbys better than my older ones because, among other reasons, they are easier to work on. It’s a very modular vacuum. I had a 2000, but I gave it up for a 2001. My 2000 was not as nice as yours; it worked well but clearly was used a lot. My 2001, on the other hand, has seen barely any use. Enjoy the new machine and be sure to share the final outcome of your restoration efforts! |
Post# 400046 , Reply# 14   10/25/2018 at 22:49 (2,376 days old) by broomvac (N/A)   |   | |
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I’m glad it’s coming along well for you.
Reattach that assembly to the chassis and use your Torx bit on a stout socket wrench if you really want to undo those screws. That’s about the only tool I’d recommend for the job. They are tightened down firmly for a reason; if those screws come loose, your tech drive will act up. Improper adjustment of that slide mechanism will cause the forward/reverse to be unbalanced. Speaking from experience, I say it’s tedious to put back into adjustment. I have had both a G3 and a G5 whose previous owners or perhaps a repairman messed with. Readjusting each was a tedious, iterative process which I would not recommend doing unless absolutely necessary. If you do decide to take it apart, be sure to use your socket wrench to re-tighten it or it may come loose again. Long story short, if the vac propels in a balanced manner, I’d leave it alone. If not, then you might as well dig in. I usually put lithium grease on tech drive axles and its gears, and it hasn’t failed me yet. I think a lot of different lubes would probably work here, though, since the axle turns relatively slow compared to most other bearing applications. Just don’t pick something so thin enough to drip out of the machine and into the carpet. As for disassembling the tech drive...those are sealed units. So far as I know, nothing inside is replaceable, and it would almost certainly never be the same once you crack it open. Get lubricant on the friction disks, and I’d bet it would become a paper weight. If it works fine, I wouldn’t mess with it. And if you are truly curious to see the innards, maybe try to find a junket and take it apart with the intent of never getting it back together again. There are also pictures on Google. You are correct; the G7 DE does not propel itself as strongly as the G6 does. Although the transmissions are the same between the two vacuums, the drive ratio between the armature and the transmission input is different between these two models. Ever since the G7, Kirby vacuums have had a lower armature:transmission drive ratio in an attempt to eliminate the strange eigenmode(s) that the older self propelled Kirbys would encounter on some low pile carpets. You can retrofit these newer parts to your G6 if you want, but it will not propel with as much gusto as before. Good luck! |
Post# 400047 , Reply# 15   10/25/2018 at 22:53 (2,376 days old) by broomvac (N/A)   |   | |
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Post# 400048 , Reply# 16   10/25/2018 at 23:27 (2,376 days old) by broomvac (N/A)   |   | |
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Man, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but looking back through your pictures I see that you removed the two little black hex end screws from the pivot on the back of your tech drive. Those are set at the factory and can be real buggers to calibrate. I believe their intended use is wear compensation. Much like those on the slide, the adjustment setting of those little screws can have a pretty big impact on transmission performance. You may have to spend some time fine tuning those. I found that if they are too tight, the transmission will “fight” against itself even when the slide is centered. Too loose, and the tech drive hardly has hardly any pulling power.
I tell you this so that if the tech drive seems to act funny when you get the vacuum back together, fear not; your transmission likely is not defective. The adjustment settings of those screws is the most likely culprit. If I ever have to remove those screws, I mark them with a silver sharpie and back them out while counting each turn, much like you would for adjusting the mixture on an old carburetor. These transmissions are actually quite robust. I suspect folks replace a lot of them unnecessarily simply because they have been put out of adjustment. Let me know if you have any questions. 🙂 |
Post# 400053 , Reply# 17   10/26/2018 at 00:08 (2,376 days old) by royalfan (Chicago)   |   | |
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Post# 400054 , Reply# 18   10/26/2018 at 00:45 (2,376 days old) by broomvac (N/A)   |   | |
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I’m sure it’ll be fine. All it may need is some adjustment.
However, glancing back (again!) at the pictures for a second time, he may not have actually removed the black screws. At first they appeared to me to be removed, but they may actually be untouched. If all that was removed was the central screw about which the aluminum arm rocks back and forth, then all is well. That screw doesn’t serve for any kind of adjustment. The arm can be reattached and the previous settings should remain unchanged. |
Post# 400057 , Reply# 19   10/26/2018 at 02:14 (2,376 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, IN)   |   | |
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Post# 400070 , Reply# 20   10/26/2018 at 14:03 (2,375 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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