Thread Number: 38107
/ Tag: Brand New Vacuum Cleaners
Brand New Royal Pro Series Metal Upright and Old Royal 5700 (9700) |
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Post# 405970   2/24/2019 at 23:22 (1,884 days old) by fairfaxclass (Tillamook, Oregon)   |   | |
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Well, as is tradition, I bought a new Royal pro series and then immediately found a gorgeous 5700 for sale on Craigslist... I'm not sure if that is lucky or unlucky...
Why did I buy the Pro Series (UR38200) rather than a commercial version? If you go to Royal's website, the Pro is pictured with a headlight and, presumably, a scent chamber. All the online dealers (including my favorite, www.ecovacuum.com/1.html...) use the same photo. So, I was willing to lose an Amp of power for that and the stylish black and silver coloring. Well... They no longer make any metal royals with headlights and such. It's an old picture. I even called Royal and their support staff went digging through schematics and part lists. They finally found one that had bold letters (which surprised the phone agent) saying HEADLIGHTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. The manual has a date code of 2012 and does not show a headlight...so the photo must be very old.
The pro series is a nice vacuum, but the fit and finish are noticeably cheaper than the older 5700. Many cost cutting measures have been taken, including a lack of light, scent chamber, handle support spring, no infinite height adjustment, and other minor differences. The polish job is strikingly poor on the Pro in comparison, even if they were going for a slightly matte look. The Pro is heavier and has more weight to the front, so it droops when you pick it up (if the handle is unlocked). The 5700 is nicely balanced.
The 5700 has some speckling to it's finish, but is otherwise magnificent. I know a Kirby repair man who can work his magic on it I'm sure. It needs a new belt, so I ordered the older style belts for it. It also has a bush roll indicator light! The brush strips are in really good shape. It was hardly used!
To oil the 5700, do you just pull the red plug off of the back and use some motor oil?
Enjoy!
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Post# 405985 , Reply# 1   2/25/2019 at 09:44 (1,884 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Nicholas,
Lucky for you the 5700 does have a headlight! The 9700, which the 5700 is similar to, was Royal's top-of-the-line metal upright from 1990-95 in its master-class "Preferred Collection" series. I have one similar to it: a 9100, built in 1994. It has the headlight but lacks the brush speed indicator light. It also has the old-style "Rite-Hite" screw-type height adjuster, which many say is more reliable than the toe-touch control your 5700 and UR38200 bear. Yes, you remove the red plug in order to access the oil port. Make sure you use only SAE 30 grade motor oil, and do not overfill. The belt for your 5700 is exactly the same as for your UR38200: order part no. 1-672260-001 (style 8). ~Ben
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Post# 405990 , Reply# 2   2/25/2019 at 14:31 (1,883 days old) by Blackheart (North Dakota)   |   | |
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Post# 406001 , Reply# 3   2/25/2019 at 22:26 (1,883 days old) by fairfaxclass (Tillamook, Oregon)   |   | |
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I had read that the 7 Amp Royals used a different belt than the later ones.
Wow, it was actually a quote from you from 2014!
The belt it came with seemed different from the one on my pro series, so I ordered the 1044260001.
I imagine the toe touch on the pro series is pretty reliable since it is only a 5-position system.
It's cool that you live somewhat close to me! Find any good vacs out in the valley? |
Post# 406002 , Reply# 4   2/25/2019 at 22:27 (1,883 days old) by fairfaxclass (Tillamook, Oregon)   |   | |
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Post# 406006 , Reply# 5   2/26/2019 at 01:18 (1,883 days old) by broomvac (N/A)   |   | |
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Those are some excellent Royals!
You may prefer the Royals with headlights, but I’m the opposite. I’ve always preferred the look of the models without a headlight but with an adjust-o-rite cover. I’m actually happy that the new Pro Series vacuums, like yours, have just this setup. Funny you should mention the state of polish of your new Royal. You may have seen that I recently had a Royal thread in the Vintage section, and that was one of the topics we discussed. It seems that all Royals now, not just the commercial models as I had hypothesized, no longer receive a mirror finish before they leave the plant. Thanks for sharing! |
Post# 406007 , Reply# 6   2/26/2019 at 03:15 (1,883 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Nicholas,
Yes, I have acquired one more of my favorites last summer: a 1979 Kirby Tradition 3CB. ~Ben
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Post# 406068 , Reply# 7   2/27/2019 at 21:45 (1,881 days old) by fairfaxclass (Tillamook, Oregon)   |   | |
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Post# 406071 , Reply# 8   2/27/2019 at 21:57 (1,881 days old) by fairfaxclass (Tillamook, Oregon)   |   | |
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Post# 406138 , Reply# 9   3/1/2019 at 11:17 (1,880 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)   |   | |
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Nicholas, I have the Royal 8300 made in 2008. The 8300 has a headlight and the handle latch allows the handle to be locked in the horizontal position which allows the machine to be stored in the vertical position such as in a broom closet taking up very little space. The weight of the machine rests completely on the front bumper and not on the headlight cover. The headlight cover does not touch the floor at all. |
Post# 406428 , Reply# 11   3/7/2019 at 23:12 (1,873 days old) by rivstg1 (colorado springs)   |   | |
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Post# 406467 , Reply# 12   3/8/2019 at 22:43 (1,872 days old) by fairfaxclass (Tillamook, Oregon)   |   | |
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Between the two, the 5700 is a better machine to use. Lower weight, better balance, and quieter. It's a decked out Lincoln Town Car vs. a P71 Crown Victoria. The Pro Series is a more powerful machine, but rougher around the edges. It really comes down to personal taste and goals. If you want a deeper clean, the Pro Series is going to do better. But, both are great machines and I would recommend the current Royals for people who want a solid and reasonably priced vacuum. It is a shame that the accessory kits have been discontinued though. |