Recent content by friendlynerd

Well, I put it back together and it doesn't seem to be having a problem anymore. Maybe I was being overly cautious. At any rate, I'll see if I can locate a cheap motor to have on hand just in case. Thanks!

I pulled it apart and there's nothing that stands out to me as a problem (not that I'm any expert.) The brushes have plenty of life left and I don't *see* anything wrong with the armature but I don't really know what I'm looking for either. I might just spring for a new motor, I feel like this...

I'm not totally sure how old it is, I got it from a thrift store 6 or 7 years ago. It didn't seem heavily used when I got it. It gets used maybe once a week or less, since I have a cordless Dyson that does a lot of the day-to-day stuff.

Hi all - My beloved Red Star, about 10 seconds into vacuuming, slowed down a little and started to smell bad. I turned it off right away. My instincts point to motor brush issues, but before I tear into this thing I wanted to see if anyone's been through it before. Are the brushes in this...

Hi everyone - I'm kind of a lurker and this is my first time posting. I'm not exactly a collector but I love vacuums and have for as long as I can remember. I do have a Hoover 115 and a much older one (though I forget the model) - but it's old enough to have the straight wooden handle and no...

Hi guys and gals - I'm a frequent reader but rarely a poster, and I'm stuck. Maybe someone can offer some advice. I found a nice U4303 today at an estate sale that's beautiful but makes the most horrible screeching noise when turned on. It's a plastic base model with a metal fan chamber and...

I saw this on the Philadelphia Craigslist. Someone is selling what sounds like an entire collection. As much as I'd love to check this out I don't have the time, money, or storage right now. Find link below: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/hsh/417649314.html

That's it!! Thanks so much for posting the picture. I knew I wasn't crazy.

Does anybody remember a huge Hoover Convertible that was displayed in department stores? I think the color scheme was blue and white, but I was very young when I saw it. Would have been around the early/mid 1980s. I couldn't even estimate how big it actually was, because I was very small - it...

Betco Jet-Flo I found this Panasonic with the name Betco on it. It's clearly just a re-labled Panasonic but it's the first time I've seen one. It's built like a tank with the metal bottom plate and commercial cord.

I don't know about the Mach5, but the original Fusion and it's Maytag counterpart gets a "Not Acceptable" every time Consumer Reports tests it, due to the fact that it spews visible dust. The lastest test they posted a picture of the base covered in the dust thrown out of the exhaust.

Wow, thank you for your help! It worked! I never would have thought the direction the belt was facing would have made any difference, but I guess that was it. I think I had the lettering facing toward the agitator belt rather than away from it. Go figure.

I'm using a brand new belt out of the package (and it fits tight! Just try to get that sucker on there!) Any other thoughts out there? (and thank you!)

The Dimension 1000 was like my "Red Ryder BB gun" when I was a little kid - only I never got one. I asked for it for at least 3 Christmases but I don't think Santa was down for spending $300+ when we already had a few vacuums. Fast-forward to college, when I found a gray one sitting next to a...

I have a trash-picked Concept One (one of my favorite Hoovers) I'm trying to get up and running. The transmission seems to be OK but it keeps throwing the powerdrive belt. Nothing obvious is wrong with the pulley - doesn't seem to be at a wierd angle or anything. But when you turn on the motor...