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Some people consider none-clutch cleaners to be less problematic. True, some machines have suffered with issues, but the Dyson has by far been the one brand of cleaner on the UK market to consistently use a clutch system. I have known very few problems with theirs.

The only thing I have against the Dyson clutch is that the belts are a nightmare to change. Dyson says the belts are designed to never need replacing. Well certainly I don't recall seeing one with a broken belt, but stretched belts I saw many of.
 
What I have never understood is that if the clutch protects the belts, why not use toothed belts?

Also non clutch machines have 3 rows of bristles in a better pattern than the clutched, 2row helix brush.

DC07 non clutch (with seals in the sole plate) are one of my favourites. Early models of DC04 (the later ones cleaner heads are designed to leak a small amount of air in to stop the cleaner sticking) the first DC01's with fixed sole plates.

I havnt been overly keen on the cylinders. I do like and use a dc19 t2 (short hose is a pain for high cleaning) I own the dc41 and the cleaning is phenonamal. Although I do have plans to order the USA brush roll when it becomes available. As far as longetivity, I am questioning it - but they do use high quaity plastics so time will tell!
 
What model is that on? I havnt seen a toothed one.

When they were first brought out they claimed the clutch was there to protect the belts. That it would disengage the belts and make a rachet noise. That noise makes me jump!
 
Ignore that, I am so terribly sorry, I was getting mixed up with the old Hoover Turbomaster. I did so few belt changes on Dysons. I was thinking there was a toothed part of the clutch or something. Sorry.
 
Not on the belts or pulleys, but there are quite a few (I don't know what they are called so im going to say) washers that that all sit together and are toothed on outside?
 
The clutch versions could not be repaired by the owner - originally. There was a special tool you needed that would take off the sections to gain entry into the toothed belt. I always steered clear of the "green" DC04 that had the Brush Control added.
 
I love my DC-14, it the easiest upright I have ever used completely to clean my house. This is coming from an ex-dyson hater by the way. The DC-14 is the only clean air upright I have ever used to lift up area rugs. The hose is so long I can set it at the end of my stairs and clean ever single step. The dusting brush is great, and the dust cup is very easy to empty. It provides the most suction and airflow out of my 50ft central vac hose than any other vacuum I own.

Is it the best deep cleaner? No, even my Bissell Cleanveiw does better. But it is an extremely well designed vacuum and I've been using it as my main cleaner since I bought it in September.
 
Hi Sebo fan, which DC04 in green do you speak of? Only none of the DC04 range had clutches added - they all had them - but after a short while Dyson bought out a Dyson in grey & green which had the clutch removed. Well, what I mean is, it never had a clutch. You are right that certain tools were needed to change the belts on the clutch models (not to mention time) but the tools were not exclusive; just a few screwdrivers and star-heads, and a set of circlip pliers. Probably not the sort of thing your average Joe would own, but nothing out of the ordinary really.
 
Hi,

I have had 2 Dyson DC03's with clutch problems. The first one has a problem with the knob jumping from the off to on position after a few months. Dyson changed the clutch on this machine due to this issue. I noticed that over time the belts became stretched as when I vacuumed a thick rug the brush would slow right down and stop occasionally but not ratchet noise. I had another DC03 which had a slipping clutch on it so Dyson picked it up and changed the clutch on this and when it came back, the clutch would just randomly make the ratchet sound and also when releasing the machine from upright to reclined the ratchet would sound for around 2 - 3 seconds. Dyson changed it again and luckily it was fine after that but the ratchet alert stopped after 2 years or so, I guess down to streched belts. I also noticed fine dust & hair would make its way into the belt and pulley area so this probably didn't help.

I purchased a DC04 which had a 'noisy clutch' when it was vacuuming so I called Dyson 1 month later and they came out and replaced the clutch, this was back in 2002. The DC04 lasted until 2009. The clutch worked fine but the belts became stretched as whenever I got the brush jammed, the ratchet noise would no longer come on so I had to be alert and remove the obstruction quickly.

I now have a DC24 which I have had for over 2 years and its much more substantial with its toothed belt system. I have not had a problem with it apart from the wand plastic breaking, Dyson changed this free of charge. I find the cleaning performance to be good on carpet and hard floor but the hose suction is a little weak but I get on well with it and its more than adequate for stair and cleaning bed etc. If I need to do the car then I just use my Sebo Felix for that.
 
Hi Sebo fan. The green / silver DC04 had no brush control. The green / purple did. The yellow / grey has always been Dysons base model of course, and indeed it was with the DC04, until Dyson decided to bring out a non-clutch version a good while after the yellow / grey had gone on sale.
 
I was thinking green/purple as they were really popular. Still havnt ever seen a toothed belt for one, any photo's would be massively apreciated!

I have never changed clutch belts, I've always just used a new clutch. Apart from a DC03 I had in for repair YEARS ago. The motor to clutch belt had snapped. So it was replaced with a lux 500 series belt which did the trick!
 
The toothed belt was a mistake on my part! Like you, I have little experience of changing clutched belts. I was getting mixed up with the Turbomaster belt.
 

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