Brush Roll Stiff To Rotate By Hand - 1994 HOOVER Turbopower 1000...

[jmurray01]

Title says it all really.

I first noticed it a few months ago, but I haven't asked on here until now because it isn't affecting the performance of the Vacuum Cleaner and there are no unusual noises, just that good old HOOVER noise!

The brush roll bearings are regularly lubricated and the brush roll itself spins freely, but with the belt hooked up and thus when it is also rotating the motor, it is very stiff.

I'm hoping you can allay my fears, but if it is something serious, I suppose you'd better just tell me...

 

[vintagerepairer]

Well, whatever it is, it won't kill you. So that must be a load off your mind. Now, if it spins freely when the belt is off, all is probably well. With the belt on, you are of course turning the motor too if you spin the roller by hand. This is going to feel a good deal different from spinning the roller by hand with the belt off.

I have seen well-worn hoover cleaners with roller bearings like this which had been used for 30 years with no lubrication and were still in use, so I wouldn't worry about regularly lubricating the bearings in yours, because the fact of the matter is that you'll end up doing more accidental damage to the cleaner by taking it to bits so often to lubricate the roller than you would by leaving it be.

 

[jmurray01]

I should have added that it is harder to spin than my '99 Turbopower 2, which has the same motor I believe.

I know brush rolls can last a long time without lubrication, but a few drops of 3-In-1 every few months doesn't do any harm. I have to take the brush roll guard off anyway to clear dirt from the belt passage so I'm not going out of my way really.