Damaged 560 report/questions

[deluxewolf]

I recieved a 560 today that I had bought off ebay. Unfortunately, it was in a bit of a poor condition below the bag unit. There were quite a few cosmetic flaws, and when I took the bottom cover off, I was quite shocked.

The motor housing and ducting on the underside is cracked significantly in a couple of places and there is a hole in the middle with cracks spreading from it. It looks as if it was dropped at some point and the bottom of the motor hit the housing.

The motor spindle has worn down badly and the belt has cut through the plastic beside it. Someone has put a bent paperclip around the damaged area to try and prevent any more from occuring, but the heat of the belt rubbing against the paperclip has actually melted it into the plastic.

I'm not too pleased about the state it is in. I'm not sure whether I should approach the seller with a complaint though as all the damage was concealed by the floor nozzle/cover.

As well as this, I was wondering if there is any way to build the motor spindle back up with something so that the belt doesn't go on a spontaneous holiday in the nearby plastic.

 

[gsheen]

run the motor and use a metal file to re bevel the spindle, this was a common problem with that model. you may be able to get a spare motor housing from qualtex or any vac shop for that matter, I have tons of them but postage cost may be a problem

 

[venson]

@deluxewolf . . .

Hi,

Sorry to hear your bad news. eBay and I usually have done quite well together. One question -- does any of the damage appear to have possibly come about while it was being shipped? However make note that if someone ships a Kirby with handle and/or rug head in place problems are inevitable. A few years ago, I had a G5 shipped to me assembled save for the handle and because the head was left in place and locked on it actually cracked while in transit.

All in all, it's the principle of thing. You saw an item that appeared to be in tolerable shape and invested in its purchase -- in good faith. Short and sweet, it's best to call but in whatever fashion have a polite communication with the seller. Keep in mind whether the seller failed to indicate the overall condition of the Kirby or made it plain that it was an "as is" buy or if packing was inadequate.

If all boils down to the seller's failure to be forthcoming with facts about the item or being negligent in packing the machine, I'd complain to the seller and I'd ask for my money back. I think eBay has facilities for handling such disputes.

On the other hand if the item description was relatively accurate by mention of the flaws AND also stated something close to, "This machine is sold as is," it may be a difficult thing to resolve. However, let the seller know that if a happy resolution can't be found you intend for your feedback regarding the purchase to reflect the full depth of your frustration.

 

[deluxewolf]

Just to clarify, it's an electrolux 560. I have never owned a Kirby and I can't see myself wanting one really as they are a bit on the large side and I prefer clean-air machines

 

[deluxewolf]

Gsheen, that's a good idea with the file idea. Unfortunately the belt hasn't just cut through the motor housing, it has gone all the way through part of the top cover too where the brushroll is.

Hopefully at the very least i'll have a useable 560w motor and a bag container/electronic speed control I can use to upgrade another machine.

 

[venson]

@deluxewolf . . .

Whoops! My apologies. Associating the model number with Kirby was my dumb thing to do for the day, I guess. I'll now go off to see if I can do something even sillier to top it.

In any event, good luck with getting it sorted out.

Venson

 

[vintagerepairer]

That's the nature of the beast, I'm afraid. There is nothing you mention which I've not seen go wrong on that style of cleaner (and indeed others) many times before. DO bear in mind it'll be around 30 years old now, and people were already replacing them after less than 10, so it's done well.

The brown plastic on this model was more brittle than others, and many times I have seen the rings fail at the bottom, just as you describe. The shipping of the cleaner may have finished it off, but I am confident it won't have started the problem.

Fact is, to get a cleaner like this up and running, you will often need at least two or more of them to make one good one. Though this would never happen to a cleaner made in the last 15 years, I have lost track of the number of Hoover and Electrolux cleaners in the past which came my way for repair, which were made up of different coloured parts. This was because they were so easy to take apart and there were so many shops who could repair the cleaner, or refurbish it and sell it on again. Ebay is packed full of cleaners which are far from original in terms of the different parts stuck to them.

How much (with P&P) has this cleaner cost you?

 

[vintagerepairer]

Oh and one more thing, though the motor spindle may be worn, it is more likely to be the roller which is faulty, causing the belt to have been thrown off track. As someone said already, this was a common fault. The motor may also have absorbed some of the broken plastic too. I've seen that happen. You may do better to track down another motor.

 

[deluxewolf]

I don't think i'll be buying another 560 then but I'm still after a 502s and another twin turbo (the earlier version with the original 500 shaped hood, love it)

I'd also jump on a z500 if there was one available within my price range, just love the colour scheme X)

It cost me £25 including postage, but it wasn't packaged well at all really. Just a cardboard box around it with no packing inside. Now I think about it, it's a wonder how it wasn't just the bottom that was cracked.

If I can find a reasonable 502s I shall be fitting the 560's electronic control to it, to make a 502s electronic

 

[vintagerepairer]

Well you're welcome to my comments anyway. No, really. You can put the electronics into the 502s but you will have to modify the wiring in the handle and on the motor, and also modify the plastic in the handle above the dust-box to incorporate the electronics. If you look at the 502S and the 560 handle side by side you will see the differences in the design.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Oh and the Twin Turbo with the 500 shaped hood was not an earlier model. These came out a good while after the main models and at least two of the three models were exclusive to certain stores. I have no idea this hood and associated roller etc. was put back into production long after the 502S had been finished.

 

[deluxewolf]

Thanks for your information.

So the first "Twin Turbo" machines were the ones with the 550/560 shaped hood with the ridged front? I had thought they were all released at the same time with the 502 shaped one replacing the 502s and the 550/560 ones replacing those models.

Was there no entry level model when the "Twin Turbo" machines were launched then?

 

[vintagerepairer]

Hi. Yes that's right, they had the 550 style hood, except they had a thick plastic front panel instead of the usual thin metal one seen on the 504/6 and 550/560. I don't know about model numbers as several models blossomed all at once. There was no direct replacement for the 502s and in fact I am fairly sure by the time it was discontinued you could only buy it in Comet.

The Twin Turbo models with 500 style hood were from about 1986 time. I know the Co-Op had the grey & black version as their own. There were two others, one in red/cream and one in blue/cream. Both were exclusive as far as I know.

 

[deluxewolf]

Ah, well we have the cream/blue version model 517, and I have seen a model 520 before in the same colour scheme. (i think the 520 has a more powerful motor and bag check neon)

I really like the look of the 500 shaped hood, and I think it looks very nice with the rectangular "twin turbo" badge on the front. I also prefer the chunkier floor nozzle with the shorter brushroll.

I'm not so fond of the "Turbo2" models at all though, the new hood shape with the large back wheels doesn't look anywhere near as nice to me. I don't know what it's like underneath though, not having seen one except for in pictures. I'm assuming they were brought in around 1990?

 

[deluxewolf]

Here's the 517

And for the curious, I have uploaded some photos of the damage/wear on the 560

http://imageshack.us/g/38/img0949s.jpg/

 

[vintagerepairer]

Hi. The 520 was the Co-op model in grey & black,that I am sure of, same 550 watt motor but as you say had a bag lamp.

The Twin Turbo 'Turbo 2' name is from 1991. However, the hood itself dates to about 1987 where a deep burgundy, and grey electronic model went on sale.

 

[deluxewolf]

So the Twin Turbo with the classic 500 hood was only on sale in 86, or did they keep making them for a few years?

 

[vintagerepairer]

Hi, the 1986 date was only an approximation. I have no idea how long it was in production for, but these things aren't usually around for all that long.

 

[sebo_fan]

I had a 517 at some point - very, very quiet and brilliant to push.