hardest belt to change

[vacuumfreeeke]

Hey guys, I am just wondering what the hardest belt to change on a vacuum is? I did some Royals yesterday, and while they were hard, it wasn't the most difficult. I know they make a special belt lifter tool for Royals and it's probably something I should look into. I also changed the bag, washed the filters, and changed both belts in the Self Propelled Windtunnel..... it took me an hour of swearing and working to get the new transmission belt on..... there is no space down there for getting your fingers in. Of course the Dyson belt changing lifter eally helps with lots of other belts as well... I also have a hard time with Eureka F and G style vacuums and pinch myself almost every time I try, and those things really go through belts. Self-propelled Hoovers are never fun, no matter if it's a Concept or a Dialamatic or a 90s model or a WindTunnel, they are a nightmare.... especially if you put the outside belt on and then realize you forgot to put the inner belt on first!

I think the easiest is probably a Kirby or a machine with a cogged belt that doesn't have to be stretched.... but experiences like the ones I had yesterday make me want a Direct Drive! Of course changing a Dyson belt is no picnic either, even though they aren't "supposed" to have to be changed, they do require it quite regularly (at least the 07 and 14), and it's expensive and involved.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

SP Windtunnel Belt -- Hook it around the motor shaft first -- you kind of have to turn the belt sideways... then I use both of my thumbs to sort-of feed it on to the large transmission pulley. They aren't easy.. :-/

Changing the belt on a Hoover Elite is also difficult if you've never done it. I couldn't tell you how many times I had to try explaining how to do that over the phone when I worked at Hoover. What makes it hard, is the fact that the hood has to be removed. Ugh, it was almost impossible to explain how to do that over the phone. Usually a 15 min. phone call, at least. Most of the time they'd end up just bringing the machine in to the store.

 

[kenkart]

early 50s Deluxe Kenmore!

The belt ran in a channel shielded from the air stream, as I remember it was a great design, very over engeneered, but hard to change.

 

[suckolux]

going with Fred on that one, concept is no picnic either.

 

[thevacuumman]

I have trouble with the Dial a Matic and the Consepts

 

[bagintheback]

Self-propelled Hoovers for sure.

 

[scvacuumguy]

Dyson is a pain to change, especially on the DC07 and 14. Lately, I've been bugged with the newer Eurekas where you have to stuff the belt around the shaft first and then roll the brushroll downwards and install it into the machine. We do Hoover Self Propelled machines daily and those are a breeze. As Fred said- wrap around the shaft first and then "roll" it onto the transmission.

 

[kirbykid63]

Dyson

I vote for the Dyson animal.

 

[henry200]

I had a Panasonic back in the 80's which was a bit of a bear to change the belts on, and it went through belts at an alarming rate. Invariably it was the second belt that always snapped, so it was always a one belt off, two belts back on process with a few pinched fingers. Other than that it was a great vacuum.

 

[twocvbloke]

I remember when I changed the belt on our Dyson DC-04 (how it snapped I don't know), that was another part of the brand that made me dislike them, aside from having to take the whole nozzle apart, you also have to dismantle the clutch, which is, erm, "fun", a very difficult belt change indeed...

(Only an observation, not a dig)

After that, I think that most modern uprights are pretty hard to change compared to the vacs I'm used to, they either involve removing many screws to remove the base or the top of the nozzle, and the tight space into which you have to know a special form of origami to get the thing onto the brushroll and pulley...

On contrast, the easiest belts I have changed are on my Sanitaire and my Hoover Juniors, no tools required, just a strong thumb...

 

[tolivac]

DD brushrolls aren't good either-a belt is less expensive-when a DD brushroll fails-they are EXPENSIVE to replace-the motor is inside the brushroll.

 

[Jeanette]

I can't even get the belt on the oreck I am not strong enough to stretch it Jeanette

 

[pr-21]

Rainbows too

On the newer Rainbow power nozzles, you have to roll down into the brush roll cavity. That takes a little getting used to, I always feel like something is going to break.....



Bud

 

[air-waycharlie]

The old Lux uprights belts are a pain in the a__ to change. After several Lux technicians were slightly maimed taking them apart due to the spring mechanism, Lux, "headquarters", advised wearing safety goggles---just to change a belt for cryin' out loud!

Fortunately, you don't see too many of those beasts around anymore.

Charlie

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Wow, great responses. Fred, I remember the Elietes and the subsequent copy cat Eureka Bravos that required the hood to be removed. When I worked at Sears, we'd get calls the time for people who bought an Elite belt from us and got it home.... they'd unscrewed the bottom and the "bottom plate" wouldn't come off! I told them to turn the machine over and lift on the hood and it would work and they finally got it to and were happy. I always had to take those kinds of calls, my co-workers didn't even know what an Elite was.... they barely knew what the current stuff we had in the store was.

Kirbykid63, what would make a Dyson Animal harder to change than any other Dyson? The word Animal denotes a color change and a different set of attachments offered for people with pets.... it doesn't have anything to do with the machine itself.... a yellow DC 14 "all floors" or whatever the yellow model was called is no different than my purple DC 14 "animal", mechanically speaking. Very misleading.... I know some consumers actually think their purple Dyson's model name is Animal instead of DC 07 or 14 or whatever the case may be.

Charlie, I'm glad I threw my original Lux upright out.... it was a beast.... it didn't clean well, just took up space and looked ugly. I think it actually had two belts if I'm not mistaken.