Hoover 115 Motor Brushes

[ian1035nr]

Howdy, everyone

I won a Hoover 115 off eBay, and I've been fixing it up so my nephew can use it when he visits (he loves vacuums, but he's still small and struggles with my big Kirbys).

I've greased the motor and brush bearings, so it's pretty much all ready to go, but I've been having trouble finding some new motor brushes for it.

The ones in there right now are still serviceable, especially since this motor isn't really fast to begin with, and it will only get occasional use.

Nonetheless, I'd like to procure a set of spares. If they're hard to find now, it's only going to get harder.

Does anyone know if brushes from another machine will interchange with the ones in the 115? I've tried looking for brushes listed for other Juniors that share this model's motor architecture, but no joy.

 

[bikerray]

Check the motor brushes from a Hoover Model 1348

 

[madman]

Measure them with a caliper and search ebay for same size. Try both the closest metric and fractional imperial. Then just choose one that is a similar style (with spring/without, etc).

Search something like 'motor brush 1/4"' or 'carbon brush 6mm' don't include 'Hoover' or anything particular.

 

[ian1035nr]

I did some digging for generic brushes before posting here. Closest I could find are 6.13mmx7.78mmx16.19mm.

The originals are 6.3mmx7.8mmx13mm. The replacements I found are a bit too narrow and not quite as tall, and I assume would be too loose in the brush holders.

Parts for the 1348 don't seem to be any easier to come by. My local vacuum shops don't carry any vintage parts whatsoever. So I'm limited to whatever I can turn up online. And everywhere I look doesn't have much in stock for any Junior or Lark models

 

[ian1035nr]

I just sniffed out a pair of 1334 carbon brushes on eBay (the seller had them listed out under a really generic title).

Some sleuthing revealed that these brushes are a bit taller than the ones out of my 115. They're 7.9mm rather than 7.8mm. Is there a recommended practice to smoothly and uniformly shave these down to the requisite dimensions?

 

[madman]

Piece of 150+ grit on a flat surface. A viable option. But *ahem*... 6.3mm is not a metric dimension. That's 1/4 inch. Your brushes are fractional. 1/4 x 5/16 x 1/2(+) - don't focus too much on the length dimension. There doesn't seem to be a standard reading of the dimensions. I just searched 5/16 motor brush and found several possibles. Sadly, not seeing any results in Canada. You might try an industrial supply type place like Grainger.

In fact, those ones you found are probably close enough. 6.13 is not a metric dimension, either. We're talking about a 100th or two of a millimeter difference, that's within the margin of error for measuring stuff, honestly. They would probably fit.

Shame that ebay sellers up there seem to list things in only metric. Meanwhile US down here use both systems. I'm sure there are plenty of imperial sized motor brushes in use up there, just like there are metric ones down here.

 

[ian1035nr]

I couldn’t get the imperial measurements for the brushes. All the replacements I found were from the UK, which converted to metric back in the 60s. I guess I could have done the conversation, but it didn’t seem important. Sites specializing in carbon brushes have both imperial and metric sizes listed; makes more sense for me to stick to a measuring system I’m familiar with when trying to gauge how similar two disparate sizes are. As for the measurements I’ve given, they’re from the packaging for replacement brushes, all of which I found from UK suppliers, and therefore is all metric.

The 1334 brushes are bought and shipped regardless. If they’re a tad too wide to slide easily in the holders, I’ll sand them down and see what happens.

 

[madman]

I understand your line of thought, but I want to explain that there's a difference between nominal dimensions and actual. And what you have here is a case of sellers physically measuring their product and writing, for example, 6.13mm. While that may be the actual size of that particular brush they were measuring that day, the nominal size of it is 6.3mm (1/4"). Brushes are likely made with at least a .1mm tolerance, so one seller measures 6.13 and another measures 6.3, but those numbers are only an indication of the designed dimension, which is what you're really interested in. In this case, it's 1/4"x5/16" I'm 100% sure of that. Also, 5/16" mathematically converts to 7.93mm, so it makes sense for 7.9 to be on the package, but again, the actual size may be different simply because of tolerances.

As it happens, there are lots of things that come with a 6.3mm measurement. And whenever I see that oddball number I know immediately that it's actually 1/4" and not metric at all.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure those brushes will work out for you.

 

[bikerray]

Does anyone go to hardware stores anymore?????

If you go in the aisle where they have all of these bins and drawers with nuts and bolts and washers and all kinds of wonderful things, they have a drawer of carbon brushes for household appliances and electric tools. I needed a spare set of brushes for my Royal and found them at the hardware store. The brushes that match are for Black & Decker, Miller Falls and something else (but I don't remember what).

Just a thought

 

[kloveland]

Sadly, most of the small hardware stores have

died off here. We have ACE, Lowes or Home Depot. I haven't checked ACE for carbon brushes.

 

[madman]

A fair point. I've often found myself frustrated at not being able to find some odd little thing online, and later just come across the same thing at Home Depot, of all places. But yeah, sometimes checking the local Ace or similar is a good idea.

What's really unfortunate is that all the motor repair shops have gone out of business.

 

[garlee]

The carbon brushes for a Hoover 115

The Hoover 115 is virtually the same model as the Hoover Junior 119 that we had in the U.K.. the carbon motor brushes are still available at Yourspares.co.uk and at candor .co.uk . They are the Qualtex brand so of good quality and got a few sets myself for use in my Hoover Junior 119 collection. Brilliant vacuum cleaners are the 119 series and the cloth dust bag can be adapted to take a paper bag with a length of flexible tubing

 

[watsonw]

The 115/119

....was by far the best hoover junior model ever made. I have two in my collection. I have fitted my daily runner with genuine hoover bearings, pulley, carbons and a qualtex armature. QUALTEX spares where available are by far the best. I have serviced/refitted many 119/1224 machines in my time and can remember many in everyday use during the 1960s. I see you have the tools for the 1224 (1957-59) the cleaner my mother was given in a wedding present. A good original example of a 1224 is a very rare beast these days; even here in the UK!!The 1224 tools perform better than the 119 tools as it is generally believed that the 119 'braided compoflex' hoses were never really airtight and the aperture at the point where the hose connects to the adaptor collar/twist connector (a design fault inherited from the late model 370s/375/Canadian 376)was to small which led to restriction in air flow. the aperture on the 1224 was much wider and the hooverflex hose was airtight for obvious reasons.

Good luck with that grand little hoover of yours.


Regards, Walter. Heart of England, UK.

 

[garlee]

The Hoover Junior 119 I have shown in the pictures is one that is in regular use at our static caravan in Wales . It is ideal to use in the caravan due to its manoeuvrability around small areas and use the 1224 toolkit for dusting jobs and corners etc . I have another four of these great 119 vacuums at home plus the blue and white 1224 model and the original 119 model dusting tools but the best dusting tools to use regularly at the caravan is the 1224 set as you rightly stated has the flexible hose. My wife and I also have the Hoover Dustette there which is ideal for cleaning the couch cushions. Our vintage vacuum cleaners are so easy to use and totally reliable with a bit of general servicing every now and again. The wife loves them as they do such a good job at the cleaning tasks

 

[watsonw]

dustette photo

Hello Gary,

Your dustette from circa 1956/8 (short production run) was to match the senior model 638(another rare beast especially in good condition) both of my runner dustettes are fitted the paper bag assemblies and I use the white fleece three layer heap type bags; they maintain a good suction.


Best wishes.