Hoover Constellation Model 85 Shakes

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weltron

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Messages
60
Location
Michigan
Hi all,

I just bought a Hoover Constellation Model 85, and I love the thing. The only thing not original is the hose. Has it's original floor nozzle too. But it has this odd quirk, and I am trying to figure what is causing it. When I first turn it on, and run it for a few seconds, it starts shaking. After a brief period, it stops doing it, and it runs smoothly the rest of the time I have it on. What could be causing this?
 
Hey

Brush roll not put on correctly, motor is missing a mounting screw.
Either Motor or brush roll is vibrating causing shakes.
Les
 
There are no motor mounting screws nor a brushroll.
The issue I had with mine was that the bottom "floater pad" was rusty and not perfectly smooth. This allowed air to seep out and it had a hard time floating. Sand it smooth on the very bottom, and ensure the motor is getting ample airflow.
 
That's kind of wierd,

he says it starts out shaking and then stops after a few seconds and doesn't shake anymore. Is something metal in there expanding as the machine warms up?I'm thinking it's temperature related because the cycle repeats when it cools down again,no?
 
I opened the cleaner up earlier, and everything looked good on the inside. I tried an experiment with the cleaner earlier as well. I turned it on, and waited for it to start shaking itself again. Once I did that, I put my hand over the hose, and the second I did that, it stopped shaking. Also, I pushed down on the top of the cleaner while it was shaking, and it also stopped when I did that, so I am leaning towards VacuumLad's theory of the base not being completely even. So I will get some medium grit sand paper, and try to smooth it out and see if it helps.
 
Alright, I have tried the sanding...

It has done nothing. I am almost thinking it's something with the motor as it warms up, which is strange because other then the shaking, the thing runs smooth as silk, and has good suction. I am quite honestly baffled. I have had a couple Constellations in the past, and I have never had this issue before.
 
Does it sound any different

when it is either shaking or not. I was thinking if it is related to it's warming up that it may be motor related. I'm stumped but curious.
 
Did you try swapping the non-original hose with an original hose and seeing if that solves it too?

Do these have metal fans or plastic? If the metal fan is nicked, or if the plastic fan is warped/cracked, it can cause a wobble at low RPM but as it spins faster the wobble evens out because it's going so fast.

Maybe even the motor bearings or old grease? Grease does smooth out and become more fluid as it heats up, maybe the grease has gone sticky? I know my old Kirby Classic has bad bearings and that thing shakes like crazy, all the way up to the handle. I've held onto it since 2009 hoping to fix it someday, hoping that will come this summer.

I'd just make sure all screws are tight and don't keep backing themselves out of the holes, and also possibly run the motor by itself outside of the vacuum if possible, and see if you notice any wobble on the shaft or armature. The vacuum housing might just be acting as a carrier for the motor wobble if the motor is wobbly. The fact that the vacuum "floats on air" would make it more sensitive to being unbalanced, I am sure, since it has no wheels.
 
The reason I think it's motor related

and specifically bearings is it's a lot like one of my old 12 speed Sunbeam mixers. If I haven't used it for a month or so, it starts out rough with only about 9-10 speeds and after running it for about a minute or so the other speeds 11-12 slowly kick in. I need to change out the grease in the gear box, it's 50+ yrs old. There's not a lot to go out on those early Connie's without a pn, one speed straight suction. When it shakes does it make any bearing type noises, rattling, screeching, lower rpm?
 
Shaking....

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is almost certainly (that) the fans need cleaning.  Dirty fans cause an 'out of balance' condition.  It may not seem like a lot, but dirty fans routinely cause vibration/shaking.  Definitely worth cleaning them in either case though you need to disassemble the motor to do it correctly.</span>


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Best of luck on a really great (and attractive) cleaner!</span>


 


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">RB</span>
 
What you're describing sounds like a sympathetic vibration. Basically, something vibrates a tiny bit, but at a very specific frequency it resonates with the rest of the machine and causes a massive vibration. In other words, your vac is vibrating ALL the time it's running, but to such a small degree, you can't notice. But as it reaches a very specific speed of rotation, it harmonizes and shakes a lot. Apparently, that particular speed only happens for a bit as it warms up. Naturally, changing the amount of air allowed to pass in or out will change the speed of the motor, and deharmonize the vibration.

Either which way, of course it's the motor, it's the only moving part. I'll second the dirty fan theory. It would make perfect sense. Clean the fan blade, try again. If not, there is a possibility that the bearings have some play in them. You can check for play by trying to wiggle the fan blade side to side.
 
I've done some experiments...

So today was the first day I had to really check the Constellation out. What I did was I took it back apart, took the top of the motor off, checked the fan which was completely clean, no obstructions.I then put it back together, and ran the vacuum without the filter and metal lid on. The motor fired right up, and ran smoothly the entire time I ran it (3-5 minutes). No play that I noticed in the bearings either. I then reassembled everything, and ran it again, without the hose. Again nothing. BUT, then I started moving it around some, and it started shaking. So this leads me to this: it's not the Constellation. It just hates the floor.

In my building, all the carpet is essentially the glue down variety. Has no underlayment, so it kind of follows the slight variance in how the concrete was originally poured. So, I am starting to think the floor is throwing it off. Because if I leave the cleaner at certain points in the room, it's perfectly fine.

I am going to try to get the hose replaced though. It's not only too short, it's rather crap.
 
That might be doing it. My basement floor is the exact same thing. Poured concrete from approx. 1949/1950 and then glue down commercial carpet from approx. 1978. When they poured the floor, the guy smoothing it out must have had terrible eyesight. The floor dips and bowls all over, I only notice it now because the carpeting is getting older and losing its rigidity, so it is sinking into the dips in the floor.

I have a hell of a time running my Bissell shampooer across it, the plastic scraper part on the front keeps skipping across the carpet when I push it forward and it takes double the effort to shampoo. I have to move the shampooer a certain direction for every section of the basement so it doesn't skip, some areas I have to move it diagonally.
 
If you know anybody,

say a friend,relative or co- worker whose got an area that you could test your theory on, patio, smooth basement, carport or what ever maybe that would get you a fast answer! Somewhere with the perfect setting for Connie, if she acts up there, then...
 

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