Hoover Special Model 105

[bikerray]

Picked this up yesterday

There was no belt on the brushroll, the cord is brittle, cleaned out the bag then vacuumed it, patched the hole near the bag ring and sprayed it with Resolve fabric freshener. Put a new spring on the bag. Today I washed it in the washer on the gentle cycle then hung it out in the sun to dry.

The motor runs, I've adding 3 drops of oil over several hours. At first I put a Hoover 44783 belt on then decided to put a Koblenz belt on instead so it would be less strain on the bearings. I'd like to get the brushroll apart and repack the bearings. The ends just unscrew but are stuck with age, so I have to be really careful.

I thought it was interesting that the Hoover listing for the 105 lists serial #'s as 57,500 to 674,900 and 5,000,000 to 5,299,999 and yet the serial # on this one is 5056. There is a picture of the plate with the last patent date being April 6 1920.

The handle is wood but has been painted a hammertone pinkish silver, so it almost looks like aluminum.

The first two pictures are from Craigslist
The rest are after I got it home.

 

[hismastersvoice]

Nice find! What a great color combo, I've never seen one like that. Thanks for sharing!

 

[dysonman1]

That's a vac shop rebuild. The handle is wrong, so is the switch. The red paint job was poorly done to make it look newer. The serial number plate could be purchased as a Hoover repair part, hence the serial number change. The original brush roller for the 105 did not use ball bearings - the bearings in my 105 brush roller (all original) are wood.

While it's a nice find to have for parts, it would take a LOT of time and money (not to mention at least one other machine) to make it back into an original Hoover. The 105 was the first Hoover to have a motor built by the Hoover company.

 

[akabent]

105 Rebuild


Yes, definitely a rebuild, but ANY early Hoover is a piece of history and well-worth adding to one's collection! While yes, the bag and switch, paint and ID plate (and cord!) are clearly replacements, my money, based on early Hoover Company literature, supports that being the original handle. The motor is of course Hoover, Hoover motors replaced the R & M motors during the 102 run, probably in 1920. (My later 102 has the Hoover made, Hoover badged motor. Enjoy your find!

RB[this post was last edited: 9/2/2015-00:43]

 

[bikerray]

re: brush roll bearings

Wood? I have a catalog that says that the brushroll bearings were either felt bearings or ball bearings.

 

[hooverboy81]

Wood bearings?!?!

Not so much. All Hoover literature states the 105 (not to mention the 102) utilized ball bearings in the brush roll. The only model that did not use ball bearings would be the early run model O...which used string bearings (which were later switched to sleeve, then ball bearings). No where in any service literature was there ever any mention of "wooden bearings".

 

[dysonman1]

Wrong again, HooverBOY

Wood bearings. Ball bearings were NOT used on Hoover brush rollers until the model 541. It's one of the ten 'step up' features that the original ad for the 541 listed.

Here is the WOOD bearing from my 105's brush roller.

 

[hooverboy81]

Really Dyson"man"?

Why is there no reference to wooden bearings in ANY Hoover service guide? Not a single one.[this post was last edited: 9/30/2015-14:44]

 

[dysonman1]

Well Child, if you have eyes, you can see it's a wooden bearing. Ball bearings wouldn't be introduced until the model 541. Their very first ad for the 541 listed the ten things that were 'new' about the machine - including ball bearings in the brush roller.

 

[bikerray]

I have felt washers at each end that go up against the bearing that look like that.

There is the bearing, then the felt washer, then a metal washer, then the wheel that screws on the end of the brush rod.

If you look at the listing for part number 83, 84, 86A and 86B make your own decision.

 

[hooverboy81]

First, do not call me "child". I won't ask you again. Now that that's settled, being the history geek I am, I emailed the Hoover Historical Center. They have no record of that model using anything other than a sleeve bearing...not a wooden one. I'm more apt to take their word seeing as though they are an official museum and have manufacturing information that is a bit more reliable than word of mouth. Perhaps your cleaner was "rigged".

 

[dysonman1]

The Hysterical center wouldn't know. My 1910 Hoover Senior has a wooden bearing, my Hoover Baby has a wooden bearing, my Old Style Special has a wooden bearing, etc. You're a child.

 

[hooverboy81]

I'm pretty sure they would. We all know how you really feel about Hoover. And yes, you are definitely old enough to be my father.

 

[bikerray]

re: Old Style Special

I thought that was a beer

Sorry, I just couldn't pass that one up.

No matter if my 105 is correct in some aspects or not I still love it.

 

[hooverboy81]

It's a beautiful machine and will restore nicely!

 

[3rdgenvacguy]

wood is good

Just got an original Hoover 105 free from my cousin. So I decided to take the brush apart and see. Yep, wood. The shaft diameter is also larger than the shaft for the ball bearing. I think many of the wood bearings were replaced, because my grandfather's Hoover manual show ball bearings, but once again probably as replacement parts.

 

[desiredname]

Well my hoover 425 has bearings made of Swiss cheese. I think they may be bojack though.

 

[3rdgenvacguy]

wood or felt

In a Hooover list of first,, they list an oiless wood bearing introduced in I believe 1910. I showed my brother this post and he proceeded to take the above brush apart. He then grabbed the bearing, which could be considered a sleeve, and pinched it and it compressed and sprung back into shape. I did not dare do it for fear of ruining or cracking it. So, it resembles a really dense felt, maybe a wood product, but not solid wood.