Just acquired a Heritage 1HD

[human]

So once again, I have let emotion get the better of me. Earlier today, FedEx dropped off a big box on my front porch with a Heritage 1HD inside. By eBay standards, it was modestly priced and even included free shipping. The seller was apparently motivated enough to accept my best offer. Of course, you get what you pay for. It arrived missing the pin that holds the handle onto the motor housing, as well as the spring that holds the handle upright. Looking at the pictures a second time, I believe the spring may well have already been missing but there is photographic evidence that the pin was definitely present. I have messaged the seller regarding said pin and I hope to hear back from him soon. Meanwhile, I'll probably go to Lowe's in a little while to see if I can find a carriage bolt the proper diameter. Length is less of an issue as long as it's at least the same as the original pin. I can always get my hacksaw out and cut it to fit, if necessary. The spring is a different matter, though. I'll be needing one of those. Can anybody help me out with that or suggest where I can find one?

The other issue with this machine (at least for me) is it's got a shakeout bag, of which I'm totally not a fan. Fortunately, I have a complete Heritage II Legend bag assembly left over from last fall's adventures with the Legacy II, so I can easily give it full functionality with a filter bag (here we go again with another frankenkirby). It just won't look right—to my eyes, at least—without the pretty orange bag. But hey, function over form, right? I'll post some photos once I get it put together.

 

[hoover300]

There are disposable versions of the orange bag on eBay, but some of them are rather expensive for a bag. There is also a spring on there for the Classic series, not sure if it fits this though.

 

[human]

So I went to Lowe's and found a bolt for less than 60 cents that is exactly the right size and then found the right size nut in my screw jar when I got home. Yeah, it's redneck engineering at its finest but it works. I could easily live with that arrangement if the seller doesn't come up with the original pin but I would probably add a washer to the nut side for long term use, maybe even a flat washer and a lock washer.

From a functional standpoint, the H2 bag assembly works just fine for now, so as much as I'm missing the orange bag from an aesthetic standpoint, this is going to be a franken-Kirby for foreseeable future. Besides, I can always throw the orange shakeout bag back on it for looks, unless I decide to sell it to offset the cost of the machine.

@hoover300: Thanks for the lead on the spring. I'll follow up on that. I'd guess the odds are about even it would fit. It's certainly a question I'd ask the seller before I ordered it.

Below are a few photos for your amusement. It runs well and should clean up pretty nicely.

 

[human]

Okay, so I ordered a spring (part no. 137073) for $6.00. Pretty much can't get around OEM for that part. I've also found the correct pin, which is apparently the same for models 516 through Legend II, on eBay but the best price for one is about $7. While it certainly wouldn't beak the bank, the 58-cent bolt as a long term option is looking all the more attractive.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

human

Edgar,

Great score!

Here's the official Heritage 1HD parts breakdown.

The replacement handle fork spring for this machine is part no. 137073, and a replacement handle fork pin is 137879.

As others have replied, you will find plenty of Heritage 1HD disposable bag systems on eBay, but you will have to find one that fits your price range. Selling your shake-out bag would help offset the cost of buying the bag system you want.

~Ben

 

[lesinutah]

Bag

Here is a bag with a full length zipper. https://www.ebay.com/itm/143538237351 Here is adaptor, fill tube and bag adaptor. Here is everything in one. It's 89.99.
Https://www.ebay.com/itm/174196896267
I'd offer $40. If they ask wtf. Your reasoning could be I can piece together for $30. I think you are going to make this correct. It may stem back to your ex girlfriend. I like the hammertone grey emtor. I have the adaptor with Heritage 1 fill tube. I'm pretty sure they have a bag adaptor to fit newest sentria 2 and newer bags. I use Veva brand HEPA bags. I got 30 for $30. In my opinion the Veva bags are superior to green print Kirby HEPA bags. Did you get any attachments. I'm guessing probably not as you didn't get the handle pin.
Nice
Les
Sorry I had to edit post to add link.

 

[huskyvacs]

The seller might have lost it when packing it, or it fell out inside the packing. Check inside the bag too to see if they slipped it in there.

Sometimes sellers mean well if they try and clean it up before shipping it - but they end up losing stuff a lot of the time. When I bought my Hoover Z700, the seller washed it in his driveway and I guess lost the plug for the back of the suction channel It's useless without that plug on it, been trying to find a rubber plug close to the same size but no luck yet.

 

[human]

Yeah Les, that's what I meant by letting emotion get the better of me. I don't think I'd pay $90 for that bag assembly, though. That's half again more than I paid for the whole vacuum cleaner with free shipping. I'll get that orange bag one day but I'll bide my time for the right deal to come along.

Ben, the vacuum didn't come with any tools but I recently acquired an almost complete Heritage Convenience Group. I was able to fill in most of the gaps with some Tradition blue tools I'd had for several years but I still lack the long, straight extension wand, the hose and the cary handle and strap for canister mode. The cord on this machine is a little the worse for wear so I found a parts lot that includes a good original cord, a handle that I don't really need but will use if it's better than what I've got, and an original hose, so I'm almost good to go on tools.

 

[human]

Huskyvacs,
I looked carefully through all of the packing material—what seemed like miles of brown paper—and it definitely wasn't there. Oddly enough, I found the 'Kirby Heritage' decal for the bag topper inside the emptor. Now the question is how to glue it back—if it indeed can be glued.

 

[human]

The seller contacted me, very apologetic, and is putting the pin in the mail tomorrow so the bolt will just be temporary. Still, it was 60 cents well spent.

 

[human]

A little less bojack...

Okay, so I'm beginning to think I may need to consider giving up eBay for Lent. But at any rate, I now have the bag situation sorted—sort of. Les was absolutely right about the exorbitant asking prices on orange Heritage I bags but I found a naked bag for just $21 shipped—no emptor, no fill tube, no bag topper, just the bag itself. That gave me the bright idea of swapping that orange bag in place of the gray Heritage II bag that's on it now, using the H2 emptor and fill tube assembly. At a glance, the color scheme will look right, even if it's got the wrong boot at the bottom of the bag but I can live with that for the huge difference in price. That setup will also offer the advantage of using the same type of bag as all my Kirbys, so I'm calling that a win.

 

[lesinutah]

Yes

The orange shakeout bag wouldn't be ideal. The heritages great at picking up golden lab hair. Golden lab hair in the heritage bag is a pain to get out. The bagged setup is smart.
You should post a pic of it with the bag when you get it.
Les

 

[human]

Yes, the shakeout bag wouldn't be very satisfactory with cat fur from my two shedding felines, either. I've always found disposable filter bags to be a far more convenient and satisfactory solution. I'll have to give those Veva bags a try when I need to replenish my supply and I'll definitely post photos as this project comes together.

 

[kirbyklekter]

Just a friendly reminder

You might want to check with texaskirbyguy for anything Kirby related. He has but a few parts and vacs laying around. Something to keep in mind. You've got almost all the Heritage models now right?

 

[human]

Heritage/Legend Family

Yes, I now have a Heritage 1HD to replace the one that got away from me back at the end of the summer, a Heritage II Legend and a Legend II, which are essentially the same machines with different color schemes. Maybe I'll post a 'family photo' of the three after I'm through reconditioning this latest addition. What I don't have and I doubt I'd go out of my way to get are any of the sticker variations of the Heritage 1 (e.g., Heritage '84) or the early Heritage II that shares the Heritage I floor nozzle. That said, my Heritage 1HD essentially looks like an early Heritage II right now with the gray H2 bag and emptor assembly installed. The orange H1 bag I ordered yesterday will at least cosmetically bring it a little closer to its roots. To top things off, I plan to use the model appropriate bag topper from the shakeout bag assembly, which I'll be selling 'headless' once all else is said and done. And yes, I am aware of Texaskirbyguy's stash of stuff and have bought some things from him already, including a Heritage Convenience Group tool kit. This machine will be coming together in the next week or so as the parts roll in and I hope time and weather will converge to let me do some polishing on it as well. That reminds me, I need to find my extra drill battery and charge it up to be ready for a polishing party.

 

[human]

Well, the postman just brought the first shipment of Heritage parts so the refurbishment has begun. This was a parts lot consisting of a hose, handle and cord. The handle was kind of a bonus I really didn't need but I decided I'd use whichever one was better shape. As I inspected the two side by side, I realized that some parts of the original one were better, as were some parts of the second one so I ended up completely disassembling both handles, cleaning each part individually, and reassembling one handle using the best components of both and another from the lesser components to stash away or sell. I also took the opportunity to wipe down the whole vacuum cleaner with a Tub-O-Towels wipe so it's not as dusty. More updates as more pieces arrive...

 

[human]

Broken yoke...

So I watched the video linked below in anticipation of putting in a new handle spring and discovered another potential problem--the handle yoke. Sure enough when checked, the little tab that maintains spring tension is broken off, just like the one in the video. Yet another thing to order and install but the spring may not even need replacing. At any rate, I'll be learning some new skills in the process. As an educator, I can't help but see that as a good thing.

 

[kirbyklekter]

You can do this, yes you can!

Puts the pom poms down. This shouldn't be too bad on Heritages. The early 500's, now that's a whole 'nuther' story'. My neighborhood Kirby repair guy didn't want to deal with mine, he got hurt once changing one out and that was enough for him. He said his brother in law was the only person he was aware of in our area who could easily do this, but he had died about a year ago, so I just live with it, it's not even a 'monthly driver'. I have replaced the spring in a DS-80 and a 'classic omega' with nary an injury so it's do-able.

 

[texaskirbyguy]

I have replaced handle springs, tubes, and tabs without the special tool in several post 5xx machines without carnage. I gave the procedure around this site someplace, not sure where though. It just takes a strong wrist, a stout pair of large long nose pliers, a flat screwdriver, the knowledge on the assembly, and ideally someone to hold the shell still (though I did without). Wear eye protection in case something launches, just to be safe.

 

[human]

Yeah, judging from the video, it shouldn't be too hard to accomplish. While I had the handle off to comfirm the broken yoke, I experimentally tried turning it to tighten the spring with a pair of needle nose pliers and after a couple of tries to get the pliers positioned right, it wasn't hard. I'm not sure of the condition of the existing spring but a new one is on the way, so that could become a moot point. It would have been nice to have found the entire kit like the guy in the video had so I could refresh the whole assembly but it'll all work out okay. I'm also still waiting on the handle fork pin to arrive from the seller, not that I'm worried yet. He said he'd send it out on Monday, so I'm guessing it'll arrive by the weekend. The carriage bolt really works fine, other than requiring a wrench to remove or install it.

 

[kirbyklekter]

Human,

How does the motor look and sound? Can you tell if it has a lot of hours on it? Here's the question: How many amps are listed on the serial plate. I've been trying to find out why I've seen 4 or 4.5 amps on some Heritages and I don't know why they came down, especially at a time when many others were heading up.

 

[human]

4.5 amps

This machine has seen some use, but an inordinate amount, given its age. I haven't opened it up to visually inspect the motor but the seller said he'd opened it up, blew it out with an air compressor and made sure all the wire connections were all crimped tightly. He also said the carbon brushes looked very good. The brush roll is also in nice shape and is an older style silver painted one. He also put a brand new belt on it. The thing does have the older style gray Lexan fan, so that will probably need to be changed out at some point.

I ran the machine for about maybe 20 or 30 seconds after I put the carriage bolt on it to secure the handle and it sounded fine, no bearing noises or anything like that. The only thing I find a bit annoying about it is it smells a bit of cigarette smoke. It's not exactly overpowering but I do get a whiff of it when it's running. I'm sure it would be stronger with the shakeout bag in place. The motor is 4.5 amps with the carpet nozzle in place or 5.5 amps with the hose. If I'm reading the serial number correctly, it was manufactured in the summer of 1982. I think the other one I had was from 1983 but I'm not sure of the amperage rating on it. I don't think I ever looked.

 

[kirbyklekter]

Thanks for checking

I know that they went to 6 amp with the release of the "classic" which was the first of the larger sized Kirby's. Curious as to why they dropped back down to 4.5 amps. I think that that is why the Heritages have a nice mellow sound unlike any Kirby before. It's not keeping me up at night,nor you I suspect, but would be nice to know. Yeah that nicotine smell is gross. On a couple of rescued Kirby's just washing the bags didn't cut it. Had to take the motor apart and wipe down everything including the field wires,armature and the inside of the motor casing with 409 spray cleaner.I've had to deal with a cleaner where the previous owner used lots of carpet powder deodorizer like 'Love MY Carpet'. Ugh! That powder sticks to anything it comes in contact with. Those powders literally destroyed thousands of vacuum cleaners. Don't know if you read the tip from Dysonman a while back on using Mother's Mag. He said to apply it and leave it on for about 15 min, and when you start to polish, DON'T turn the cloth when it gets dark gray, let it build up and keep polishing, then buff it out as you would normally do. I tried his suggestion and saw a deeper shine than I had ever achieved before, This is hand polishing with cloths not a buffer, grinder etc. Worked for me!

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

human

Edgar,

That was exactly the issue I faced when I first brought home my 1984 Heritage II! I initially believed the lean-back was because of the handle fork spring, but on closer inspection thanks to my dear old Dad, it was actually the spring yoke.

~Ben

 

[louvac]

Just and FYI about the grey bag with red "K's"

Human...

I believe that the bag that came with your Heritage was used as the Kirby universal bag replacement at that time. I had a Classic III that was redone by Kirby and that is what they put on in when I requested the paper bag setup. Truthfully, it actually makes the machine a little more refined (or dressed up)looking!

 

[human]

The bag that came with that Heritage was an orange shakeout bag. I had that gray bag—complete with Heritage II style emptor and fill tube assembly—sitting on a shelf and installed it because I strongly prefer disposable filter bags. It came off of a Heritage II Legend, as evidenced by the label on the bag topper. I don't really object to the gray bag at all on that machine; I just have a thing for the orange ones. Irrational, but there you have it.

 

[kirbyklekter]

Professor,

Louvac is right about the bags and handles available as replacements back then. I built two Frankenkirbys from scratch and gave one to a friend and I'm still using the other daily. The bags are the same as the one on KirbyClassicIII's photo above. A new handle and pin and the conversion kit for filter bags was 65.00 in '95. The bag hanger says Heritage, but on the front of the handle it just says "Turbo" then Kirby near the fork. They really hold up well, mine looks as good as it did new. The bag on your Legend II is my favorite. Combined with an all black HeritageII handle , that's what I'd like to use if I ever do another Kirby makeover.

 

[texaskirbyguy]

Regarding post 22 on motor amps...
With working headlight, the low speed for carpet runs between 4-4.5A and high speed for hose runs from 5.5-6A. The rating plate needs to reflect the maximum the whole unit will draw, which will be working headlight, no bag, and hose installed. Without a hose and safety switch depressed by hand, they can draw up to 6.5A normally.
The less restriction on the airflow, the more air will be moved, increasing motor load and decreasing motor speed.
On high speed without fan chamber installed, it makes a small hurricane and will pull up to 10A. I would not suggest doing this though as it sparks like a demon and chars the heck out of the commutator.

 

[lesinutah]

Wtf

Kirby's highest motor output is 7 amps. There is two vacuums royal/sanitarie. It's only by 4 cfm.
If you mod anything try a g series motor and custom made a hole for carbon.brushes. you may have to cut some off and rethread.
It probably won't work but it makes no sense in what you want to do.
Les