Can you use any old Kirby belt in the older 500 series machines?
Guy
Guy
Kirby 500 series belt?
- Thread starter funvacfan
- Start date
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vacumaniac
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2011
- Messages
- 545
Yes, make sure you are using the belts without knurls though.
pr-21
Well-known member
kirby.com website
Hi,
You can find alot of info on Kirby's website. This is the belt recommended
PR-21
#159056G
(3-Pack)
Fits Models:
Tradition
Classic III
Classic Omega
Classic
Dual Sanitronic 80
Dual Sanitronic 50
516
510
505
Hi,
You can find alot of info on Kirby's website. This is the belt recommended
PR-21
#159056G
(3-Pack)
Fits Models:
Tradition
Classic III
Classic Omega
Classic
Dual Sanitronic 80
Dual Sanitronic 50
516
510
505
kirbylux77
Well-known member
Yes, you can use ANY BELT....even the knurled belts....on the older models. The ONLY reason Kirby says to use the smooth belts on the pre-Generation models is that they didn't have ball-bearing brushrolls back then, they were still using sleeve bearing brushrolls. So the knurled belt is supposedly, according to them, harder on the brushroll bearings. However, if you have replaced your brushroll within the last 10 years, it will be a ball bearing brushroll, in which case you will be perfectly fine if you use the knurled belts.
Rob
Rob
kirbylux77
Well-known member
Nearly forgot to add....the Dirt Devil Style 8 belts, for the Power Pak & Jaguar canisters, as well as the Royal Procision & Royal Lexon S17, & the Royal Metal Uprights, are EXACTLY IDENTICAL to the Kirby knurled belt. Same length, width, everything....I suspect Kirby has outsourced production of the belts to China, same as they did with the bags. The Dirt Devil 2-pack belts is much easier to find at a dept store....I can get [email protected] at Canadian Tire....so perhaps you could see if you can find those belts.
Rob
Rob
vacumaniac
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2011
- Messages
- 545
Rob is correct about those newer brushrolls. I had forgotten about that 
Thanks guys!
I have one knurled one on hand.
Guy
I have one knurled one on hand.
Guy
eurekastar
Well-known member
Be careful, though
because I believe the new brush rolls made for the early 500 machines are still made with sleeve bearings. But the others are correct about the ball bearings. If your brush roll has ball bearings, then the knurled belt is acceptable. However, be sure to use the older soft belt on brush rolls with sleeve bearings.
because I believe the new brush rolls made for the early 500 machines are still made with sleeve bearings. But the others are correct about the ball bearings. If your brush roll has ball bearings, then the knurled belt is acceptable. However, be sure to use the older soft belt on brush rolls with sleeve bearings.
kirbymodel2c
Well-known member
Also
I also believe that the want you to use the older style softer belts over the newer style knurled ones on he older 500 series as they stretch easier and are less likely to make the belt lifter snap!
That happened to me once;o( Oops!
James
)
I also believe that the want you to use the older style softer belts over the newer style knurled ones on he older 500 series as they stretch easier and are less likely to make the belt lifter snap!
That happened to me once;o( Oops!
James
)
truckerx
New member
The newer style knurled belts are much stronger and have less give. I can see where stretching a knurled belt on the older 500 series might cause the flimsy belt lifter to snap. It has happened to me as well. Otherwise, I believe the dimensions of both older and newer knurled belts might be about the same.
kirbylux77
Well-known member
Guy/Funvacfan....there is an easy way to find out whether your brushroll uses the sleeve bearings or is the newer-style ball bearing brushroll. Just simply pull off the brushroll's endcaps- the endcap sits on top of the ball bearing, so you will expose the ball bearing & see it. The older-style brushrolls with sleeve bearings you will NOT be able to remove the endcap- they are built-in into the brushroll. So that will tell you what you have & which belt is required.
Rob
Rob
OK
Great...I think I will pick up some "old style" belts.
Guy
Great...I think I will pick up some "old style" belts.
Guy
So, the older style belt from Kirby has been discontinued. If you have a sleeved bearing roller, you need a smooth belt. If you have a ball bearing roller, you need a knurled belt. However, the old belt lifters may break with the knurled belt because the are a stronger and require more force to lift than the original belt lifters where designed for.
So, the question is, can you use a smooth belt with the ball bearing brush roller? Or do you hope and pray each time you need to use the belt lifter with a knurled belt?
Sorry for necroing a 13 year old thread. However, a new thread asking about 500 series belts was started, and this thread contains a nice bit of information, some from members no longer active. Plus 3 of the original posters here are still active, including the member that initiated this thread.
Plus, Jimmy, AKA RugSucker, has a 500 series kirby pulled aside for me that I will be getting shipped to me sometime in the near future. So, it's a problem I will need to deal with soonish
Plus, Jimmy, AKA RugSucker, has a 500 series kirby pulled aside for me that I will be getting shipped to me sometime in the near future. So, it's a problem I will need to deal with soonish
For those of you having to use a 301291 belt on a 500 series with the old-style belt lifter, I recommend that you soak the 301291 belt in warm water, so you can stretch it out easier against the old belt lifter.
~Ben
~Ben
So, warm water, not hot or boiling. And how long do you think I should soak it? Also, should I put it on the kriby while still warm? Finally, for those of us with a newer kirby vacuum, ( I have a g7 de), should I soak it, then put it on a newer kirby and leave it stretched with the belt lifters for awhile to maybe stretch it some before putting it on a older kirby?
I guess I have one more question. In some places they say the older smooth belts are for pre 1970 kirbys. In other places, it says kirby tradition and earlier. Does anyone know which is correct?
Pr-21 states the 159056G was for 505 through tradition
Pr-21 states the 159056G was for 505 through tradition
Yes, if any of the pre-Heritage machines still had the old-style sleeve-bearing-equipped brush roll (non-removable end caps).
~Ben
True, not boiling hot as that would melt the belt.
The belt, if you use it on the 500 series, should be applied to the center of the brush roll while you can still extend it. After you grab it by the hook of the belt lifter and then mount it over the shaft and brush roll, wait for it to dry before you use.
~Ben
