Kirby DS50 Rebuild

[briankirbyclass]

Just wanted to give a heads up,,,i sent in my DS50 for Factory Rebuilding, and they (the Kirby Rebuild Dept.) sent notice that they would no longer be replacing the curved extension tubes,and/or the long strait extension tubes, as they are obsolete, as are the Crystalator,Hard Floor Pad,Handi Butler, and the Turbo Clipper.
They are also no longer replaceing the old style flat Kirby Floor Tool, with the flip Up/Down brush.
They are also no longer including the the Carpet Shampoo System, or the Floor Care (Miracle Head) System as part of the rebuild process. They are considered optional extras, and are not included in the rebuild price.
The rebuild Dept. also will not replace the Turbo Brush,,if you send it in with your Kirby, you get it right back again untouched.
So, hang onto your old style Kirby Floor Tools, Strait and Curved Extension Tubes, Handi Bulters,Crystalators,Turbo Clippers, and Floor Pads,, They dont make em like they used to,,infact, they dont make em at all anymore!,,,at least not the OLD ones.

 

[briankirbyclass]

Forgot to add the Shag King rake,,,,also obsolete and not replaceable from the factory. The end of an era!

 

[thunderhexed]

also...

any of the machines that are rebuilt from the DS80 through the Tradition.. they ALL get the generic handle grip, ALL bag hangers are off to the side now, like the Classic III and Tradition, I hate that they put one on my DS80 when I had it rebuilt.. in fact, it didn't even want to fit when i got it back.. it took me two hours to shave down bits of the bottom of it with a file in order for it so sit correctly. I don't like that the bag chain now hangs on the side and gets in the way of the cord now. It just doesn't look the same. They will use the same handle, just in brown, for the Classic and Classic Omega too.

 

[thunderhexed]

another tidbit

it seems as if the motor that was replaced in my DS80, was replaced with one of the bigger motors that were used in the Classic-Heritage models. The sound is pretty much identical and it seems to have a little more torque to it when you power it up, you can kind of feel it slight jolt the machine to the side when you power it on. My Sanitronic and Dual Sanitronic 50 both sound the same, they still have that hollow, lower pitch sound to them. My DS80 sounds just like my Heritage and Legend II now. I had my vacuum rebuilt this past february. Took about a week and a half to get it back. All together, the whole process, with shipping cost me a whopping $47.00! The vac came back looking show-room pristine. I don't use it to vacuum but i do power it on every three to 4 weeks just to keep parts lubricated. If someone told me that I had to get rid of all but one kirby, the DS80 would be the one I keep, it is the one I grew up with as it was my grandparents. Of course, I'd fight to keep the rest of them though, especially my Legend II and my G3!!!

 

[briankirbyclass]

HAHA, right on Thunderhexed! I sent in my Grandma's old 560 last year,,,it was the first time it had ever been rebuilt,,and it sure needed it,,,she was going to just give it to me, but i talked her into sending it in for a rebuild.
WOW,,,its so beautiful now, she hates to use it for fear of damaging it,, She said it looks better now than when it did when brand new! Of course, the trim, bag,,cord and handle grip are all tan colored now,,but hey,,for 19.00 plus shipping to and from the factory,,,for a total rebuild and replacment of the attachments and hose,,cant complain about that!

Thats too bad about the bag hangers,,i wish they would put them back exactly like when they were manufactured.

A few years ago, i sent in my Classic 1CR,,and it came back in perfect pristine condition,and shinier than a new mirror, except the belt lifter,,,evidently they dont polish or replace those?
Infact, after i had used the belt lifter a few times, it completly fell apart, and fell out of the Rug Nozzle. I had to take the rug nozzle and belt lifter to my local Kirby dealer to get it fixed,,,was cheaper than sending it back to Ohio,,,so, its always a good idea to completly check over the machine when it comes back from the factory to make sure its like it should be.

 

[thunderhexed]

belt lifter

yeah.. my belt lifter wasn't polished out either.. and you can tell that the area around the latch on the em-tor couldn't be done either.. other than what i mentioned above.. i couldn't be more pleased.. My grandma too said it looked better than when it was new! They were thrilled that i had it rebuilt for posterity reasons...

 

[briankirbyclass]

Thats great,,,my Grandma felt the same way.
Iam disapointed that Kirby has discontinued the older strait and curved extension wands,,,ive always felt that they were better and easier to use than the newer G series ones.
Oh well, thats progress for you!

Ive heard that there is a new version of the Handi Butler avalible with the new Sentria's,,but i havnt seen one yet.

 

[briankirbyclass]

If i had to keep only one Kirby model, id have to say the Kirby Classic 1CR,,,because it has every conceivable attachment ever devised avalible with it,,or any Kirby attachment can be used with it,,,including the Shag King,,if the Rug Nozzle is equiped for it. A 1CR Classic with a brand new 4 row brush roll, new belt, and a fresh new bag is such an awsome cleaning machine.
Actually it would be a toss up between the Tradition (because the dark blue is so beautiful with the chrome background when the machine is freshly polished), and the 1CR.
I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder,(beer-holder!?),,i like the DS50 Kirby logo cut out on the top of the headlight hood too,,,man, that would be a hard decision,,,but id have to say the 1CR,,,because it was/is so versatile and and elegant looking.
Every time ive ever used my Tradition with the hose and attachments, ill be vacuuming along and then look back, and the Tradition has fallen over,,,has never happened with my Classic 1CR. I guess its the extra weight of the paper bag system with the Tradition that makes it tip over easily.

Ive always thought the DS80 looked like it belonged in the Army because of the green!,,,but i can sure see why its a favorite!
I know what you mean about the tone of the Kirby motor,,,i could hear my Grandma's 560 (if she was using it) a mile away.

 

[thunderhexed]

Tradition

I actually put a traditional dump style bag on my tradition, blue of course with the same houndstooth pattern. I of course kept the paper bag system, but after, having a new fan put in, a new seal on the rug plate and a regular cloth bag.. WHEW!!! talk about a cleaning machine! I think it is probably the quietest running Kirby I have.. Classics.. yeah gotta love those too, the Classic I is my fav of all the classics. I used to see them all over the place as a child. The church had one, our neighbor had one, the older lady that used to watch me and my brother had one, and i see them ALL OVER the flea markets. The only Kirby I really need to complete my collection now is a Classic III.

 

[xraytech]

I have a Kirby Classic III if you want it for the cost of shipping.

 

[thunderhexed]

Classic III

SURE!!!!! I sent you an email with my address and your choice of payment options that i can do..

Thanks!

 

[charles~richard]

SAM, that is really incredibly nice of you!

 

[thunderhexed]

wonderful

it's AMAZINGLY NICE of him... I can't wait to get it!

 

[xraytech]

I don't mind I have more of a connection to my Kirby Classic because my great grandmother bought it for my grandmother. The classic III grandpap picked up second hand because he thought it was lighter when the Classic became too heavy.
I am just glad that I can make someone happy and that the Classic III will go to a good home where it will be appreciated.

 

[thunderhexed]

Classic III

It will be appreciated and adored and restored to her former glory She will reside the rest of her sisters within my collection

 

[xraytech]

Of the favorite Kirby's I love the Classic because it is the one I grew up with since it was grandma's(same reason I absolutley love Convertibles) I love the gold bag and the patch on the bag and the woodgrain handle. I recently got a D.S. 80 and I love the color and that it has the small head but the thicker handle like on the classics. The only other kirby I would want is my best friend's mothers Kirby Tradition. He remembers when they got it in 1979. It sits upstairs in their garage now.their Tradition has the original dump bag and not the paper bag setup. I also wouldn't mind a Heritage II with the small head, that is the next to last Kirby my great-grandmother had, they always sat in the living room right nest to her Magnavox console tv.

 

[xraytech]

does anyone know off hand how much mor a rebuild is if you don't have the paperwork from the sale of your Kirby. I wanted to get grandma's classic done but she dosen't have any of the papers they have been gone for many years. I know with the proof of ownership it was $37.00 and I f I would sent it in I would save the bag and cord and the plastic handle too since you all said that the bag hanger is on the side. I mostly want it to be sandblasted and polished so it will look new again.

 

[thunderhexed]

Rebuild

it seems that i read in a similar post that a rebuild for non-original owners ran around $350.00. If you are just wanting it cleaned up and polished, you may contact some vacuum stores or your local Kirby dealer. The guy i use here in town buffs them out for customers on occasion. You may be able to contact Kirby and advise them that you are doing this for your grandmother, she is original owner, but you can't locate paperwork. It would also help if she could possibly remember the name of the distributor in her area that she bought it from. Maybe they could cross-reference?

 

[thunderhexed]

helping each other out

if you remember a few weeks back, Sam posted that he was in need of a replacement Classic bag with original patch on it.. low and behold, what did I find out in the garage the other night? My spare gold classic-omega bag with patch.. It will be gifted to him along with corresponding hardware. I think it's an even trade