Kirby g5 tech drive problem.

[oldskoolguy]

I’ve got a $10 Kirby goodwill find that I’m in the process of refurbishing, and I’ve run into a problem: tech drive won’t engage. If I jam it forward (well not nesscessarily Jam as much as just shoving it), it’ll go. Hitting the plate in the back of the tech drive does hardly anything except maybe keep it in forward. I’ve tried realigning the pivot a few times, with no luck. Normally, I have to just push the handle diagonally to get it working when cleaning and even then it’ll only work for a few seconds. I’ve greased the gears and the joints of the yoke assembly along with the back plate and put a rust-killing lubricant on the joints and plate. No luck. My question is: can this be fixed without replacing the transmission? Or am I better off just selling the transmission?

 

[huskyvacs]

You can dismantle the transmission completely, and people here have, and replace individual parts or re-slot them back into place. But most people here usually tell you to replace the entire thing - mainly because that's what Kirby themselves do to save labor time and prevent employee errors in repairs so a customer doesn't get a broken Kirby back that wasn't reassembled properly. Kirby also does not manufacture or sell the replacement belt inside the transmission for this same reason to ensure a new one has to be purchased.

The problem you have is likely only with the gear pedal selection switch - it might have loosed up and came apart or a piece broke off.

There's a great guide here on how to replace the "gearstick" of the transmission.

http://www.goodvac.com/kb_results.asp?ID=16

 

[oldskoolguy]

Huskyvacs,

Thanks for the insight. I tried removing the cam, and still had no luck. Even without the cam, i had to jam the handle forward. The pivot will not easily glide back and forth over the plate it sits over. Grease didn’t help either. Tried greasing the yoke and the joints, nothing. This may sound silly, but I think the yoke is bent where the pin from the pivot rests. I doubt that’s the case, but I do have a photo so you can see what I mean. Pushing the yoke back and forth with the pivot removed and the Kirby on showed tech drive was working as it should.

 

[bikerray]

So then are you saying that the slide bracket is sticking?

The slide bracket is the piece that rides in the grooves of the two bearing blocks and the Handle spring assembly is bolted to.

Sometimes the bearing blocks or the slide bracket gets rough spots.

 

[bikerray]

After rereading some of what you wrote

If you can turn the handle while you are vacuuming either the screws holding the handle pivot spring assembly to the slide block are loose

or

the bearing blocks also known as guide blocks are set too far apart and the slide block is moving forward and back (which it should) as well as moving side to side (which it shouldn't)

or

The bearings that ride in between the guide blocks and the slide block are gone (as in dead or they went on vacation and left)

 

[oldskoolguy]

Well I took it apart, and wasn’t sure it the rust was good or bad. Not sure how to adjust the slide blocks.

 

[bikerray]

Use emery cloth or a fine grit sandpaper to clean up the blocks.

Check and see if the roller bearings have flat spots if they don't you can use them again, if they do have flat spots you need to get new ones.

When you put it back together the slide block spring side goes down so the spring centers the block in the frame (light tower). Put the roller bearings on the edge of the slide block, put the bearing blocks over the edge of the sliding block and place in the light tower. Looking at it from the back, the right side gets screwed down first, place the plastic wedge on the left then move the left side in until the slide block moves front to back but there is not any side movement. tighten the plastic wedge then the two screws holding the left side bearing block.

Put the two screws through the handle spring assembly into the slide bracket, making sure you engage the arm from the transmission into the slots in the handle pivot assembly, then you get to play with moving the handle spring assembly until you get it to engage the trans forward when the handle is pushed forward and backward when the handle is pulled back. When you release the handle the spring in the slide assembly should bring it to the neutral position. Once you get it tighten the screws to hold the handle spring assembly in place.

Hope this helps