I have read through all the old threads here about the problems about how hard the machine is to push on certain carpet [yes i do know about the screw underneath and i have adjusted it up and down as far as it will go .it makes no difference at all] What i want to know is has anyone come up with a good solution to the problem perhaps some way to reduce the suction just enough to make the machine push able.I have a few scrap machines here and was thinking about drilling a few holes along the back of a spare beat up carpet head in an effort to reduce the suction a little [i can hear you all gasping in horror] Any other ideas are most welcome
Kirby Legend
- Thread starter anthony
- Start date
Help Support VacuumLand:
What style of carpet are you finding the machine hard to vacuum?
If it is a looped carpet setting and finding setting 2 is just a little to high and setting 1 is too low. Maybe a screw that is a little longer may help with the micromatic adjustment.
When I sent my Heritage II in for rebuild They didn't reinstall the same original pedal. No screw in this one. I have a piece of cut pile commercial carpet that needs that fine tuning of the height adjustment or it is like pushing a tank across the floor.
A piece of dense woven plush carpet the adjusting screw is no help in that situation. As you are above the settings it was designed to "fine tune" the height setting.
If it is a looped carpet setting and finding setting 2 is just a little to high and setting 1 is too low. Maybe a screw that is a little longer may help with the micromatic adjustment.
When I sent my Heritage II in for rebuild They didn't reinstall the same original pedal. No screw in this one. I have a piece of cut pile commercial carpet that needs that fine tuning of the height adjustment or it is like pushing a tank across the floor.
A piece of dense woven plush carpet the adjusting screw is no help in that situation. As you are above the settings it was designed to "fine tune" the height setting.
I have just had
new carpeting throughout my bungalow .its a thick ]about 2cms] heavy plush cut pile carpet [its like walking on a duvet] Its just about impossible to push the Kirby on it .I also have a G4 with the tech drive. On its easy but switch it off and it wont budge .I have often thought that it would be a good idea to have some sort of suction regulator rather like some of the cylinder machines used to have at the end of the hose .Thats what made me think about mutilating a scrap carpet head just to see what would happen.I have spent this rainy afternoon experimenting drilling three small holes in the scrap head and i have to say it works .i can now at least move the machine over the carpet .I would think one or two more holes and it will be just about right yes i am loosing suction but as you know there is more than enough to pick up any dirt .I wont be drilling any holes in the good carpet head dont worry .I just wish there was a good solution as i much prefer the legend to the clumsy G4 now that is like pushing a tank
new carpeting throughout my bungalow .its a thick ]about 2cms] heavy plush cut pile carpet [its like walking on a duvet] Its just about impossible to push the Kirby on it .I also have a G4 with the tech drive. On its easy but switch it off and it wont budge .I have often thought that it would be a good idea to have some sort of suction regulator rather like some of the cylinder machines used to have at the end of the hose .Thats what made me think about mutilating a scrap carpet head just to see what would happen.I have spent this rainy afternoon experimenting drilling three small holes in the scrap head and i have to say it works .i can now at least move the machine over the carpet .I would think one or two more holes and it will be just about right yes i am loosing suction but as you know there is more than enough to pick up any dirt .I wont be drilling any holes in the good carpet head dont worry .I just wish there was a good solution as i much prefer the legend to the clumsy G4 now that is like pushing a tank
I'm thinking then it more about the density of the pile.
I have plush carpet as well but not the high end plush. vacuuming one direction is hard. vacuuming in the opposite direction or side to side is much easier.
Sometimes it is hard to find the right setting for good contact with out to much resistance from the carpet. One setting a fraction to high the next down just a fraction to low. And you feel it.
Meaning a pushing to the North and pulling backwards in the South direction or South to North direction. Same applies east to west. North to south off the roll. East to west nominal carpet width with out seaming the carpet to fit the width of the room.
I have plush carpet as well but not the high end plush. vacuuming one direction is hard. vacuuming in the opposite direction or side to side is much easier.
Sometimes it is hard to find the right setting for good contact with out to much resistance from the carpet. One setting a fraction to high the next down just a fraction to low. And you feel it.
Meaning a pushing to the North and pulling backwards in the South direction or South to North direction. Same applies east to west. North to south off the roll. East to west nominal carpet width with out seaming the carpet to fit the width of the room.
I just got my Kirby Legend ll back and I found that guess what, the advise from the lady at Kirby factory DID know what she was talking about! My brush looked fine and my belt was looking ok too. I ordered the new style belt, new brush design and carefully washed the outer bag and put a new heap bag in my machine. Presto- much easier to push with the increased AIR-FLOW and new brush design, I am able to set the touch touch control higher -hence the Kirby is much easier to push. Now this will of course not work IF I let the bag fill too much and don't replace the belt in 6 month. With decreased air flow form accumulated dirt in the bag and a worn drive belt, the height will have to be adjusted lower and hence the 'pushing" problem will return.
So far the new heap bags seem to maintain the suction and air flow much better than the original old style paper bags.
So far the new heap bags seem to maintain the suction and air flow much better than the original old style paper bags.
Are the replacement brush rolls now the same design as what is in the G series machines.
I haven't needed to purchase new brush roll. I did see them on the Kirby website and wondered if they had been updated or just a stock picture that was modified to reflect the ends for that model.
I haven't needed to purchase new brush roll. I did see them on the Kirby website and wondered if they had been updated or just a stock picture that was modified to reflect the ends for that model.
My legend has a new bag new belt
the brush roll is only a year old .If the suction is increased [with the new bag fitted wont this just make it stick to the carpet more ?.I have noticed the machine lifts the carpet up off the floor even though its very heavy .When the carpet guys removed the old carpets[been down 30 years] they commented on how clean the floor was underneath .I introduced them to the G4 .They both just looked at it and said what the Fxx is that .i said its the ultimate cleaning machine and after a bit of vacuuming they both said Got to get one of those
the brush roll is only a year old .If the suction is increased [with the new bag fitted wont this just make it stick to the carpet more ?.I have noticed the machine lifts the carpet up off the floor even though its very heavy .When the carpet guys removed the old carpets[been down 30 years] they commented on how clean the floor was underneath .I introduced them to the G4 .They both just looked at it and said what the Fxx is that .i said its the ultimate cleaning machine and after a bit of vacuuming they both said Got to get one of those
Oh yes better Air flow will do that. My grandmother made the same comments that any carpet she picked up didn't have the heavy dust or dirt under them since she got a Kirby.
The rental I am in had new carpet and padding when I moved in. After 20 years the carpet was worn out. It was a velvet plush. After all that time the foam rubber pad started to break down. I noticed long about year 17 that small mounds were developing under the carpet. I couldn't figure out what it was. Thought maybe a small piece of the wood floor came up and was sitting on the floor under the carpet.
This stared happening in a couple of places in the high traffic area. I was able to lift the carpet close to the entrance to the kitchen. Only to find that the bumps under the carpet were small mounds of broken down padding the vacuum pulled up in to the piles. At the time I was using my Kirby Heritage II for all cleaning. Now I am using a Sentria model with the improved boot. That one can pick up the carpet off the floor even more obviously than the Heritage.
The floors under the carpets I had replaced were clean. Other than where the pad was breaking down and couldn't be sucked thru the jute backing of the carpet.
I'm sure there are good canister vacuums that can do the same and wouldn't question the ability of a built in vacuum to do the same. Even stronger suction and air flow in one of those.
The rental I am in had new carpet and padding when I moved in. After 20 years the carpet was worn out. It was a velvet plush. After all that time the foam rubber pad started to break down. I noticed long about year 17 that small mounds were developing under the carpet. I couldn't figure out what it was. Thought maybe a small piece of the wood floor came up and was sitting on the floor under the carpet.
This stared happening in a couple of places in the high traffic area. I was able to lift the carpet close to the entrance to the kitchen. Only to find that the bumps under the carpet were small mounds of broken down padding the vacuum pulled up in to the piles. At the time I was using my Kirby Heritage II for all cleaning. Now I am using a Sentria model with the improved boot. That one can pick up the carpet off the floor even more obviously than the Heritage.
The floors under the carpets I had replaced were clean. Other than where the pad was breaking down and couldn't be sucked thru the jute backing of the carpet.
I'm sure there are good canister vacuums that can do the same and wouldn't question the ability of a built in vacuum to do the same. Even stronger suction and air flow in one of those.
New Brushroll!
I had this problem for years with my Legend 2, so much so that I stopped using the machine entirely because of it. I decided one day to buy a new brush roll just to see if it would help because I knew the old one was worn out and the brushes were worn down too. I put the new one in (a generic one I might add) and its brilliant! Obviousley not as easy to push as the new kirbys because its mot self propelled, but I think they rely on the brushroll helping them along, so if the brushroll is worn it makes it harder to push. Even though the old one was worn right down, because its a kirby, it was doing an exceptional job with a worn brushroll so you would never of been able to tell it was worn out. I think it easy to forget about some maintenance when you have as many vacuum cleaners as we do! I would try a new brushroll and see what happens.
Jake
I had this problem for years with my Legend 2, so much so that I stopped using the machine entirely because of it. I decided one day to buy a new brush roll just to see if it would help because I knew the old one was worn out and the brushes were worn down too. I put the new one in (a generic one I might add) and its brilliant! Obviousley not as easy to push as the new kirbys because its mot self propelled, but I think they rely on the brushroll helping them along, so if the brushroll is worn it makes it harder to push. Even though the old one was worn right down, because its a kirby, it was doing an exceptional job with a worn brushroll so you would never of been able to tell it was worn out. I think it easy to forget about some maintenance when you have as many vacuum cleaners as we do! I would try a new brushroll and see what happens.
Jake
Mine is in good shape.
I even have the brush roll extended past the rug guard about half again as much as recommended and the knurled belt which hasn't slipped a bit.
It's the nature of the pre tech drive machines. I have actively used models from 1959 and forward. On vinyl floors to shag carpet. Each surface and or density of the weave of cut pile or looped pile makes a difference in how easy or hard the machines are to push.
I even have the brush roll extended past the rug guard about half again as much as recommended and the knurled belt which hasn't slipped a bit.
It's the nature of the pre tech drive machines. I have actively used models from 1959 and forward. On vinyl floors to shag carpet. Each surface and or density of the weave of cut pile or looped pile makes a difference in how easy or hard the machines are to push.
human
Well-known member
My Legends
I have a Legend II that I acquired about a year ago. It was a little rough when I got it but it was sort of an emotional purchase. I had to replace the power switch, mini emp-tor and fill tube and give it good cleaning and polishing. It came out pretty nice in the end and is a good performer.
A few weeks later, the Universe, in its infinite sense of humor, put an absolutely pristine Heritage 2 Legend in my path for an unbelievably cheap price. Even though it was missing its cord, it was too cheap to pass up. I haven't had the issues with either of those machines that the OP described. If I have the floor nozzle adjusted correctly, they're only only just a little harder to push than any of my G-series Tech Drive machines and they're absolute cleaning monsters.
I have a Legend II that I acquired about a year ago. It was a little rough when I got it but it was sort of an emotional purchase. I had to replace the power switch, mini emp-tor and fill tube and give it good cleaning and polishing. It came out pretty nice in the end and is a good performer.
A few weeks later, the Universe, in its infinite sense of humor, put an absolutely pristine Heritage 2 Legend in my path for an unbelievably cheap price. Even though it was missing its cord, it was too cheap to pass up. I haven't had the issues with either of those machines that the OP described. If I have the floor nozzle adjusted correctly, they're only only just a little harder to push than any of my G-series Tech Drive machines and they're absolute cleaning monsters.
suckolux
Well-known member
My H2 legend gets almost impossible to push on my cheap Oriental rugs, but piece of cake at the boys place. Nice fancy wall to wall. His little one took it to his rental house, cheap wall to wall. Clamping down again, like my place! I truly believe it's lack of air flow through the carpet backing, I always thought that was why the earlier models had a suction release on top of the brushroll head.
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