My 1st Tech Drive Kirby!

[gj3476]

Hi everybody, yes I got another vacuum again yesterday at the Salvation Army, I’m actually glad I got this one because I’ve always wanted a Kirby Generation vacuum before I started collecting. This one is a Generation 3, the one that changed Kirby vacuums forever by adding self propelled for easy pushing. As you can see it really needs some TLC, a good wipe up and polishing. So I’ll have to do my best cleaning up the G3, so check out the pics and I’ll try to post more pictures of it when I have it polished up and clean.

 

[gj3476]

Service sticker, power switch and tech drive, bag.

 

[gj3476]

Everything’s in good shape still but I like to know how to get rid of the rust spots.

 

[gj3476]

Serial number on the side, made either around 1990-93.

 

[gj3476]

Does anyone know how to remove the outer bag to wash it up?

 

[crazykirbydude]

I know how to remove that bag. You take a flat blade screwdriver and pop that band off. Then you pry the rubber bit off of the Mini Em-Tor.

 

[gj3476]

Crazykirbydude, Thanks I’ll do my best.

 

[sptyks]

Gj3476,


 


It looks like that G3 still has the original gray Lexan fan in it. Those fans are notorious for cracking and flying apart while the machine is in use. This could do serious damage to the fancase. You should replace that fan with a new white Amodel fan AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!


 


There are videos on Youtube showing you how to remove that outer bag, how to clean and polish and how to to replace the fan. Replacing the fan is easy. You only need a Philips screwdriver and a pair of Channel lock pliers.


 


 

 

[huskyvacs]

January 1991 on your G3. Sandpaper will remove the rust on the motor shaft, but it's not detrimental to the performance of the vacuum or the belt. It might even file itself down from the belt traveling over it as you use it. People on here say #0000 fine steel wool can get the discolored tarnish spots out of the metal when polishing.

On the handle, the screws might be loose or the fork is bent.

 

[gj3476]

Huskyvacs, is there a way to fix the handle lock because it doesn’t want to stay locked up.

 

[gj3476]

Well here is the G3 after polishing the chrome and wiped up the plastic parts as well. I hand washed the outer bag with free and clear detergent and Borax along warm water and rinsed. Set it out the balcony to air dry and the next morning it was dried up already.

 

[vac-o-matic]

Good job, she looks great!

 

[gj3476]

Thank u vac o matic, there are a couple of spots I need to polish off and everything’s almost good to go!

 

[gj3476]

So it’s been months since I own this G3 and I got the pivot spring replaced at Hook’s vac shop and it needs more polishing again and I want to get the black spots off and clean the inside of the rug nozzle. Anybody know a special way to clean the inside of the nozzle? Steel wool pads should still get rid of the black spots right? Thanks!

 

[texaskirbyguy]

Nice find and nice work! I have cleaned the insides of the nozzles with small brass wire brushes - cleaned well and did nor scratch much. Wet Scotchbrite works well too.
Let me know how a newcomer likes the tech-drive. I just bought my first tech-driver a couple weeks back at Goodwill, a Gsix 2000 special edition. I never planned on it but it looked cool and was in pretty good shape overall. I was going to give it a quick resto like you did to yours... However, pieces kept coming off when I was cleaning it and now it is down to a semi-carcass, which tells me I will be going 'all the way' with it... Resto thread is in the contempo section to be updated as I slowly move along.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Gj3476

Gabriel,

I also had a G3 before, but the handle lock pivot as well as the zipper on the bag gave me too much grief (both problem areas involved rust from improper storage) to consider restoring it at a reasonable cost, so I sold it.

Its date code said it was built April 1991.

~Ben

 

[gj3476]

Well I got a brand new kevlar fan and I’m having a little hard time trying to get the old fan out, any other ideas? Thanks!

 

[texaskirbyguy]

Put a thin screwdriver, awl, or ice pick in the shaft hole. Hold the fan with one hand and give the tool in the hole a sharp whack or two or more with a small hammer to break the shaft free. Remember to turn the shaft clockwise as this shaft has reversed threads. I just took mine off this way yesterday.
If stubborn, you can use a 9mm wrench on the rear motor shaft to hold it still while you turn the shaft.

 

[gj3476]

TexasKirbyGuy, the gears on the back would that be the rear motor shaft? This my first time placing a new fan on a G series vacuum.