my G5 needs a new brushroll...

[vacuumfreeeke]

I just had a good look at my Kirby G5 and the brushroll seems pretty warn. Quite a few of the tufts have missing or sprawled out bristles. And the bristles nearest the belt have actually been smashed flat, I assume from the belt slipping. I change the belt once every 6 months. I adjust the height properly (lower till sound changes, then one more time)... but I think the carpet in my apartment is hard on vacuums. It is flat hard kind of like indoor/outdoor, and it doesn't really give. I think that makes the brushes wear out faster. I didn't think I used it enough to make it wear out this fast, but I did buy it used about 4 years ago... and it was my daily driver before I got my Dyson, Broom Vac, and Miele canister which I rotate now... though I did just break out the Dialamatic yesterday for "fun"... don't ever run over your toes with a power drive dialamatic, btw!

I know they have the chevron style brush roll and the kind with staggered bristles. Is one better than the other?

Thanks

 

[methodistbill]

Motor Note

I have a Kirby Diamond G. Kirby's recommendation for the nozzle setting doesn't seem to work. I have short looped carpeting with padding in one room like you and the extra click makes the brush roll bog down sometimes and seems to wear out the belt too quickly. But at the same time, the first click that changes the motor note seems too high. I wonder if I'm doing something wrong. The carpet throughout the rest of my house is plush cut pile. The Kirby is great on all that but doesn't seem to like my short looped carpeting.

 

[kirbysthebest]

What notch is the brush itself on?

When you replace the belt, do you return the brush roll to the #1 position on both ends? This could cause premature brush wear if not.

Depending on the amount of use you give it, four years is not too bad for a brush.

 

[chuffle]

methodistbill:

I don't know about the "G" series, but I know that the micro-matic height adjustment on the Heritage and family has a screw underneath that can be used to further adjust the height setting...sort of a fine tuning. I wonder if that would help?

Joe

 

[methodistbill]

Fine Tuning Adjustment

Joe, I looked and didn't see any way to fine tune the adjustment. I think my problem is due to a combination of things. 1) As someone indicated, the standard brush roll is too stiff for the "berber" type carpet. I've noticed that Kirby makes a special brush roll. But my problem is that I have plush and berber style carpeting. 2) I bought belts on Ebay that aren't genuine Kirby. They guy advertised them as OEM and pictured them that way too. But when I received them, they were a cheap knock off. 3) I had the brush roll on the 2nd notch (because of wear), which is where it needs to be for the plush carpeting. So then I returned it to the 1st notch. It works fine at that setting on the berber but it doesn't groom the plush carpeting very well! LOL! Now, I use the Kirby for the plush and one of my Electroluxes for the berber in my den.

Bill

 

[chuffle]

Well...

Bill, I hear you...

At my old house, my Heritage II coped with my wall to wall berber very well. The house that I am in now has hard flooring, with area rugs. The Heritage works really well on the rugs in the den and bedroom, but I have found that the Eureka Boss Smart Vac does best on the rug in the receiving room and parlor. The Smart Vac is too aggressive for the rug in the dining room, so that rug is vacuumed with the Hoover Convertible. Sounds like a lot of work, but I get the best results that way.

Thank goodness I have a few different vacs to use! I wish you luck.

Joe