My Hellish Experience with a Hoover Elite Supreme

[charles~richard]

Okay, so most of y'all know I am definitely a "vacuum cleaner purist," and really haven't much interest in all in most modern vacuum cleaners; so I rarely encounter them and know even less about them <br
So it was with great trepidation than I approached an elderly friend's HOOVER ELITE SUPREME vacuum cleaner today because, as she reported, "It's not picking up like it used to." <br
Checking the bag was a simple enough matter; it was fine. She had just installed a new one, as a matter of fact <br
Then I turned the machine over and beheld the pitch black bottom of the machine. Why in God's name do they make the undersides of these vacuum cleaners BLACK so it's impossible to SEE what's what down there?! Well, I did see the broken end of a belt protruding from the agitator (plastic roller, plastic bristles, ugh) so I knew what the problem was <br
I sat down on the floor and stared at the underside of that monstrosity for a good five minutes. Where the heck are the SCREWS or LEVERS to remove the (PLASTIC) bottom plate?? <br
Well, at last I saw that the agitator cover was connected to the housing in a similar manner to the really old METAL machines -- two little slits at either end slipped over two little protrusions on the front underside of the housing <br
Easy enough. <br
Well, I set-to prying up the bottom plate with a screwdriver. With a kerrr-accck that sounded like splitting plastic (as attested to by the alarmed look that crossed my dear friend's face), the bottom plate came up. <br
Oy. How gross and disgusting. <br
The entire area around the agitator was packed with filthy, caked-in schmutz. I had to poke and pry at it with the screwdriver to get it all out. My friend looked at horror at the little mound of dirt and crap that was deposited on her carpeting. (She'll get over it.) <br
Okay, so, now where does the belt go??? I looked at the right side of the motor housing where a sort of indentation ran back toward the motor and there was a round opening leading to the motor. You know, where you'd logically expect a motor shaft to be, and where it F@#$ing SHOULD have been. <br
Alas, no shaft. <br
So I stuck my finger into the hole leading to the motor (yes, I was smart enough - barely - to unplug Mr. Plastic Hoover) and felt that there was a short shaft, but it was so far inside the hole that there was no possible way to loop the belt around it. <br
What the f#$@ ?? <br
I told her it APPEARED that part of the motor shaft had broken because there was no way to connect the belt. She was as mystified as I was. Well, that just didn't make sense. How could part of a metal shaft just break off <br
So I lifted the machine from the floor to get a better look at it. When I did, it tipped up and back, and the little set of rear wheels just fell out and hit the floor with a plop. I looked at the odd-shaped wheels with all sorts of flaps and stuff sticking out. "Great," I thought to myself. "I'll never get THOSE damn things back in there again!&quot <br
Well, I turned the thing this way and that, trying to figure out how the doggoned belt went on. I finally figured out that it went onto the LEFT side of the agitator -- that's where the empty spot on the roller is, and there is a channel along the left side of the housing leading back to the motor. But how the heck do you get the belt back there? I tried just sticking it into the hole at the end of the channel, hoping maybe it would magically slide onto the motor shaft (that I was not even sure was in there, as I couldn't see anything in there) <br
Wrong <br
I just sat there, steam coming out of my frustrated ears, knowing there had to be a way to get to that motor shaft. OH, for a Kirby where changing the belt involves flipping one lever! <br
Well, finally, after staring at the stupid thing I noticed that there were four more of those little plastic tabs -- two on each side, one near the front and one near the back. No, I thought to myself. It CAN'T be. Surely I am not obliged to take the entire motor housing apart just to change a belt <br
Wrong <br
It was clear that was the way I had to proceed <br
I finally grabbed a screwdriver and started stabbing at one of the plastic tabs. Miracle of miracles, it flipped forward and that side of the housing came loose. I did the same on all four sides. The housing was then very loose but it still would not come off. Something else -- another tab or hidden screw somewhere still held the housing down <br
This F@#$ING thing! <br
My poor old friend heard quality swearing that she probably had never heard before. I turned the thing over again, and then saw that what was holding the cover down was the height adjustment lever <br
Good grief <br
I grabbed the lever, and miracle of miracles it actually slipped right off. The bottom of the machine flew out of my hands and hit the carpet with a little cloud of dust. The inside of the cover was also covered with carpet cooties <br
When I turned the machine back over, THERE, at last, in all its shining glory, was the motor shaft. I looped the belt around the agitator, put the agitator into place, pulled the belt back to get it over the motor shaft --- no easy feat because of all the bits and protrusions of PLASTIC housing sticking out and stabbing the side of my finger. <br
As I was proceeding to do this, I noticed that the motor was starting to come loose. I looked closer, and just about fell over. There are four holes for screws to go, to hold the motor down. CAN YOU BELIEVE that this thing was so cheaply made that there were only TWO screws in it?! They were diagonal to one another - just enough, just barely, to hold the motor in place when the housing was all attached. So I had to hold the motor down with my knee to keep it from slipping up while I wriggled and pulled and worked that damn tight-ass belt and FINALLY got it over the motor shaft <br
Well, I put the thing back together, starting with the housing top and then the bottom plate <br
THEN, I noticed the set of wheels sitting on the carpet <br
*SIGH <br
So I removed the bottom plate again, futzed around with the wheels, and finally figured out the ONE way they would fit down into the housing <br
I got the thing all put together again and gave it a test drive. It did a passable job of cleaning, but My God, what a racket. The motor was loud in the first place, and the flimsy plastic housing set up an irritating vibration in sympathy with the motor. <br
And the plastic agitator, with its plastic bristles and no beater bars! Whatever happened to "It Beats As It Sweeps As It Cleans?" What happened to aluminum rollers with real horse-hair tufts and chromed rug beaters <br
If this confounded thing is representative of what Hoover has been putting out, then, no disrespect to Tom Anderson and the other "Hooverites" here," I have to say, it's little wonder the company went into distress; and the imminent closing could probably viewed as a sort of "merciful euthanasia" before things got any worse over there. I mean, how much more crummy than THIS could a Hoover Vacuum Cleaner possible get????!! <br
And Hoover used to make such wonderful vacuum cleaners...... <br
I was so traumatized by my encounter with this horrific apparition that I had to come home and lie down <br
Really guys, WHAT HAPPENED to Hoover? What kind of ass-backwards engineering would dictate a design so stupid and pointless as having to disassemble the entire housing of the machine just to change a belt? It's not a toothed or geared belt, just plain rubber, so how long can it last? And I'll note, I observed that you would also have to go through the same trauma to change the light bulb -- instead of a little removable window on the TOP, where the bulb is, you also have to remove the top by prying the little plastic tips loose UNDERNEATH. After removing the agitator cover. After the wheels fall out and you hope like hell you can figure out how they go back in. After pulling off the tip of the height adjustment lever <br
And what happens if someone gets JUST A LITTLE TOO MAD trying to dissect this piece of crap, and BREAKS one of the little plastic tips by applying too much pressure? Guess you're gonna be S.O.L. and have to go buy a new cover <br
Good Lord <br

 

[tolivac]

Sounds like a definite "dumpster" vacuum-you replace the MACHINE instead of the belt.That seems to be the current Hoover line of thinking.After that horrible encounter with the machine-it probably would be very satisfying to see it get crunched in the compactor of the merciless trash truck that empties the dumpster.Also its no wonder that neighborhood vac stores are disappearing-how many vac techs want to work on such a machine-and how much to charge the customer while the technician changes the belt?Might as well send him the Wally-world to buy a new one-or try to sell him a BETTER vac from your store stock!Hoover Elites used to be rather nice machines!Design Butchered by by someone in the Hoover engineering dept!

 

[petek]

LOL, that's funny but pretty much true. Not sure what model had the last good brushroll. My Powermax of 89ish vintage still had one and appeared to be the last of the better made machines albeit more plastic but easy fixing, whether they continued into the first Windtunnels I don't know, certainly not the newer ones. If you ever run across a decent 2nd hand Panasonic or Kenmore clone you should grab it for her and toss that pos out. They're not bad vacs, certainly a lot quieter and easier to change belts and bags, definitely old lady friendly. That's what I gave my mom to use, she likes it. I just passed on one at Value Village the other day for $10 which I should have grabbed. I opened the chamber and omg the stench from the overstuffed and plugged bag was enough to melt your socks.

 

[andy]

I mean, how much more crummy than THIS could a Hoover Vacuu

Trust me, it gets worse. The current Hoovers on the market (Savvy, Fusion, Windtunnel 2) make the Elite series look like an engineering masterpiece. I can't count how many times I've had one of the current Hoovers on the bench and had some cheap plastic piece snap off in the middle of the repair. It's just awful.

 

[charles~richard]

So sad, So sad,

SO SAD <br
Where have all the Hoovers gone,
long time passin
Where have all the Hoovers gone
Long time ag
Where have all the Hoovers gone
Plastic crap replaced them every on
When will they ever learn
When will they ever learn <br
(With apologies to Peter, Paul & Mary

 

[vacjwt]

sad

what ever hapend to the hoover that out lasted the owner a dam was a cheap but well made vacuum charles I know of the pain you had when you fixed that vacuum never try to fix a hoover elite it will take years of your life I think I lost 15 years how about you

 

[cirtcele]

Not that it's any help to you now...

but the instruction manuals for the Elites, and most every hoover back to (at least) the early '70s are on Hoover's website <br
I agree, though...the Elites seem to have been designed by jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts.

http://www.hoover.com/db/hvrShopSearch.asp

 

[myhooverco]

I happen to agree with Andy. The Elite series was not that bad compared to this new stuff from Hoover. It all uses WAY too many amps...5 at most is needed. The Elite was the last great Hoover product. I really don't find them all that bad. I would much rather work on some variation of the Elite than the WT or the Savvy for instance. Nothing will ever compare to the Hoover cleaners of yesteryear though <br
--Tom

 

[cirtcele]

More thoughts on the Elite

I actually use an Elite as my daily driver. (I'm clumsy; this way I won't be too upset if I drop it or suck up a marble or something. <br
They actually clean carpets pretty well, when they're working properly. Better than most modern vacuums. I definitely prefer one to, say, an Oreck. And compared to the Eureka Bravos, Regina Housekeepers, and Dirt Devils that shared store shelves at the same time, they were the most reliable. I see many mid-90s Elites are still at work in homes and businesses; that's a real achievement for an all-plastic machine <br
Anyway, the motor should have been mounted with all four screws, not just two. They'd probably worked their way loose over the years; nothing but plastic threads to hold them in place. *shudder*

 

[danemodsandy]

Cheep! Cheep!

I have to second Charlie's cries of anguish. We are the proud (NOT) owners of a Hoover Runabout PowerMax canister. The damned thing was designed by aliens, I think. First, it has a flimsy feel from top to bottom. The latch for the tool compartment broke almost immediately, and we're not the sort of people who slam things about. The power cord for the power nozzle has frayed through to bare wire twice; it enters the PN right at floor level, where it gets plenty of wear, and zilch reinforcement was provided. I have repaired it twice by shortening the cord, but the next fraying-through will mean a new cord, since no slack is left. <br
The design of the thing is wonky from start to finish. The buttons for ON/OFF and the cord retractor are identical in shape and size. They do have icons impressed in them, but since the icons are black-on-black, you cannot read them, and you're forever retracting the cord when you want to turn the machine off or on. The attachment system is a struggle to deal with; the attachments fit INTO the wands, instead of over them as is the case with every other vac I've ever used. There is a little plastic latch that has to be futzed with every time you want to change tools. You cannot swivel a tool on the end of the wand if you'd like to get to a tight space. The stiff, scratchy bristles of the dusting brush leave scratches in finished furniture, too. WTF was anyone thinking? WERE they thinking? <br
I DETEST using the thing; I often find myself carrying my Lux 1205 up from the main floor to use upstairs in the bedrooms, even though the Hoover was intended to serve the upstairs and make carting vacs up and down stairs unnecessary. I pity anyone with arthritic hands who owns one; that latch system for the attachments is a particular PITA. <br
I would not buy another, and when this one dies, I intend to have a bit of fun personally breaking it down for recycling. None of this is intended to be disrespectful of vintage Hoovers or their collectors, but this thing has been a nightmare from the get-go.

 

[tolivac]

I am also shocked by the "pretty" peices of plastic that Hoover now calls vacuum cleaners.Glad I have some examples of their older BETTER machines.thats the problem-to make up for ineffeicies-the new clean air vacuums need to use 12A motors as opposed to 5-8A motors in direct air machines like the old Hoovers,Royals,Kirbys,etc.Direct air machines Rule!

 

[vacjwt]

that is one vacuum I dont feel sory for when I see some one

I like to see what they can come up with to me it is one less I have to fix the stuff you see in the trash works better then what you see on the shelf in the store sad what things have come to

 

[portable]

Charles Lester --

You DEFINITELY win the prize for the longest post I've ever seen. Not surprising (only kidding, my good friend, but you CAN go on - at least you are an entertaining writer). But, concerning the SUBJECT of the post - sounds like the machine is the newer era Elite. The older ones were not that bad. The ones from the early 90s were passable, but I agree with the other folks that the NEW Hoovers are ABSOLUTE pieces of ----. Our local Wal-Mart has one of the newer Mach 5s. In the first day that they put it on display, the step-on rug/bare floor control switch broke. When I returned two weeks later, the machine was in pieces. What a sad end to a formerly great legacy. Obviously, the current Hoover Company is a sad shadow of its former self. Sigh.

 

[charles~richard]

Long winded

Well, I do enjoy writing. I figure, anyone can sit down and say in one sentence, "I just spent an afternoon with one of the crappiest vacuum cleaners I ever saw" and leave it at that. <br
When I have such life-changing experiences, I do try to re-live those moments for my readers as vividly and as colorfully as possible. But if I'm just being a bore, I'll try to exercise more economy with words <br
Charles~Richar
Department o
Redundancy Departmen <br

 

[rexairman]

Charlie <br
After this disaster, and your earlier Dyson disaster, I think you're in your element with the great old cleaners of yesteryear. I have to deal with this stuff on an everyday basis because I'm in the business, but I sure lament the passing of quality. You can get quality, but you sure have to search for it. I still sell several quality US made machines in my store, but it isn't like the old days <br
Clay

 

[danemodsandy]

Clay:

Quality US-made machines <br
Don't leave us hanging- name names!

 

[rexairman]

To answer Sandy's question, among the high quality machines I have in my store are Rainbow, Air-Way Sanitizor, TrendVac (all US made) and Sanitaire. These are all very, very well built machines, which a customer can expect at least twenty years of trouble-free service from. They are also all very efficient at cleaning, and user friendly.

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

terrible

I think the Elite series was the beginning of the end for Hoover. I hate them. They are loud, and the switch is in a terrible place. I disagree with the person who said they liked them better than Bravos... we had a maroon Bravo when I was growing up and for a cheap vacuum it was pretty good. The foot switch was much easier and more fun to tap than that stupid slider half way down the middle of the shaft on Hoover. There were four screws to remove the top of the housing and then you put the belt on very easily. The was even a belt veiw window. And the I liked the bag better too. It was a soft body (though they had similar models that were hard case, called Powerline I believe) with a zipper all the way downt he front.... the Hoovers were mostly hard cases...the ones that werent had a slider at the top and the access to the bag chamber was somewhat limited. Eurekas are usually quieter than Hoovers as a rule and the Bravo compared to the Elite was no exception. Also, it was more stable because the back wheels were on the outside instead of recessed a bit. And, the hand grip was contoured instead of straight and therefore much more comfortable. I liked the attachments better too. But... Elites are CHEAP so they should be hard to assemble and maintain to punish people who think it's okay to buy cheap vacuums... and they should never be fixed... they are certainly disposable.

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

and another thing

I think the Bravos look better than the Elites too... more curves and style... the Elites were very straight lined and boring. My aunt had a blue hard case Elite and my other aunt had a teal Runabout... both terrible. We bought our Bravo on Easter Sunday at Kmart when I was probably in 6th grade... I also liked the ridges on the power switch... I loved the big switch! It replaced a dirt devil (not worthy of capitalization) that was flying a part with every use... dirt devils aren't even worthy enough to be called vacuums. They are loud terrible ugly toys. The dirt devil had both back wheels come of, was going to belts with every use, cord clip and attachment holders broke off, and man was it loud. My family was very cheap and I was surprised that they even spent 60 dollars on the Bravo, glad I'm nothing like them. Charles... I do know what you mean. When I sold for Sears, I drove to an old mans house (against store policy... I did it to be nice, I was 19 and he called and begged for someone to come change his belt)... name was Mr. Merburger! He had a Hoover Deminsion... I took the appropriate belt from work over to his house after my shift... and it tooke me a freaking hour to put that belt on for him! I vacuumed his whole house after I was done. He was so happy he started crying that someone took the time to be so nice... he wrote me a check for 50 dollars which I tried to refuse but he insisted and I needed the money. Was a great experience, and we talked for a couple of hours after the vacuum stuff was finished! Those were the days!