Question About Kirby Brush Rolls

[kirbyclassiciii]

When did Kirby switch from silver-painted to bare wood bodies for their brush rolls they use on their ball-bearing brush rolls?

I know part #152581 originally came out with the silver-painted body but then later got the bare wood body. I would think regardless of its style, it had ball bearing construction, no?

I'm wondering also, if the Comvac CVD1300 and CVD1600 brush rolls were the same as those used in the Heritage series? Considering the obviously tougher usage of these two models, I'm predicting the same tough brush roll was perhaps used in the Heritage 1HD and pre-1986 Heritage II 2HDs as well.

~Ben[this post was last edited: 5/3/2013-01:44]

 

[dysonman1]

It's relatively recently that Kirby began using bare wood brush rolls instead of painted ones. The ball bearings were added to pre-G Series brush rollers after the G3 launched. They were an option for many years, until they recently became standard. You could order the 'standard' sleeve bearing Heritage II brush OR the ball bearing Heritage II brush - but again - it wasn't until AFTER the G3 launched that this was a possibility. The ComVac series used sleeve bearing brush rollers - exactly the same as the Heritage 1.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Tom G.,

Thank you for the information. Yep... I already found out the Generation 3's brush roll was bare wood from the beginning, instead of silver painted.

~Ben

 

[a007kirbyman]

Ben & Kirby brushroll(s)...

Hello Ben.

Whomever or whatever your source of information is, it is incorrect.

The Kirby Generation 3 (G3) initially was introduced with the grey painted brushroll. And, this (G3) brushroll was also of the sleeve type bearings.

As for the unpainted brushrolls, they were introduced as a 'running change' circa July of 2003. Prior to this, the older (grey painted) brushrolls were available in either style, ball bearing or sleeve. The ball bearing style brushrolls for the older models were introduced in the early 1990's, (as Tom suggested).

I hope this helps clarify, Ben.

Cheers & hagd/n/wknd all,

Bill

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Bill,



The brush roll is clearly bare wood in this video. I'm wondering now if, because of that, this video was actually filmed later than 1990?

However, you are right in one case as the brush roll (a replacement) that's in the 1989 Legend II I have is still silver-painted.

~Ben

 

[a007kirbyman]

Ben & Kirby brushroll(s)...

Hello Ben.

If you reread my above post:


 



"...Kirby Generation 3 (G3) <span style="font-family: arial black,avant garde; color: #ff00ff;">initially </span>was introduced..."


 


 


and, it was short lived. I don't know when the instructional video was made. What you see in that video, was the 'next in line' production design.


 



Again, I hope this helps clarify things.

Cheers & hagd/n/wknd all,

Bill

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Bill,

This video was produced in 1990, hence the copyright at the end. Thank you again for answering me.

~Ben

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

I could also add that the G3 used in the video was some sort of prototype if you claim the earliest ones had indeed used the silver-painted, sleeved-bearing brush roll which is of course very rare.

~Ben

 

[vacman1961]

Bill, I was a Kirby Area Distributor at the time the G3 came out, we were one of the first Kirby offices too see the Generation 3 and I don't recall the brush roll to be silver or with sleeve bearings, as far back as I can remember when the first G3's were delivered they all had wood finish and ball bearings on the brush rolls.

 

[a007kirbyman]

Charlie & Kirby G3 brushroll(s)...

Hello Charlie.

As I stated above in Reply #3:

"...The Kirby Generation 3 (G3) initially was introduced with the grey painted brushroll. And, this (G3) brushroll was also of the sleeve type bearings..."


These brushrolls were silver four-sided ends with a black "wrap-around bumper" if you will; & the inner edge of these "caps" had three (3) different settings noted as Roman Numerals... I, II & III. Again, these were very short lived brushrolls. [Page 56 in the Generation 3 owner's manual, even shows the original style end caps.]



No disrespect Charlie; evidently you didn't get them early enough to have seen them (...or maybe you may have forgotten them). I only recall replacing (definitely) one; & maybe two (2) in the last twelve years. Unfortunately, the last one I replaced was before I decided to put together a collection!!! Most of them prior to that, would've probably been replaced.


Kevin Reitmeier & our Distributor were two of Gene Windfeldt's promotees; & per what I was told, was that they would alternate calling (right after the World Convention), 'pestering' Gene, as to "when 'they' could get their first shipment of the newly (January 1990) introduced Generation 3's???"

I was present when a couple of these calls were made; however, I was not present for all of them. My understanding was that they 'split' a semi-tralier load of them between the two of them; when Gene authorized them to order the new Generation 3's.

It was February or March (1990) when we received that first shipment.



Again, I hope this helps clarify things.

Cheers & hagd/n all,

Bill

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Bill,

May I ask you: would you happen to know what the exact changes were as to the brush roll for the Heritage II Legend, if it was not the ball bearing type construction? The Legend II would've used that same brush roll for its entire run.

I know the promotional brochure for the Heritage II Legend from 1987 says this:
"Improved Brush Roll - four engineering changes to increase brush roll life at least 50 percent."

~Ben