Sometimes crazy things happen

[danielsand]

One of the people I "know" (not really, just waving to each other in passing), shows up yesterday at the gate, hits the intercom, and wants to "ask me something".

So I drop working with my horses, and drive down to the gate (about 250 yards away), and he says "so and so told me that you are interested in Kirby vacuum cleaners"?

"Yes, .....why? Do you have one for sale?" "No,.....I want to give away my aunt's old Kirby,...she passed away, and we have no use for it."

He opens the back of his SUV, and pulls out a great looking G4! "You want it"? He asks.

"Are you sure you don't want any money for it"?

Anyway,.......the thing looks great. No accessories (he doesn't remember what happened to them), few scratches on the nozzle, beat up bumper, and not much else.

After testing, I found out that BPI is not working, and there is no gasket on the nozzle plate. Belt lifter is also bruised (mostly label), but the rest is good.

I ordered a new bumper, and BPI (from Kent "Kirbyfans"), but he (and nobody else either!) has the original (square) belt lifter. I might be able to salvage the existing one, with replacement of the label only.

Question: Did G4 have the gasket between the nozzle and the plate? This plate is clean inside, like it never had any adhesive, or gasket applied. If some of you has the extra square lifter, I'd be grateful!

I couldn't wait, and after dinner, I HAD TO tear everything apart, and start scrubbing! (I know,....I am sick!). Bag is in the great shape, and I ran it through four "gentle" cycles in my washer. It came out like new. I took the top cover off the machine, and got stuck on disassembling the headlight cap. It was getting late, and I was tired. So today I will figure out how to free the aluminum from the headlight cap (for polishing), take the fan case off, and polish everything. It won't be running until Kent ships the bumper, and I'll post some pictures when done.

Couple more questions: The fan is gray (good shape), should I replace it with the white one? Transmission belt is a bit loose (I think, although I've never seen another one to judge), how do you go about putting some tension on that?

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Hi,

<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Daniel. I'm glad you've adopted another Kirby in to your family.</span>


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">The G series don't have a gasket on the sole plate as such as the bumper on them fits between the nozzle and sole plate and acts like a gasket.</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">If your fan is in good condition you may as well keep it on. If it has  lots of wear/stress cracks replace it.</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">If the transmission<a name="start_28015.313019"></a> belt is in tact and the techdrive works fine there should be no real need to replace the belt as they don't generally tend to stretch.
</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Hope this helps and I look forward to seeing the pictures!</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James

</span>


 

 

[ultralux88]

My G4 was free from a closing vac shop, they only did repairs, and this one was one a customer left behind. The main problem wit it was a broken geared belt for the drive! Only seen one other one break, and I'm still not sure what you have to do to the machine to make that happen... But they will have more play and looseness in them than a stretch belt or a V/ply V belt with a tensioner will have, because they don't rely on tension for traction, the teeth do that, so I suspect what you see is normal.

 

[sptyks]

You should definitely change the fan. The older grey fans are susceptible to have small hairline fractures with age and will break apart if hit with any larger objects.


 


The new white fans are made of Amodel and are much more durable.


Check this link for more info on Kirby fans:


 


 http://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?23261


 


 

 

[bikerray]

The G4 was the last Kirby to use the gasket around the fan opening that fits into the groove. Starting with G5 they went to the unigasket.

The gasket part number is 122068A Nozzle Seal Ring (Sanitronic VII thru G4)

The belt lifter has been replaced by the G5 and later style along with the sticker on the front.

The Headlight cap is riding on this bar that has a screw at each end that goes into the top of the slide bracket assembly just behind the fan case. Once you unscrew that bracket and lift up on the headlight cover then you can get to the 3 screws that hold a cover over the bracket and plastic wedge in the shell itself.

 

[bikerray]

By the way sometimes the BPI doesn't work because they've used the wrong brushroll in the nozzle and the magnet is at the other end.

 

[danielsand]

Thank you gentlemen. I will leave the fan alone for now. This thing doesn't have a "designated area" for work yet, and as it looks, it will be used occasionally in the bedrooms, without the possibility of picking up anything but dust.

Kent ("Kirbyfans") offered me the new style lifter, but just like my cars/bikes/and my Cessna, I like everything "stock", and original. Kent is sending me the new label, and the two or three nicks in the edges of the lifter body, I will try to lightly sand out. It might work.

As far as BPI,.......the brush was turning, and it was installed correctly,....I assume. The brush has two distinctly different ends, and I assume the magnet is under the larger endcap? No flickering, nothing. The BPI unit looked crusty, and I ordered a new one anyway. We'll see what happens. Brush is in a good shape, although I think I'll have to install it on #2 position.

All in all,...the old lady took care of the machine, and the "price" was right. I'll be about $30.- in it when it's done,......not bad for a G4. Funny,....a while ago I posted on this forum that I'm looking for a G5 (wrongly believed that it was made in 1995!). Another poster told me that if I want 1995 machine, I should be looking for a .....G4! I wasn't looking,....and it found me!

Now I have 1955, 1975, 1985, and 1995! Obviously 1965 is missing, but since this year doesn't signify anything in my life, I doubt I'll be looking for one. Who knows,.....one might "knock on my door" in the future, just like this G4 found me.

Thank you for your replies. Now I'm off the web, and elbows deep in "Mother's" and "Flitz"!

 

[sptyks]

Danielsand, Just for your info the 1965 model is known as the Dual Sanitronic 50 or D50 and it's release coincided with Kirby's 50th anniversary. It was also the first Kirby vacuum to feature a 2 speed motor and is the ONLY Kirby ever to have a lighted Kirby logo on the headlight cap.

 

[danielsand]

You are killing me man! LOL

If I go to get another one, I'm going to be the "official collector". Wife already proclaimed that I am now a "DORK" for having all these vacuum cleaners in the house! LOL

BTW......that Dual Sanitronic 50 IS one good looking machine. I'm doomed. IF I go that route, I'll have to get 2005 model (Sentria), and the new one coming out. I would have SIX Kirbys, from the year I was born, and every decade there after. Crap.

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Close...

<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">The 2005 model Kirby was the Ultimate G Series Diamond Edition....</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">I'm sure it will fit in with the rest of your Kirby family.... Oh you will also need a Kirby model 505 (1945) Kirby model C (1935) Vacuette Electric (1925).</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James

</span>


 


 


 

 

[jaker15]

The DS50

Is a really fun little machine. Mine was in pretty rough shape when I bought it, but a couple hours' worth of work on the motor, and it runs pretty well now. It has started to get rough again lately, I might have to open the motor back up sometime soon.


 


I think you'd like one!

 

[kevin]

Don't forget the 1945 even though it was sold before you were alive. Great method for collecting!

Check out Charles's Kirby pages if you haven't already: http://1377731.com/kirby/

Model 505 (originally posted by cb123):

 

[danielsand]

Thanks for the link (very informative, and I haven't seen it before).

I like "pre 1955" models. They look great, and I'm sure they perform as well as the ones I had the pleasure to work with. In all my "collecting" I use the same "method". As I have only this one life (and no "afterlife" that I believe in), I concentrate on MY life, and like to think "where was I when this thing was made", when I handle them. I am not a "collector" in the true sense of the word. All the objects that I accumulated over the years, I use. On the daily basis. I work on the ranch (example) wearing a Rolex 1665 Comex (and I will not tell you what it's valued at!). I have five different ones (signifying some event in my life), and I alternate between them. "Real" collectors keep these things in the safe, and handle them once in a while, with the white gloves on.

I shoot all my guns every week. And I use my Kirbys daily. Some people jumped down my throat on the Luger forum (example), saying that these pieces need to be preserved for future generations (and not used!). Great for them! I don't give a rat's XXX for the "future generations". Call me an old selfish bastard, but as I said,......I have ONE life, and I'm here to play while it lasts.

So back to "pre 1955" Kirbys,.......I'll look at the pictures, I'll admire them, buy I will not buy any. I might consider SD50, and Ultimate G Diamond. Maybe. SD50 would be nice to "close the gap", but the Ultimate G is too similar to G4 to be interesting to me. I know there are internal changes/improvements, but "parked" next to each other they look pretty similar.

There is a BIG difference between 515 and Omega (example), and you can clearly see the change in design over two decades. Anyway,....sorry about the rant, but this is my line of thinking, and I felt like I have to explain myself (which I normaly don't do).