What is the toughest vacuum motors of the past 50-odd years?

[superocd]

What vacuum motor, residential or commercial, is the toughest one in your opinion?

I have a Sanitaire 7-amp (not the "old" motor, the "new" motor, made in 2016), a Royal 5.4 amp (made in 1988) and a Kirby Sentria I (made in 2007). How would those rate?

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

superocd

Of the three you mention, I'd guess the Royal 5.4 amp is probably the most robust.

And out of all the uprights I own, Kirby's 6 amp motor used between the Classic Omega and the Legend II is probably the greatest.

~Ben

 

[compactc9guy]

i have to say my compact c9 is pretty darn tough new is my lux upright .Between those you mention Royal is a thank old Sanitare is a beast .

 

[lesinutah]

Hey

The royal 10 amp from 1030z in upright.
The amebush lamb compact interstate high efficiency motor for cannister and overall
The riccar simplicity tandem air on riccar 8950 are best duo motors.
The new simplicity riccar cordless are best cordless motor and battery.
So if you go to vacuum war sanitairre eureka made in Mexico motors are only ones to fear the lineup above is the best motors and destroy everything.


I do like Kirby d80 motor and royal 4.5 amp motor very efficient.
The compact amebush lamb is best motor. The best commercial vacuum is power team and it uses same motor produced 40 or so years ago.
Think 40 years later the best commercial vacuum uses the same motor. That is insane. Cyclonic power 20 years before Dyson found it.
Les

 

[superocd]

Good to hear that my Royal with the 5.4 is a solid motor. I can't wait to start using mine. I'm waiting on the brushroll.and belts. It's coming by snail mail (it came with a perfectly good brushroll, but I'm a germaphobe and decided against using the one it came with when I bought it at Goodwill, and besides, at least the new one will have fresh bearings). I more or less expected Kirby to be a good motor, and I know that people have split opinions on the new Sanitaire motors. I'm indifferent, I guess, but slightly prefer the old 7A.

So, my Sanitaire (the machine as a whole was produced in 2016 in Mexico by Electrolux), does that mean the 7 amp motor was made in Mexico or is it made in China? I heard from somewhere that the old 7 amp motors (the ones that have the metal bearing plate/fan shield on the top) were made in the US, while the new style "plastic" motor is made in China even though the rest of the machine is made in Mexico. I'm confused because I never knew that there were Mexico-made motors, I just remember hearing about the new 7A motors being produced in China. If motors were made in Mexico and China, which one is better?

Have the Sanitaire motors changed again since the Bissell takeover (*shudder*)?

I like the old 7A motor. I'd buy one to put in my SC886 if I could find one new, but I also just want to see how long I could run this one. I'm shooting for 30 years. I think it's doable, it's just my wife and I. No kids and their requisite debris (probably could run the fan for 30 years too). The new one does a great job but it doesn't have that signature old-school Sanitaire sound. It's close, but not quite. I remember hearing the whine of the old 7A Sanitaires in grade school at the end of the school day, when the custodians were vacuuming the library, the office, etc. I loved that sound also because it meant that school was over for the day, lol. I also remember hearing the old 7A "in the wild", like in hotels/motels, department stores, etc. I had to get a look at the maid cart every time I stayed at a hotel to see if they had a Sanitaire (they usually did, it was either that or Windsors) and if I was able to get a peek in the laundry room at the washer-extractors and dryers, that was a plus.

 

[lesinutah]

Hey

The sanitairre sc887 is the 7 amp motor I'm talking about. I'll add an eureka and sanitairre vacuums. The eureka got 143 cfm my sanitairre got 141 cfm. The tests ran for highest cfm. The 1030z that was the highest was my vacuum I fixed and sold to fellow member.
I'm not positive older eureka is a beast motor but I know my sanitairre is and eureka pulled higher cfm. I'm not expert but probably same motor or very similar. I believe eureka is mid 80s. Sanitairre 2002-2006.
I just know once they stopped making in Mexico build quality went cheap.

 

[s31463221]

Toughest motors

I can’t speak a lot on the newer vacuum motors, and I believe many newer motors have been designed with planned obsolescence and shortened lifespans. The toughest motors I’ve personally ever encountered are the old coffee can style Hoover motors, or the early Electrolux motors (think Model 30 and 60 era). I know they aren’t going to win any major awards for the most CFM, water lift, etc. but if you’re asking in terms of longevity, they are amazingly durable! I have some old Hoover’s from the 20’s and 30’s that are still running like champs, just have to keep up the typical maintenance on them. Same thing with my old Electrolux model 30’s. I own close to 200 of these machines, and I’d venture to say most, if not all of them run! Back then, the motors were designed to be serviceable, in fact, many times they were serviced right there in your home by your “friendly Electrolux guy!” That combined with the fact they spun at a lower RPM than today’s motors, allowed them to survive for the last 70 to 90 years. Just my two cents worth!

 

[rugsucker]

Many things can affect--

--motor life and performance.Ask any vac tech and they will tell you that AirWay,Electrolux and Filter Queen can have the cleaner,longer lasting motors due to better bags/filters.