dyson dc04 zorbster clutch pully melted

[ericmark]

I could hear clutch slipping, I assumed some rubbish stuck in it, already renewed brushes with bearings, however on removal, and not the easiest vacuums to change drive belts on, I found the post clutch drive drum melted, I had watched the Utube videos and all said if this happens replace whole clutch, however one whole clutch is around £25 and I have bought a whole reconditioned vacuum for that, and second is can't find one for sale, standard DC04 OK but the Zorbster has an extra bit, so looking at repair kit.

it has the drive pulley, it seems likely this will do the job, however all the repair videos show removing two screws and the end plate where with the Zorbster you have the eccentric drive for the Zorbster

So I have been unable to remove the eccentric drive, I have been able to renew belts however not sure if that eccentric needs to be removed or not? So now it's do I pay £5:40 for kit, or pay £17 for a recycled one, or bin the Dyson? It all depends if that plastic bit will go on without getting the roller off.

 

[flameport]

Buy a proper vacuum cleaner which uses dust bags.
Not an overpriced Dyson designer piece which never loses suction*
For recommendations - look at what commercial cleaners use. No Dysons to be found there.


*because it doesn't have any in the first place.

 

[dishman]

Are you saying that you cannot complete the clutch repair due to the "eccentric drive"? You say you have replaced the belts, why do you need remove the drive? Is it to replace the plastic spindle?

Other than that, I agree with @flameport. Dyson's are masterfully marketed, but other than that their build quality is woeful. They are also taking a leaf out of Apple's book in that they try to make their machines as hard to maintain as possible. So when it breaks, you have to buy a new one.

A Dyson was the first vacuum I had to clean out.....with another vacuum. It was also the first vacuum I had to wash out.

I inherited two and got them back into working order including clutch replacements.

 

[SFK]

Eric,
There is currently a second hand head assembly on eBay for £11.
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Dy...035952?hash=item3b02711570:g:RysAAOSw0ZJajrlV
Sfk

 

[ericmark]

I got a new plastic pulley with belts, what a horrid job, clearly old belts had stretched likely why they slipped and burnt out the pulley.
The effort required to dissemble plastic parts had the Utube video not said you needed a lot of effort I would have given up.
One screw needed a very long tor drive lucky it came out with Allan key as the socket for my tor drive would not fit through the hole.
Then I found my Zorbster had the extra bit so whole brush casing needed to come off, nothing about that in the instructions.
Then the clutch would not disassemble as shown because of that shaft, although you can change the pulley without removing the roller on extended shaft.

Putting it back together I had repeated attempts found new plastic pulley with belt going through the hole was last bit to fit, so finally got clutch back together.

Then it seemed the drive belts were far too small, had to grip motor one in long nose pliers to put it on, then rebuild everything, then getting the brushes back in was a two man job, two screwdrivers stretching belt while wife hooked the brush bar underneath, all back together tested working OK then found cir-clip on the floor, removed purple knob again, and bearing fell out, able to replace without further dismantling and get cir-clip one, this time heard it click in place when pushing with small socket.

I have another with same fault, it will not be fixed.

Hind sight is easy, clearly belts had stretched which was why pulley went, however stripping and rebuilding clutch is a real pain, the extra £13 for a whole clutch is well worth it, also although replacing brush bar seemed easy with stretched belt with a new belt it is very different, the tool

is really required with a new belt.

Last Dyson we bought was a reconditioned one off the market at around £70, that will be the route I will take next time it fails. However if you ever hear the clutch clicking it's time for new brush bar, reason pulley went was we carried on using it trying to clean out and free bearings in brush bar rather than renew it.

It was far easier to repair the old Hover, however Hover did not last as long between repairs, Dyson bits dated 2004 so is 14 years old, would get new Hover every 5 years. The Kirby vacuum lasted a lot longer

father-in-law bought it soon after we married so around 40 years old and still going strong. However without the stair lift I would never get it upstairs, they are super heavy.