20-year-old Shop-Vac

I gotta 20-year-old Shop-Vac 8-gal. that's seen lots
of service in my little basement workshop.

When I run it now, it makes horrible screaming-gurgling
noises. I have disassembled: I can't see them, but it
appears to be bad motor bearings.

Are such units repairable? Any way to nurse the unit thru
another year or 2? Can't afford to buy a new one ...

TIA,
Puddin'

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Puddin' Man wrote:

20-year-old Shop-Vac

I gotta 20-year-old Shop-Vac 8-gal. that's seen lots
of service in my little basement workshop.

When I run it now, it makes horrible screaming-gurgling
noises. I have disassembled: I can't see them, but it
appears to be bad motor bearings.

Are such units repairable? Any way to nurse the unit thru
another year or 2? Can't afford to buy a new one ...


Maybe you can pull the rotor and replace bearings--depends on design.
Unfortunately, imo by that time there's usually too much wear or the
brushes have rubbed to the point of being beyond much hope.

I successfully replaced the bearings in my unit. Couldn't get them from the
manufacturer any more. Instead I pulled out one of them and took it to a
vacuum cleaner repair place, after a bit he found a pair that would fit.
Don't remember what they cost, but it was worthwhile --still using it 5
years later. But check the brushes, vac place may have replacements for
those too. Mine were still good.
"Puddin' Man" wrote in message
...
20-year-old Shop-Vac

I gotta 20-year-old Shop-Vac 8-gal. that's seen lots
of service in my little basement workshop.

When I run it now, it makes horrible screaming-gurgling
noises. I have disassembled: I can't see them, but it
appears to be bad motor bearings.

Are such units repairable? Any way to nurse the unit thru
another year or 2? Can't afford to buy a new one ...

TIA,
Puddin'

************************************************** ****
*** Puddin' Man PuddingDotMan at GmailDotCom ***
************************************************** ****;

You can either oil the motor, or remove your mother in law.

I'd go with oil the motor.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"Puddin' Man" wrote in message
...
20-year-old Shop-Vac

I gotta 20-year-old Shop-Vac 8-gal. that's seen lots
of service in my little basement workshop.

When I run it now, it makes horrible screaming-gurgling
noises. I have disassembled: I can't see them, but it
appears to be bad motor bearings.

Are such units repairable? Any way to nurse the unit thru
another year or 2? Can't afford to buy a new one ...

TIA,
Puddin'

************************************************** ****
*** Puddin' Man PuddingDotMan at GmailDotCom ***
************************************************** ****;

Stormin Mormon wrote:
You can either oil the motor, or remove your mother in law.

I'd go with oil the motor.


Only remove the mil if she's not paying her tithe (extortion)
faithfully. Why not, your lieing leaders claim she'll never make that
'celestial' kingdom anyway.

--
Learn The Truth About Mormon Doctrine
http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/tithing.html

In article ,
"jhill" wrote:

I successfully replaced the bearings in my unit. Couldn't get them from the
manufacturer any more. Instead I pulled out one of them and took it to a
vacuum cleaner repair place, after a bit he found a pair that would fit.
Don't remember what they cost, but it was worthwhile --still using it 5
years later. But check the brushes, vac place may have replacements for
those too. Mine were still good.

When my 30 yo vacuum made bad noises I replaced one brush (the other was
good) and put heavier oil on the worn bearings; way oil or chain saw oil
or slick 50 grease all work well on worn bearings.

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

According to jhill :
I successfully replaced the bearings in my unit. Couldn't get them from the
manufacturer any more. Instead I pulled out one of them and took it to a
vacuum cleaner repair place, after a bit he found a pair that would fit.
Don't remember what they cost, but it was worthwhile --still using it 5
years later. But check the brushes, vac place may have replacements for
those too. Mine were still good.

Some of these bearings are relatively standard, so if there's a
bearing supplier near you, it'll be worth a visit once you've
checked them out and determined they're bad.

Bearing failures are often pretty obvious. Brush problems tend
to be high pitched screeches, whereas bearing problems are more
full-throated moderate-pitch howls.

[My skill saw's bearings are really badly worn, with a pretty
substantial wobble. It gets into a mode where the shaft
is obviously "orbiting" in the bearing. Resonant frequency
while the saw is stopping... First time I heard it, I practically
jumped out of my skin. Yeah, someday I should fix it. Sawing
interlocking pavers is bad for motors...]
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

Much thanks to all respondents ...

On Tue, 14 Jun 2005 14:47:06 -0500, "jhill"
wrote:

I successfully replaced the bearings in my unit.

Aha! A Shop-Vac? Remember what you had to do to get the
motor apart?

Couldn't get them from the
manufacturer any more. Instead I pulled out one of them and took it to a
vacuum cleaner repair place, after a bit he found a pair that would fit.
Don't remember what they cost, but it was worthwhile --still using it 5
years later.

Salut!

But check the brushes, vac place may have replacements for
those too. Mine were still good.

I called maybe 5 vac repair shops, asked if I could
bring motor in, get a cost estimate. They all suggested
I should pitch the old unit, buy new.

Not sure where to go from here ...

Cheers,
Puddin'

"Puddin' Man" wrote in message
. ..
20-year-old Shop-Vac

I gotta 20-year-old Shop-Vac 8-gal. that's seen lots
of service in my little basement workshop.

When I run it now, it makes horrible screaming-gurgling
noises. I have disassembled: I can't see them, but it
appears to be bad motor bearings.

Are such units repairable? Any way to nurse the unit thru
another year or 2? Can't afford to buy a new one ...

TIA,
Puddin'

************************************************** ****
*** Puddin' Man PuddingDotMan at GmailDotCom ***
************************************************** ****;




************************************************** ****
*** Puddin' Man PuddingDotMan at GmailDotCom ***
************************************************** ****;

On Wed, 15 Jun 2005 23:32:34 GMT, (Puddin' Man)
wrote:

I called maybe 5 vac repair shops, asked if I could
bring motor in, get a cost estimate. They all suggested
I should pitch the old unit, buy new.

Not sure where to go from here ...


That's true. These dfays its cheaper to just buy another one than
repair. What I do with my old ones is to take them apart to see how
they are put together. If I can fix it so much the better. If not I
have learned something and I have a can full of parts even if they are
only screws, nuts and bolts, and a powercord and switch. That
something learned can be how to take things apart without gouging or
wreaking it. How not to overstress or abuse the gadget when operating
it. The wear limits of the various components, etc. Another learned
skill is to recognize the extent of a problem as to whether a quick
and simple fix can get it back to good condition quickly, a more
difficult fix to be done later but in the meantime don't wreak it, to
when you know its a tosser without having to disassemble something. I
have equipment that are more than 40 years old and still working good.

Puddin' Man wrote:

....
Not sure where to go from here ...


Start experimenting...unless it's riveted, there's a way. There almost
as many different motor can designs as vacs so it's hard to say
specifically.

Thanks go to PaPaPeng. His philosophy is similar to mine, 'tho
I suspect he is more skilled.

I took it apart to the extent practical, cleaned/eyeballed everything,
lubed major components. Don't know how long it'll last, but
it runs fine now.

Salut,
Puddin'


On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 08:55:51 GMT, PaPaPeng wrote:

On Wed, 15 Jun 2005 23:32:34 GMT, (Puddin' Man)
wrote:

I called maybe 5 vac repair shops, asked if I could
bring motor in, get a cost estimate. They all suggested
I should pitch the old unit, buy new.

Not sure where to go from here ...


That's true. These dfays its cheaper to just buy another one than
repair. What I do with my old ones is to take them apart to see how
they are put together. If I can fix it so much the better. If not I
have learned something and I have a can full of parts even if they are
only screws, nuts and bolts, and a powercord and switch. That
something learned can be how to take things apart without gouging or
wreaking it. How not to overstress or abuse the gadget when operating
it. The wear limits of the various components, etc. Another learned
skill is to recognize the extent of a problem as to whether a quick
and simple fix can get it back to good condition quickly, a more
difficult fix to be done later but in the meantime don't wreak it, to
when you know its a tosser without having to disassemble something. I
have equipment that are more than 40 years old and still working good.


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************************************************** ****;