Old central vaccum

[WoodCzech]

We have an old Kenmore central vacuum in our house.  I think it's original from when the house was built in 1977.  It sucks pretty well, but lately seems a bit noisy.  I am wondering if it may be bad bearings or something and if it is something worth to try to repair.  Anyone have experience with this?

[Mr_Mike]

Since the power heads are pretty expensive, I think it is worth looking into a repair.

However, you need to do some better diagnostics and not just assume its the bearings. Then, see if you can find an exploded view to help wit hdisassemble. I'd be pretty confident the bearings are generic, so if you need to, you should be able to repair it.

None of us can hear your vacuum run, so we cannot reasonably assess its condition.

[joe1086]

Just in case you need to replace the motor.....I used these guys to source replacements for our central vac LINK about 5 years ago. Had them on the phone and they were very helpful. They support most brands....lots of generic parts in central vacs.

[joe1086]

Wait, what's noisy? The power head or central unit?

[WoodCzech]

Wait, what's noisy? The power head or central unit?

The central unit.  Most of the house is wood floors so we don't have a power head.

[WoodCzech]

Just in case you need to replace the motor.....I used these guys to source replacements for our central vac LINK about 5 years ago. Had them on the phone and they were very helpful. They support most brands....lots of generic parts in central vacs.

Good link!  Thanks.  There are videos of a guy working on a unit that looks just like ours.

[TDKPE]

There's not much to a vacuum unit, but the moving parts in contact with stationary parts would be limited to bearings and brushes, assuming it's a universal motor.  Which I don't know for fact, as I've never even seen a central vac unit up close, let alone worked on one.

[fixtureman]

On the Shopbot forum they use this company for their vacuum hold down and say they are very helpful in selecting the correct one

http://www.centralvacuummotor.com/lighthouse.htm

[K. L. McReynolds]

Sears started using their own size sealed bearings back in the 70's. I tried replacing the tower bearings on a Craftsman lawn tractor. Took out the old bearings, ordered new ones from the numbers on the bearings---standard procedure for automotive bearings.









Sears wanted three times the price and two weeks for delivery.

New ones were nowhere near the same size. Same number. Bearing Warehouse(large bearing supplier) had to mike the old ones and come up with replacements.

Last time I bought a Sears product. Shame.

[Robert Adams]

Sears started using their own size sealed bearings back in the 70's. I tried replacing the tower bearings on a Craftsman lawn tractor. Took out the old bearings, ordered new ones from the numbers on the bearings---standard procedure for automotive bearings.









Sears wanted three times the price and two weeks for delivery.

New ones were nowhere near the same size. Same number. Bearing Warehouse(large bearing supplier) had to mike the old ones and come up with replacements.

Last time I bought a Sears product. Shame.

Sears stopped that in the late 70s early 80s. Cost too much. I remember getting those older riding mowers in the shop and the upper jackshaft bearing was a really odd size. It wasn't unavailable it was just odd and an unmarked bearing course you always measure the bearing and never trust the markings. Course we rarely replaced just bearings as our price on whole jackshaft housings was less than bearings (for the non sears ones).