Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

It's true, no more clutch.  It uses a brushroll motor.

I would speculate that we have different styles of carpeting in US homes that provide more of a drag on the brush roll.   We also have lower voltage for our electronics.  I'll leave it to the "loathing independents" who fix vacuums regularly to use their expert knowledge to speculate why there are more problems with Dyson clutches here than abroad. 

Long before the "many self-loathing independents" in the USA even saw a dyson upright with a clutch and brush bar, Which? categorized dyson vacuums the most problematic and repair prone for 8 straight years.  Including a problematic hose connection on dyson upright vacuums that accounted for on average 20 percent of yearly dyson repairs.  I recall a now famous lawsuit for the latter in which dyson settled with a UK complainant with settlement terms that were veiled in confidentiality.

Carmine D.

I can't say it so much that "We Americans" have problems with the clutch, as the clutch has problems with American carpets.   The carpets are too thick and the machine's clutch would slip and ratchet.  Carmine has told the stories many times of his poor dog running for cover.

My question would be, why does it need a clutch in the first place?  

Well I'm in UK and have had a slight problem with clutch on a DC03 and DC04.  On the DC03, the knob wouldn't stay in the 'OFF' position so when using the knob would flip itself to the 'On' position all by itself.  Dyson replaced this and it appeared to be a problem with a few DC03's at the time having a 'loose' control knob.  The replacment on the DC03 would make the awful ratchet noise sometimes when reclining the machine for use, it would do it and then operate as normal for no apparant reason - Dyson say that the clutch wasn't 'set' properly in the factory was was too sensitive.  They changed it and it was ok.

The DC04 I bought had a noisy clutch that just wasn't neccessary,  I wasn't happy with it.  Dyson changed the clutch and it has been the same clutch now for 7 years without a problem!!   The only thing is that after a while the smooth belts loose tension so it doesn't make a ratchet noise when obstructed,  I have to makie sure I move the cleaner away from the obstruction quickly - this hardly happens.   So 7 years with the same clutch is very good.

I like the clutch system and don't see a problem with it as its not an extra motor to go wrong (not saying that it will though)  I just don't understand why Dyson didn't design it from the start with tooth belts and why they used smooth belts, I will never understand that.

DC18 wrote:  
1)  Interesting. 
2)  Over here some call this the "toe kick".        DIB

Just wrote:

Over the past century, we've gone from wooden floors with area rugs, to wall-to-wall carpeting, to a 50/50 split of wood and laminate...the clutch, by allowing users to shut off the brushroll, allows you to clean both, without requiring 2 separate cleaners.

Here in the USA, we are little backward.  We use a brush roll shut off rather than a $135 clutch.

Carmine D.

Just wrote:
In 1978 electrolux introduced the 1531 beast upright, the machine was given an  unlimited amount of money for R@D the machine had a clutch in it,The machine had a production run for only 2 years.It was deemed a disaster and absolute failure.

Just by thinking that if you throw money and time at  something its going to be innovative and sucessful in the market place is wishfull thinking.

The only thing innovative in vacuum land in something people can use.

regards

MOLE

mole wrote:

Well said, MOLE.  Does a hokey on a stick qualify?  Lot in use and the customers love them and use them daily.

Carmine D.

Hi Carmine, as long as the consumer likes the motorized hoky thats all that matters,orecks are simple ,lite, clean good enough for %99.7 of the  owners,parts and repairs can be found  without making a road trip out of it,  Oreck has so many different price points from factory recons to the ultra, Its really  nice to see that oreck is surviving in this economic climate.

I will venture to say that ORECK has prospered because Dave and his family are real vacuum people,who have a passion for this business,sort of like Kirby,aerus/electrolux.

I would say that the TTI management dont even know how to use a vacuum cleaner,nevermind make one.

regards

MOLE