I have rescued many shop vacs over the years that were sitting curbside, as well as bench grinders, air compressors, a drill press, and even a 1 year old Samsung 55” 4K LED TV. It never ceases to amaze me how much people will throw away rather than attempt to repair. The most recent vac repairs were 1) Noisy bearings, fixed as demonstrated here, 2) A bad rocker (power) switch, replaced with one from another broken appliance, and lastly, 3) A burned wire, seen at 4:15 in the video at the 7o’clock position. I simply cleaned the burned end of the wire, then the mounting tab and reattached the wire. The TV actually cost a bit to repair , but was over $500 less than buying that same set. It took less than $100 and 30 minutes to fix and has been trouble free for 2 years.
i o to chodzi!!!! a wszyscy producenci skupiajacy się na projektowaniu urządzeń tak aby się po dwóch latach zepsuły powinni zostać doprowadzeni do upadku.
So weird, i literally just bought a ShopVac at a garage sale for 9$ that makes this noise but works fine otherwise, figured i could repair it relatively easy. 24 hrs later i get recommended this video. Awesome.
Thank you Matthias. My 15yo 5 gallon shop vac started making the groaning noise when shutting it off today. Quick search found your video and it worked like a charm. Sounds good as new.
i do vacuum cleaner and some small appliance repairs for my business, and i cant tell you how many times people will want to toss fairly expensive models of machines cause they make horrendous noises and i a lot of time can convince them to let me do a service rather than spending hundreds on new ones. and like 80% of the time its a chattering bearing or like with vacuum cleaners its one vein in the impeller that;s clogged and making it warp oddly, or a single fin broken off a cooling fan and just needs re-balancing. its very nice to see someone else with the same mindset of not just tossing everything and getting new stuff!
thank you for the video... my vac stopped working and watching your disassembly allowed me to get down to the brushes to adjust, reassemble and keep on cleaning!!
That sounds much better indeed, you should have edited a little compare though.... I bet almost everyone is skipping back and forward in the video to hear the difference.
Very good sir. The weak point on these shop vacs is definitely those damn bushings. That's the part they plan on being the reason you have to go buy a new one and they have the market cornered so they know that in all likelihood you'll end up buying another one of their products to replace your broke one. Someone really should come out with a better competing product for a similar price range to blow them out of the water. The motor shaft really should have a sealed bearing on both ends to be reliable for longer I would think. When the bushing went out on both my shop vacs I found that a sealed 8x22x7 skateboard bearing almost fits perfect in place of the bushing with very little modification. Had mine running like that now for well over a year of pretty heavy use collecting chips for extended(hours) periods of time for my CNC table with no issues. I never really thought of just oiling the bushing although mine was pretty wobbly in there when I took it apart so it was prob too late
I really like using Tri-Flow for the bronze bushings because it's easier to use. It's a light oil with PTFE that comes in a little bottle with a tiny straw at most bike shops. If both bushings are accessible via the straw without any disassembly, just give it a couple drops, let gravity pull it in as you spin the motor, and turn it on after it feels more smooth. I believe there is a solvent in Tri-Flow too which cleans things, then evaporates. Sometimes it takes a few squirts to flush the gummy oil out of there, but once it's clean, I've had fan motors stay quiet for longer than the original lube lasted.
Show of hands...How many of us here would have wound up saying something like "Now, how did that go together?" or "How did I end up with an extra screw?"
I have a craftsman shop vac that is probably similar and chattering a bit, so this gives me a pretty good idea of what I will need to do. It was fine summer before last, but during last winter it seemed to get pretty noisy. Now it's time to take care of it. Already fixed a couple other old, noiser than they used to be things last summer (bench grinder and floor fan) that had been sitting in the garage over the previous winter(s), to be seemingly near as good as new. Keeping them in the basement now until I need to use them. Shop vac is down there now too, otherwise all cleaned up, and ready to be lubricated.
I just re did my craftsman. upper bronze bearing is just like a fan motor, My upper shaft was scored and spun with drag. 600 sandpaper on shaft plug hole for bearing soak 1hp non detergent oil for a long as you can I then drilled a access hole in top of sealed bronzr bearing to soak wicking for bearing. Used a small screw to keep dirt out. Cleaned the heck out of it lite oil on lower ball bearings. Brushes a bear to do. One was worn off center filed it flat. use tie wire to pull brushes in then reinstall shafts tap in or out to remove.. shaft assembly.. Lubed brush holder so they slide silicone spray. Put extra oil on bearing top. now regurally I will remove top 4 screws and lube that upper bronze bearing assembly.. This is just like fan maintenance...
I replaced the brass bushing with a 608-2rs sealed bearing. Inside diameter is 8mm and outside of bearing is 22 mm, the same as the guide bearing on my Grizzly band saw. You have to drive the bearing onto the motor shaft. Now it works great.
Good video. I do this once every year with all my vacs. It's also a good idea to work those brushes back and forth until all the dust is out. I've seen to many burnt commutators from brushes that were stuck in their housing. It's a dusty environment after all.
Arjan Quist - I repaired a friends metal cutoff saw with a brush issue. He was tossing it out. I took it home and found that somebody had tried to repair it but they used brushes that didn’t quite fit. They were too large to freely slide in the channel and were not making contact with commutator. I pressed them back out and carefully shaved them until they fit properly, then reassembled the saw. It functioned perfectly. He actually tried to take it back from me later. “Sorry bud, you trashed it, I fixed it, it’s mine!”
Matthias, thank you very much for this video. I have taken apart my Sundance Spa bubble maker which burnt up. My brushes are very worn and I didn’t know what type of Bearing was on the top. I now know after several days of searching that it’s a: “Bronze Bearing, with a felt Oiler.” I Outdoor hate to walk into an electric motor repair shop and not know the name of certain parts. Thanks again to you and RUclips for helping me advance in my ”BackYardJackofAllTrades” training.
I enjoyed your video and it inspired me to reopen my shop vac and make another attempt to fix it. Mine was making that awful screaching-squealing noise as well. I opened it and lubricated it several months ago and it seemed to work great. After just a short while, the problem returned. I'm betting you will experience the same. It appears Shop Vac has designed into the unit a flaw to cause them to sell more motors. They don't just sell the little part that could add new life to your unit. The problem appears to be that soft brass bushing on top. When you pull it off again, look at it inside with a powerful magnifying glass and you will see the damage and the cause of all that noise. If it was a sealed bearing instead, the vacuum would last 30 years, just like my last one did. If somebody tries to remove this bearing and install a bushing there, please let us know how that worked out.
those bronze bearings often become filled with old oil or grease on the inside surface. you can clean them with a good solvent and I have had some luck with the green scrubbing pads. I imagine fine emery paper would also work.
I could see why you'd be questioning it, but even this has stuff in it that people would learn from. I for one am wondering why would getting oil on the commutator ruin it?
Awesome vid . Nice repair job . I have trashed a few old vac's because of lack of oil, if I only watched this Video , I could have fixed it . That sucks for me , oh well , live and learn. Thanks keep up the great vids.
Really appreciate your video editing, where for instace, you select the propar torx screwdiver and remove one screw, then fast zip forward removing the othars. Wish all othar RUclipsrs did the same.
Nice how to, and you have given me an idea for a forge blower. I bet the small fan out of a trashed shop vac would work great on a home made man powered crank blower. Now I need to find one.
At the 1:20 point, here is the trick. Grab that star lock washer and rotate it while pulling gently. It will come right off. If you just pull only, it grabs tighter.They are also called star lock washers or push nuts. On my Shopvac they are 5/16"
I usually replace ball bearings in my tools, because oiling is a temporary solution. In my case wear (gap) was the reason of noises. Thanks for your video!
The voices in my head say that for best results you should soak the bushing in oil at ~70degC for several hours. And that you can carefully pick the ball bearing seal out, and re-pack it with grease. I don't listen to the voices any more, though.
One of my shop vacs is a howler. I took it all apart, and lubed it. It worked for a little while. But that howl is indicative of a worn bushing, so it starts up fairly quickly again once the thick oil cushion goes. I think the third time I took it apart I used grease. But it is not worth the time it takes to take it apart, for the amount of run I get out of it. So it is sitting in my trailer now. What I should do is lube my other shop vacs before they start howling. Yeah, I'll get right on that over here. Let's face it, shop vacs are wear items.
If you have the time and interest, it could be fun to see if you could replace the bushing. Even with a homemade Delrin one or something. But as you said, shop vacs aren't tools you pass on to your grandkids.
n8guy I think once they howl once, that means the bushing is blown out. It is the too late siren sounding. Oil shuts them back up for a little while. But it doesn't last. I do not think plastic would hold up very well either. Bronze Oilite is nice stuff. To do it right you need to fit it with a reamer. You need just the right reamer, then you need to have the touch, to get the fit. I used to fit Oilite bushings in a tool and die shop for some stuff we made. We'd do it by hand. Chuck the reamer in a drill press, then move the bushing up, and down on it. For a looser fit just ream a little longer. The heat expansion takes a bit more out. It is a touchy process. You have to know the time in your head.
Matthias Wandel you'll have to let us know how long your fix holds up. I know I've done it here and had less than stellar results. To the point where that particular Shop Vac just sits in my storage trailer today. I'm tired of taking it apart to oil it now. I even tried grease. But just plain bearing grease. Some moly in it might actually work?
In my experience, oiling the bushing is a short term fix and the motor is screaming again after a few uses. Better to just pull out the bushing and install a 608 bearing (from a skateboard) in its place (usually a direct fit) and the top will be just as long lasting as the bottom bearing.
You saved me mate ... I tried to clean my handheld vac and made strange noises ... found out I hadn’t completely screwed down the plastic bearing housing
Excellent! I have a Craftsman that is doing the same thing. I hope I can oil the bearings and use it a bit longer. Thank you so much for this video! Thankz
Knda shocked I googled for this a year ago when I had to end working on my project when my 2 week old ShopVac died while vacuuming coal ash. LOL. I wasn't thinking really. But the first video I saw was much more disheartening of a repair than this. Thanks buddy. I only gotta drive 1400 miles to see if i can fix this...which still is cheaper than buying a new one with all the attachments.
In addition to what you did I would suggest a slight resurfacing of the shaft surface with some fine grit sandpaper to remove any discoloring. I'm thinking that it's burnt oil carbon deposits. Can't be good for lubrication. Then again it will probably just show up again.
I always clean the commutator with electric spray cleaner and sanding with 600 grit sand paper, then I used Slick 50 grease on the bearing and bushing, I had one shop vac last for over 25 years of day to day heavy construction clean up use. And I always have extra filters to change as soon as they get dirty, I shake the dirty ones out and spray them clean with a garden hose, even the paper ones dry good out in the sun.
use oil not grease..oil specifically for motors motor oil is very bad for electric motors it actually removes the lube.. oil will impregnate the bearing as manufacturer intended..
Peter O, Slick 50 grease is a thin grease that can tolerate high heat it works great for electric motors, part of my business is rebuilding swimming pool pump motors, golf cart motors and starter motors, I have rebuilt dozens of them and never had a problem and used Slick 50 grease on most of them
Peter - Prolong engine treatment also makes a general purpose oil that works great for motors, I put a couple drops on the bushings in a Dremel tool that was making a lot of extra loud buzzing noise, it made it run quieter than a brand new Dremel tool
Hey you can buy bearings to replace that bronze thingy It’s like they originally had bearings but then cheaped out and replace with bronze bushings. But the housing still fits a bearing that is identical to the other one.
Investing in a pair of snap ring pliers might be a smart idea for someone like you that takes apart a lot of shafts and bearings. You can get a good pair for about $15 US (the crappy ones can be as cheap as $7 US). They're extremely easy to find and will save you much frustration.
I have a newer blue and gray Shop-vac and just had to take it apart to replace the power switch - looks like yours is a few years older, but has a decent rocker switch. Not sure when or why the company started putting in the junk switch, but it's a common problem.
I have opened a Dewalt shop vacuum and discovered that the motor in my particular unit is actually ball bearings on the cooling fin side. I'd assume the rotor side of the motor is also ball bearings. There is no bearing noise. The vacuum is over five years old I believe. It works really well. Dewalt probably lasts forever
lol, I have had to do this a few times. I had by pass the thermal overload one time because it went bad. the thing that retired my shop vac was taking that keeper on and off too many times over the years and it fatigued and broke. I then modified the shop vac with a thein baffle and turned it into a dust separator to compliment my new shop vac.
Nice clearly explained video. But if you are going to go this far better to replace the bronze bushing with the 608-2RS bearing and save yourself having to repeatedly perform this lubrication. My bearing installation went smoothly except the replacement bearing was loose on the shaft when in the correct position. So this proved there had been wear/ noise from that area. So I used the (center punch method ) made a few marks on the shaft to fix it securely. Running quieter now, hopefully for many more years.
I had the same shop vac with the same problem. I think they didn't really soak the pad on the bushing when the first assembled it. I resoaked mine twice before replacing it with a much more powerful (but louder) garage sale unit.
It would take a fraction of the time with a cordless drill. The new generation of them are really nice and if you set the clutch correctly you don't have to worry about over tightening!
I am trying to figure out how that impeller engaged the shaft without slipping.I understand the washer part the locks the impeller onto the shaft. Going to watch again and see if I can spot how it catches the shaft. I think I saw some pinched or raised metal on the shaft. I guess its a cheap way to get it to work for them. I have a ShopVac Wall Hanger that make this noise. I am sure it is similar. Thanks for the video!
I had to do the same thing on mine, also my overload protector burned out. Here's a tip - replace all the screws with stainless, especially if you use it as a wet vac, will be easier to get apart later.
Somewhere in my collection of tools, I have a needle fitting for grease guns.Use it on the side away from the dirty side and it will do well for a long time if you use synthetic grease.
Just be careful if you have a Ryobi version as the vacuum section has a spacer and washers internally, so if you remove it from the motor shaft without a guide rod to hold the internals in place, will be a huge pain to re-orientate and align when assembling.
If you want to lube the ball bearing, open the seals/shields with a small flat-head screwdriver, degrease it and apply new grease and close the seals. Dripping oil on the outside of the seals will do no good.
If the are rubber shield then yes they are easy to get off, this is the preferred type of bearings for skateboarding. I used to be quite good about cleaning my bearings for that application, but have many times applied oil directly through the shields. This has worked great for me in a pinch, but the typical skateboard bearing lubes tend to have less viscosity than what was shown here and may flow around the shields better.
Great video! My shop vac just started making that same sound and I was wondering if there was a good way to fix it so I didn't have to throw it out and spend money on a new one. I'll be trying this when I get home.
Thanks, but like everything else I try, I screwed the pooch. Why would the blade looking thing rub on the U-shaped piece that screws in over top? (4:09) It seemed like the bottom bearing was all the way down, and seated properly. Maybe my misfortune can be a learning experience for someone.
How come a thicker oil is used here than in your "fix seized fan" video (where 3in1 household oil is used)? Is it a matter of what's available at the time, or is the thicker oil intentional?
You didn't mention what kind of oil you used, what do you recommend for things like this? Obviously we don't want something like WD40 to oil it, so what lasts the longest in your experience?
Shop Vacs and dust collectors are designed for different markets. One is a poor substitute for the other too. The Shop Vac was made for the weekend warrior to use intermittently. Dust collectors were made for higher volume use.
Drill into the top of the pot metal bronze bearing, there is wicking packing that holds oilto lube that top bearing. The bronze is porous and the wicking holds oil to lube that bearing. So by drilling a small hole in the top you can push oil(propertype research) into wicking and thus have lubrication for you top bronze bearing. I mean long term . I also plug one end with a rubber plug fill bearing with proper oil soak as long as you can. Remember bearing is porous you want it soaked. This will allow short term use. the oil inserted into wicking from upper hole (never the lower side it will leak oil onto motor bad) will give years of trouble service by keeping that bearing lubed.... I learned all this from fan motor maintenance sites. Some great clubs out there too.. Type of wicking to use correct oil how to re do a damaged shaft scored... Wicking is not always accessible. But a lot of motors the wicking is gone. I use felt works very good at holding oil.HAve fun and go look at some of the diy sites..Peoples collect really old fans.. I regularly rebuild my motors they last forever.. I also take apart motors to see why they failed.. Almost always no oil or wicking cause the bearing to seize and score shaft.. So keep it lubed and it will run forever..
How much do you expect that ball bearing to last after the oiling? I think it wouldn't last that long and sooner or later you must change it. honestly I have never tried to lubricate sealed bearing before so it would be interesting. Hope you would update us with the results later.
Hi, thanks for your excellent video! I want to ask one problem I am facing with my vacuum cleaner (model: Eureka Forbes Trendy Steel Vacuum Cleaner). One day the zip of the dust bag was open and I used the vacuum cleaner in a dusty area and I immediately smelled something wrong. So, I switched off the machine immediately. Then after some days in opened and cleaned the motor of the vacuum cleaner and cleaned all dust and debris. There was no smell of coil getting burnt. I dropped few drops of machine oil on both the bearings. After starting, I could see lots of sparks near the bushes and different smell coming from the machine. Kindly, suggest the probable problem and its solution.
Found a shop vac being thrown out and tested it to see if it still worked. I get the noise of that but I also get a grinding noise and a metal smell. Is it worth fixing it or should I just throw it out?
Not many can take things apart to the last screw and put it back together. :) And not many would test run a motor with the covers off while holding it in one hand :) Nicely done
Charles-Étienne Olivier - Grab a scrap piece of cardboard. Push the crews into it in their respective groups. Label if necessary as outer case, motor housing, etc.
If you have access to a vacuum chamber, drop the bronze bushing in a cup of oil and place under vacuum for 12 hours. Remove from vacuum chamber and let sit in oil for another 12 hours. This allows the oil to fully penetrate the bearing and your fix will last much longer.
Matthias, Nice fix. I used a similar approach to my older box fans. I was thinking that wheel bearing grease might last longer as the fans are bogging down again. What's you thought on this. Thanks
Ha! Funny you'd mention box fans! I just did the similar maint on an elderly box fan that was ventilating my attic for several years. Thought it was high time to replace it and do the clean-and-lube. It wasn't making funny noises or anything -- that is, not until AFTER I lubed it. Now it squeals like a banshee about every 3rd time I turn it on. Do-over? Unlike Matty's vac, this has the oilite bushings on BOTH ends. Prob w/ heavier grease, though it may last longer, it will make for more resistance than lubrication when it's cold, making it harder to start up. As this is already challenging for electric motors (starting from standstill) that's not a trade-off I'd try. Light oil like 3-in-1 has been used for decades for a good raisin - on the oilite bushing, that is. Sealed bearings another story - grease IS appropriate there! I guess you could hunt down a mfg of spongiform brass bushings and ask them what they think of grease instead of light oil. You might also find some other helpful suggestions (things to avoid) along with some microscopic pix. Oh - back on original thing of "floating" oilite bushing at both ends - problem I've encountered with this type of procedure is that, for more reasons than one, perfect alignment of those two bushings is neither automatic nor easy! my 2 cents...
God that turbo fan nut is a pain in the ass. They had to use a steel washer along with mine too and it's rusty as the titanic. Im gonna have to drill 2 small holes in the washer to fit a custom made ''pin bar'' similar to the bar used to loosen angle grinder nuts. I was also thinking about drilling 2 very small holes in the skateboard bearing and injecting pressurized grease via syringe into one hole
i have put the bronze bearing part in a glass of motor oil(think i used 10W30) submerging it, and let it be outside in the sun for a few hours. then, drain off.
Thanks for the video. Oil into the bushing area won't help at all if the internal bushing has already been worn out (not pressed on or tight fit anymore) from rubbing against the rotor shaft.
Matthias, you should keep a segregated tray nearby so you can organise the screws when disassembling something like that shopvac, because there were a lot of screws
Jim E Hendrix Matthias said that he had a few attempts at trying to reassemble it because the video wasn't clear enough for him to follow. Besides, that doesn't help if you're dealing with screws incompatiable with each other, but similar looking, etc.
Dunno, at least it had actual screws. I've seen some that are pretty much hermetically sealed with clips on the INSIDE so you can't remove them without destroying them :\
I have rescued many shop vacs over the years that were sitting curbside, as well as bench grinders, air compressors, a drill press, and even a 1 year old Samsung 55” 4K LED TV. It never ceases to amaze me how much people will throw away rather than attempt to repair.
The most recent vac repairs were 1) Noisy bearings, fixed as demonstrated here, 2) A bad rocker (power) switch, replaced with one from another broken appliance, and lastly, 3) A burned wire, seen at 4:15 in the video at the 7o’clock position. I simply cleaned the burned end of the wire, then the mounting tab and reattached the wire.
The TV actually cost a bit to repair , but was over $500 less than buying that same set. It took less than $100 and 30 minutes to fix and has been trouble free for 2 years.
i o to chodzi!!!! a wszyscy producenci skupiajacy się na projektowaniu urządzeń tak aby się po dwóch latach zepsuły powinni zostać doprowadzeni do upadku.
I drilled a 5/16" hole directly above the top bearing. When it starts squealing, I add a few drops of oil, then plug the hole with a small cork.
@Neo Anderson took me a while to find the video! It is on his second channel.
Don't wait for it to start squealing! It's worn out at that point. Lube it routinely, say twice a year.
I did this also, it works for a few months but now the bushing is so worn I’m going to replace with a bearing
I like that you not only take things apart, but also put them back together. good job!
So weird, i literally just bought a ShopVac at a garage sale for 9$ that makes this noise but works fine otherwise, figured i could repair it relatively easy. 24 hrs later i get recommended this video. Awesome.
Thank you Matthias. My 15yo 5 gallon shop vac started making the groaning noise when shutting it off today. Quick search found your video and it worked like a charm. Sounds good as new.
i do vacuum cleaner and some small appliance repairs for my business, and i cant tell you how many times people will want to toss fairly expensive models of machines cause they make horrendous noises and i a lot of time can convince them to let me do a service rather than spending hundreds on new ones. and like 80% of the time its a chattering bearing or like with vacuum cleaners its one vein in the impeller that;s clogged and making it warp oddly, or a single fin broken off a cooling fan and just needs re-balancing. its very nice to see someone else with the same mindset of not just tossing everything and getting new stuff!
thank you for the video... my vac stopped working and watching your disassembly allowed me to get down to the brushes to adjust, reassemble and keep on cleaning!!
That sounds much better indeed, you should have edited a little compare though.... I bet almost everyone is skipping back and forward in the video to hear the difference.
Just replay it lol
guilty as charged lol
Replays help him get more views
+Shahzaib Khan It doesn't work that way.
FrozenHaxor yea it doesn't work that way, noob
Very good sir. The weak point on these shop vacs is definitely those damn bushings. That's the part they plan on being the reason you have to go buy a new one and they have the market cornered so they know that in all likelihood you'll end up buying another one of their products to replace your broke one. Someone really should come out with a better competing product for a similar price range to blow them out of the water. The motor shaft really should have a sealed bearing on both ends to be reliable for longer I would think. When the bushing went out on both my shop vacs I found that a sealed 8x22x7 skateboard bearing almost fits perfect in place of the bushing with very little modification. Had mine running like that now for well over a year of pretty heavy use collecting chips for extended(hours) periods of time for my CNC table with no issues. I never really thought of just oiling the bushing although mine was pretty wobbly in there when I took it apart so it was prob too late
I really like using Tri-Flow for the bronze bushings because it's easier to use. It's a light oil with PTFE that comes in a little bottle with a tiny straw at most bike shops. If both bushings are accessible via the straw without any disassembly, just give it a couple drops, let gravity pull it in as you spin the motor, and turn it on after it feels more smooth. I believe there is a solvent in Tri-Flow too which cleans things, then evaporates. Sometimes it takes a few squirts to flush the gummy oil out of there, but once it's clean, I've had fan motors stay quiet for longer than the original lube lasted.
Dont bother dealing with a bushing, put in a ball bearing, videos on here show how.
Shop maintenence is important... so thumbs up for this video. It suprice me every time how many parts machines can have :)
his channel is getting really popular lately, I love it!
Show of hands...How many of us here would have wound up saying something like "Now, how did that go together?" or "How did I end up with an extra screw?"
I was thinking the same thing. I would definitely need to take photos and organize parts by step if I did this.
***** Yes, we have. But we're not talking about Matthias. We're talking about ourselves.
I didn't re-watch the video, but it took me several starts to get it together right. I only kept the last take.
Haha, yes.. But I found its best to have a system for taking things apart. like ordering screws in bunches so you can work your way back.
Each time I find extra screw after I open my laptop. But still all the screw holes has one screw :) I will open a shop soon to sell laptop screws :)
I have a craftsman shop vac that is probably similar and chattering a bit, so this gives me a pretty good idea of what I will need to do. It was fine summer before last, but during last winter it seemed to get pretty noisy. Now it's time to take care of it.
Already fixed a couple other old, noiser than they used to be things last summer (bench grinder and floor fan) that had been sitting in the garage over the previous winter(s), to be seemingly near as good as new. Keeping them in the basement now until I need to use them. Shop vac is down there now too, otherwise all cleaned up, and ready to be lubricated.
I just re did my craftsman. upper bronze bearing is just like a fan motor, My upper shaft was scored and spun with drag. 600 sandpaper on shaft plug hole for bearing soak 1hp non detergent oil for a long as you can I then drilled a access hole in top of sealed bronzr bearing to soak wicking for bearing. Used a small screw to keep dirt out. Cleaned the heck out of it lite oil on lower ball bearings. Brushes a bear to do. One was worn off center filed it flat. use tie wire to pull brushes in then reinstall shafts tap in or out to remove.. shaft assembly.. Lubed brush holder so they slide silicone spray. Put extra oil on bearing top. now regurally I will remove top 4 screws and lube that upper bronze bearing assembly.. This is just like fan maintenance...
If you drill a small(approx 1/8 in) in the metal housing when you oil from the top you can also recharge the oil in the felt pad.
I replaced the brass bushing with a 608-2rs sealed bearing. Inside diameter is 8mm and outside of bearing is 22 mm, the same as the guide bearing on my Grizzly band saw. You have to drive the bearing onto the motor shaft. Now it works great.
Good video. I do this once every year with all my vacs. It's also a good idea to work those brushes back and forth until all the dust is out. I've seen to many burnt commutators from brushes that were stuck in their housing. It's a dusty environment after all.
Arjan Quist - I repaired a friends metal cutoff saw with a brush issue. He was tossing it out. I took it home and found that somebody had tried to repair it but they used brushes that didn’t quite fit. They were too large to freely slide in the channel and were not making contact with commutator. I pressed them back out and carefully shaved them until they fit properly, then reassembled the saw. It functioned perfectly. He actually tried to take it back from me later. “Sorry bud, you trashed it, I fixed it, it’s mine!”
Matthias, thank you very much for this video. I have taken apart my Sundance Spa bubble maker which burnt up. My brushes are very worn and I didn’t know what type of Bearing was on the top. I now know after several days of searching that it’s a: “Bronze Bearing, with a felt Oiler.” I Outdoor hate to walk into an electric motor repair shop and not know the name of certain parts. Thanks again to you and RUclips for helping me advance in my ”BackYardJackofAllTrades” training.
I enjoyed your video and it inspired me to reopen my shop vac and make another attempt to fix it. Mine was making that awful screaching-squealing noise as well. I opened it and lubricated it several months ago and it seemed to work great. After just a short while, the problem returned. I'm betting you will experience the same. It appears Shop Vac has designed into the unit a flaw to cause them to sell more motors. They don't just sell the little part that could add new life to your unit. The problem appears to be that soft brass bushing on top. When you pull it off again, look at it inside with a powerful magnifying glass and you will see the damage and the cause of all that noise. If it was a sealed bearing instead, the vacuum would last 30 years, just like my last one did. If somebody tries to remove this bearing and install a bushing there, please let us know how that worked out.
multiple replies regarding replacement of shop vac brass bushings using ball bearings, if you havent had a look.
those bronze bearings often become filled with old oil or grease on the inside surface. you can clean them with a good solvent and I have had some luck with the green scrubbing pads. I imagine fine emery paper would also work.
Incredibly informative! I loved every minute of this one Matthias!!
Oh good, I was questioning even making this video all along
I could see why you'd be questioning it, but even this has stuff in it that people would learn from.
I for one am wondering why would getting oil on the commutator ruin it?
Mathias, thank you thank you thank you for this particular fix. i was set to toss out a shop vac making the very same noisy whine. cheers to you!
Awesome vid . Nice repair job . I have trashed a few old vac's because of lack of oil, if I only watched this Video , I could have fixed it . That sucks for me , oh well , live and learn. Thanks keep up the great vids.
Really appreciate your video editing, where for instace, you select the propar torx screwdiver and remove one screw, then fast zip forward removing the othars. Wish all othar RUclipsrs did the same.
Nice how to, and you have given me an idea for a forge blower. I bet the small fan out of a trashed shop vac would work great on a home made man powered crank blower. Now I need to find one.
I was thinking the same freaking thing.
A float!!!!! I had that piece for my shop vac, kept it for years and could never figure out where it went. Now I know. :)
At the 1:20 point, here is the trick. Grab that star lock washer and rotate it while pulling gently. It will come right off. If you just pull only, it grabs tighter.They are also called star lock washers or push nuts. On my Shopvac they are 5/16"
I usually replace ball bearings in my tools, because oiling is a temporary solution. In my case wear (gap) was the reason of noises. Thanks for your video!
The voices in my head say that for best results you should soak the bushing in oil at ~70degC for several hours. And that you can carefully pick the ball bearing seal out, and re-pack it with grease.
I don't listen to the voices any more, though.
Thanks for the video! I think the float goes in open end up, to prevent water from entering the motor.
One of my shop vacs is a howler. I took it all apart, and lubed it. It worked for a little while. But that howl is indicative of a worn bushing, so it starts up fairly quickly again once the thick oil cushion goes. I think the third time I took it apart I used grease. But it is not worth the time it takes to take it apart, for the amount of run I get out of it. So it is sitting in my trailer now. What I should do is lube my other shop vacs before they start howling. Yeah, I'll get right on that over here. Let's face it, shop vacs are wear items.
If you have the time and interest, it could be fun to see if you could replace the bushing. Even with a homemade Delrin one or something. But as you said, shop vacs aren't tools you pass on to your grandkids.
Similar to my clothes dryer roller bushing. I oiled/greased a couple of times before I finally gave up and bought a new roller.
n8guy I think once they howl once, that means the bushing is blown out. It is the too late siren sounding. Oil shuts them back up for a little while. But it doesn't last. I do not think plastic would hold up very well either. Bronze Oilite is nice stuff. To do it right you need to fit it with a reamer. You need just the right reamer, then you need to have the touch, to get the fit. I used to fit Oilite bushings in a tool and die shop for some stuff we made. We'd do it by hand. Chuck the reamer in a drill press, then move the bushing up, and down on it. For a looser fit just ream a little longer. The heat expansion takes a bit more out. It is a touchy process. You have to know the time in your head.
Once you let it howl for a while, the bushing is kind of shot. That's why it's important to lube it before that happens.
Matthias Wandel
you'll have to let us know how long your fix holds up. I know I've done it here and had less than stellar results. To the point where that particular Shop Vac just sits in my storage trailer today. I'm tired of taking it apart to oil it now. I even tried grease. But just plain bearing grease. Some moly in it might actually work?
Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold -- yet with a screwdriver, some oil and a lot of patience, the shop vac gets fixed -- very reassuring.
In my experience, oiling the bushing is a short term fix and the motor is screaming again after a few uses. Better to just pull out the bushing and install a 608 bearing (from a skateboard) in its place (usually a direct fit) and the top will be just as long lasting as the bottom bearing.
I think it's better to use grease in stead of liquid oil .
I was thinking the same. Would you recommend a certain type for this application?
You saved me mate ... I tried to clean my handheld vac and made strange noises ... found out I hadn’t completely screwed down the plastic bearing housing
For areas where it´s hard to get into, I use a syringe with a needle where I grinded off the tip. That makes it easy not to float everything with oil.
love to see repairs almost as much as projects
Excellent! I have a Craftsman that is doing the same thing. I hope I can oil the bearings and use it a bit longer. Thank you so much for this video! Thankz
Knda shocked I googled for this a year ago when I had to end working on my project when my 2 week old ShopVac died while vacuuming coal ash. LOL. I wasn't thinking really. But the first video I saw was much more disheartening of a repair than this. Thanks buddy. I only gotta drive 1400 miles to see if i can fix this...which still is cheaper than buying a new one with all the attachments.
"This would be a good time to unplug your shop vac" - isn't that usually just before you take out the first screw?
Matthias is a rebel!
Usually after the first bang, lol.
he just forgot to remind us, so he said it afterwards
Then you can't test the circuit with your tongue
Exactly, I usually wait for some smoke.....
In addition to what you did I would suggest a slight resurfacing of the shaft surface with some fine grit sandpaper to remove any discoloring. I'm thinking that it's burnt oil carbon deposits. Can't be good for lubrication. Then again it will probably just show up again.
I always clean the commutator with electric spray cleaner and sanding with 600 grit sand paper, then I used Slick 50 grease on the bearing and bushing, I had one shop vac last for over 25 years of day to day heavy construction clean up use. And I always have extra filters to change as soon as they get dirty, I shake the dirty ones out and spray them clean with a garden hose, even the paper ones dry good out in the sun.
use oil not grease..oil specifically for motors motor oil is very bad for electric motors it actually removes the lube.. oil will impregnate the bearing as manufacturer intended..
Peter O, Slick 50 grease is a thin grease that can tolerate high heat it works great for electric motors, part of my business is rebuilding swimming pool pump motors, golf cart motors and starter motors, I have rebuilt dozens of them and never had a problem and used Slick 50 grease on most of them
Peter - Prolong engine treatment also makes a general purpose oil that works great for motors, I put a couple drops on the bushings in a Dremel tool that was making a lot of extra loud buzzing noise, it made it run quieter than a brand new Dremel tool
I've needed to do this FOREVER!
Maybe this weekend.
As a matter of maintenance I lube that bushing a couple times a year. It only takes a couple mins and I've never had one get noisy on me.
Hey you can buy bearings to replace that bronze thingy
It’s like they originally had bearings but then cheaped out and replace with bronze bushings. But the housing still fits a bearing that is identical to the other one.
Investing in a pair of snap ring pliers might be a smart idea for someone like you that takes apart a lot of shafts and bearings. You can get a good pair for about $15 US (the crappy ones can be as cheap as $7 US). They're extremely easy to find and will save you much frustration.
I have a newer blue and gray Shop-vac and just had to take it apart to replace the power switch - looks like yours is a few years older, but has a decent rocker switch. Not sure when or why the company started putting in the junk switch, but it's a common problem.
Maybe because they sell them for as cheap as $40 sometimes?
I have opened a Dewalt shop vacuum and discovered that the motor in my particular unit is actually ball bearings on the cooling fin side. I'd assume the rotor side of the motor is also ball bearings. There is no bearing noise. The vacuum is over five years old I believe. It works really well. Dewalt probably lasts forever
lol, I have had to do this a few times. I had by pass the thermal overload one time because it went bad. the thing that retired my shop vac was taking that keeper on and off too many times over the years and it fatigued and broke. I then modified the shop vac with a thein baffle and turned it into a dust separator to compliment my new shop vac.
Nice clearly explained video. But if you are going to go this far better to replace the bronze bushing with the 608-2RS bearing and save yourself having to repeatedly perform this lubrication. My bearing installation went smoothly except the replacement bearing was loose on the shaft when in the correct position. So this proved there had been wear/ noise from that area. So I used the (center punch method ) made a few marks on the shaft to fix it securely. Running quieter now, hopefully for many more years.
Thank you Matthias, you always do a great job with explanation in your videos - much appreciated and subscribed.
I had the same shop vac with the same problem. I think they didn't really soak the pad on the bushing when the first assembled it. I resoaked mine twice before replacing it with a much more powerful (but louder) garage sale unit.
I did this to my vacuum last winter. Worked for me
I always love your videos, thanks Matthias.
It would take a fraction of the time with a cordless drill. The new generation of them are really nice and if you set the clutch correctly you don't have to worry about over tightening!
I am trying to figure out how that impeller engaged the shaft without slipping.I understand the washer part the locks the impeller onto the shaft. Going to watch again and see if I can spot how it catches the shaft. I think I saw some pinched or raised metal on the shaft. I guess its a cheap way to get it to work for them. I have a ShopVac Wall Hanger that make this noise. I am sure it is similar. Thanks for the video!
The shaft has two flat spots
Yes, sintered metal sleeve bearings are porous, oil wicks through to the motor shaft.
Also, do you think a synthetic oil like Mobil 1 or one of the others would be better for the bronze bushing?
I had to do the same thing on mine, also my overload protector burned out. Here's a tip - replace all the screws with stainless, especially if you use it as a wet vac, will be easier to get apart later.
Hey these videos and the videos that you build stuff really help me around my workshop thanks and keep up the awesome work p.s big fan of the channel
If I were to disassemble something like this to this level, I'd never get it back together again, let alone working.
you would
@@HighVoltageMadness I appreciate your optimism.
Toothpicks work pretty good for holding brushes back. Nice job. Did you ever fix that hole with all the wasps nesting in it?
"This would be a good time to unplug your shopvac......"
Somewhere in my collection of tools, I have a needle fitting for grease guns.Use it on the side away from the dirty side and it will do well for a long time if you use synthetic grease.
Just be careful if you have a Ryobi version as the vacuum section has a spacer and washers internally, so if you remove it from the motor shaft without a guide rod to hold the internals in place, will be a huge pain to re-orientate and align when assembling.
What?.....no leftover screws? 😊
If you want to lube the ball bearing, open the seals/shields with a small flat-head screwdriver, degrease it and apply new grease and close the seals. Dripping oil on the outside of the seals will do no good.
If you have a press, the best way is to replace it, they are not very expensive.
Oil is a lot cheaper than bearings are. Plus it is easier to stock a supply of oil than every bearing known to Man.
@peceter
Right, which makes me wonder why they are using that stupid brass bearing.
timfischer
because it's cheap.
If the are rubber shield then yes they are easy to get off, this is the preferred type of bearings for skateboarding. I used to be quite good about cleaning my bearings for that application, but have many times applied oil directly through the shields. This has worked great for me in a pinch, but the typical skateboard bearing lubes tend to have less viscosity than what was shown here and may flow around the shields better.
Great video! My shop vac just started making that same sound and I was wondering if there was a good way to fix it so I didn't have to throw it out and spend money on a new one. I'll be trying this when I get home.
I bought that same shop vac at an auction for $1. It works flawlessly too. Great video!!!
Thanks, but like everything else I try, I screwed the pooch. Why would the blade looking thing rub on the U-shaped piece that screws in over top? (4:09) It seemed like the bottom bearing was all the way down, and seated properly. Maybe my misfortune can be a learning experience for someone.
How come a thicker oil is used here than in your "fix seized fan" video (where 3in1 household oil is used)? Is it a matter of what's available at the time, or is the thicker oil intentional?
You didn't mention what kind of oil you used, what do you recommend for things like this? Obviously we don't want something like WD40 to oil it, so what lasts the longest in your experience?
I had the exact question.
Matthias, would a shop vac motor work well in a dust collector? It would be loud though, right?
If you want to use a shopvac motor, just use it in a shopvac.
+Matthias Wandel oh true... Thanks for the advice!
lol
Shop Vacs and dust collectors are designed for different markets. One is a poor substitute for the other too. The Shop Vac was made for the weekend warrior to use intermittently. Dust collectors were made for higher volume use.
i second that lOL
Drill into the top of the pot metal bronze bearing, there is wicking packing that holds oilto lube that top bearing. The bronze is porous and the wicking holds oil to lube that bearing. So by drilling a small hole in the top you can push oil(propertype research) into wicking and thus have lubrication for you top bronze bearing. I mean long term . I also plug one end with a rubber plug fill bearing with proper oil soak as long as you can. Remember bearing is porous you want it soaked. This will allow short term use. the oil inserted into wicking from upper hole (never the lower side it will leak oil onto motor bad) will give years of trouble service by keeping that bearing lubed.... I learned all this from fan motor maintenance sites. Some great clubs out there too.. Type of wicking to use correct oil how to re do a damaged shaft scored... Wicking is not always accessible. But a lot of motors the wicking is gone. I use felt works very good at holding oil.HAve fun and go look at some of the diy sites..Peoples collect really old fans.. I regularly rebuild my motors they last forever.. I also take apart motors to see why they failed.. Almost always no oil or wicking cause the bearing to seize and score shaft.. So keep it lubed and it will run forever..
How much do you expect that ball bearing to last after the oiling?
I think it wouldn't last that long and sooner or later you must change it.
honestly I have never tried to lubricate sealed bearing before so it would be interesting.
Hope you would update us with the results later.
Hi, thanks for your excellent video!
I want to ask one problem I am facing with my vacuum cleaner (model: Eureka Forbes Trendy Steel Vacuum Cleaner). One day the zip of the dust bag was open and I used the vacuum cleaner in a dusty area and I immediately smelled something wrong. So, I switched off the machine immediately. Then after some days in opened and cleaned the motor of the vacuum cleaner and cleaned all dust and debris. There was no smell of coil getting burnt. I dropped few drops of machine oil on both the bearings. After starting, I could see lots of sparks near the bushes and different smell coming from the machine.
Kindly, suggest the probable problem and its solution.
What type of oil are you using?
Found a shop vac being thrown out and tested it to see if it still worked. I get the noise of that but I also get a grinding noise and a metal smell. Is it worth fixing it or should I just throw it out?
Not many can take things apart to the last screw and put it back together. :)
And not many would test run a motor with the covers off while holding it in one hand :)
Nicely done
Great vid! Could we use grease instead of oil? Would't it last longer?
Charles-Étienne Olivier - Grab a scrap piece of cardboard. Push the crews into it in their respective groups. Label if necessary as outer case, motor housing, etc.
Impressive breakdown you did.
Did you have any screws left over?
If you have access to a vacuum chamber, drop the bronze bushing in a cup of oil and place under vacuum for 12 hours. Remove from vacuum chamber and let sit in oil for another 12 hours. This allows the oil to fully penetrate the bearing and your fix will last much longer.
You can also soak a scrap of old rag in oil, and affix that over the bushing. Save yourself a day of nonsense.
+Paul Frederick Or waste an hour of nonsense. :-)
Matthias, Nice fix. I used a similar approach to my older box fans. I was thinking that wheel bearing grease might last longer as the fans are bogging down again. What's you thought on this. Thanks
Ha! Funny you'd mention box fans! I just did the similar maint on an elderly box fan that was ventilating my attic for several years. Thought it was high time to replace it and do the clean-and-lube. It wasn't making funny noises or anything -- that is, not until AFTER I lubed it. Now it squeals like a banshee about every 3rd time I turn it on. Do-over? Unlike Matty's vac, this has the oilite bushings on BOTH ends.
Prob w/ heavier grease, though it may last longer, it will make for more resistance than lubrication when it's cold, making it harder to start up. As this is already challenging for electric motors (starting from standstill) that's not a trade-off I'd try. Light oil like 3-in-1 has been used for decades for a good raisin - on the oilite bushing, that is. Sealed bearings another story - grease IS appropriate there!
I guess you could hunt down a mfg of spongiform brass bushings and ask them what they think of grease instead of light oil. You might also find some other helpful suggestions (things to avoid) along with some microscopic pix.
Oh - back on original thing of "floating" oilite bushing at both ends - problem I've encountered with this type of procedure is that, for more reasons than one, perfect alignment of those two bushings is neither automatic nor easy!
my 2 cents...
Matthias -- I would love to see your collection of loose parts (screws, fasteners, hinges, motor parts, and so on). We got a short peek in one video.
I have a milwaukee profession shop vac... that thing is old but still super quiet.
God that turbo fan nut is a pain in the ass. They had to use a steel washer along with mine too and it's rusty as the titanic. Im gonna have to drill 2 small holes in the washer to fit a custom made ''pin bar'' similar to the bar used to loosen angle grinder nuts. I was also thinking about drilling 2 very small holes in the skateboard bearing and injecting pressurized grease via syringe into one hole
Matthias. Great video. Where do I get carbon brushes for my shop vac?
i have put the bronze bearing part in a glass of motor oil(think i used 10W30) submerging it, and let it be outside in the sun for a few hours. then, drain off.
have the same shop vac at home. the motor started to smoke last fall. wonder if this is the problem or if it is completely shot.
Thank you! Mine is making that same noise so now I know what to do. 👍 Ron, Littlewierdshop
Same here! Of course once I fix mine I'll tell my wife that it was my idea. : )
So when are you going to the frankinvac ,with a old circular saw
Did you want to have to go back to your video to replay disassembly? Not sure if I could remember where all of those pieces go
*Did you once
Stupid question, but what oil did you use? Thanks.
Thanks for the video. Oil into the bushing area won't help at all if the internal bushing has already been worn out (not pressed on or tight fit anymore) from rubbing against the rotor shaft.
Thanks for the video. From where can I buy the new blower? It seems that it's a very difficult to part to purchase.
Matthias, you should keep a segregated tray nearby so you can organise the screws when disassembling something like that shopvac, because there were a lot of screws
Or, videotape the disassembling process.
Jim E Hendrix Matthias said that he had a few attempts at trying to reassemble it because the video wasn't clear enough for him to follow. Besides, that doesn't help if you're dealing with screws incompatiable with each other, but similar looking, etc.
You are correct.
Good job. You slightly pinched the mouth of the rotor with the screwdriver though. Won't that impede airflow and throw of aerodynamic balance?
is there any appliance you haven't yet dissasembled in your home??
Nice one. They really didn't intend for that to be serviced, did they.
Dunno, at least it had actual screws. I've seen some that are pretty much hermetically sealed with clips on the INSIDE so you can't remove them without destroying them :\
Most certainly not!
I have to admit, I almost expected plastic bearings and certainly nothing more than sintered bearings... seeing a ball race in there was a surprise.