Hoover SteamVac and Vax: Brushes Stop Spinning - $10 Fix My Hoover SteamVac Brushes are Frozen and I Can't Let it Go

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The problem:

The old Hoover SteamVac gives me grief AGAIN!

My Hoover SteamVac Dual V carpet cleaner tank had serious leaks and the valves dripped onto and into the machine. As a result, the Power Scrub carpet brushes stopped spinning and froze up due to a rusted, seized bearing in the brush motor. The Vax Dual V and All Terrain also seem to share this problem. 

I checked to see if  a clogged inline filter had caused the brushes to stop, but the filter was sparkly clean. The brush switch was working properly, so I determined the problem was in the brush motor itself.

Fixing this usually requires a new brush motor assembly, and the expensive parts are becoming harder to find. More than that, I was simply tired of spending money on this machine.

I decided to give fixing it one more try before dragging the cleaner to the curb. It was DIY or death for the SteamVac this time! 

Hoover SteamVac shiny new bearing next to old rusty bearing

Hmm… I wonder how I can tell which one is old, and which is new…

The solution:

I ordered a 10-pack of bearings for under $10 and replaced the bad one in the brush motor assembly. Taking it apart and putting in a new bearing is not too difficult, and it takes about a half hour.

The video below will walk you through the project step by step, and a link to the bearing I used is below.

It worked beautifully and kept the SteamVac alive to see another day. Being able to finally clean the carpets certainly eased the friction around here!

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, I may earn a small commission on items bought using them. These are the same recommendations I would make regardless of any compensation. For products that I have older versions of, I recommend the items that I would replace them with if I were buying them new. 

Resources for Hoover SteamVac and Vax: Brushes Stop Spinning

WD-40 Multi-Use Lubricant

From Amazon
Used as a rust penetrant, but not as a long-lasting oil

3-IN-ONE Multi-Purpose Oil

From Amazon
This is the long-lasting oil

 

There are more DIY projects in the works, so stay tuned to Uncharted DIY. Feel free to comment, post photos or ask questions about this project.

Uncharted DIY is for DIY enthusiasts tackling uncommon projects, utilizing common tools and often on a limited budget

Uncharted DIY is for DIY enthusiasts tackling uncommon projects, utilizing common tools and often on a limited budget