Hoover Senior Commercial U4082 - Stripdown and Refurbishment!

[beko1987]

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This is a flipping rare vacuum cleaner! Made in the mid 80s briefly, its basically a normal Senior but commercialised!



It ran really well actually, despite spending probably 20 years in a garage.

However the day after that I let me mum use it, and it blew its supressor in SPECTACULAR fashion. Full on sparks out the back, the works. You'll see small hints of this as we progress!

(and yes, if you're reading this because it's further up the page than the Senior 652a thread https://manchestervacs.co.uk/DysonForum/index.php/topic,1358.0.html here covers the older style, this the newer style.)

As they stood in my front room (and yes, there's full threads for the other two sat here in my 282gb of Done - To write folder!)



There was little damage, just alot of grime and neglect







October 1989



Peeled off easily too so I had it off. The 69th one ever made too, which is even more amazing!



Cable off



Lovely matching plug

[beko1987]

Which came apart to be washed



Dropped the bag next



and set it to one side for now



Removing the centre bolt gives us the cable guide stuff





which comes apart a bit



The handle stays pretty much as is



I even left the top cord hook as it's a sod at the best of times on a normal cleaner, let alone a rare on with a special textured paint job that was in good condition!



It went into the first of it's boiling water dunks to soften the glue holding the handle grip on as it was twisted and pulled back a bit and looked awful!

[ Specified attachment is not available ]

[beko1987]

Onwards to the bottom bolt



Which releases the plate that does all the work



One of the 'commercial' bits of the machine here, some internal bracing of the handle to stop it bending and distorting over time as I have seen before, a very good idea!



Wiring next.



Mmmm wires



Out it all comes



Revealing what is the original cable! (or an original replacement, the ends are never terminated in the crimp rings unless it's a genuine cable!)



The terminal block pulls out now and the wiring running to the machine can be un-done

[beko1987]

And eventually you will hold it in your hand



The wires need to come off the terminals to be able to pull them through the filthy sleeving later



Onwards to underneath!



Baseplate off



Brushroll and belt off



Let's strip the brushroll. Endcaps off



Pull one half through



Then take everything apart!



Going by the state of these they are the originals...

[beko1987]

End caps were proper grimy too



Onto the tool port now, and they didn't even try with this, it's still hop green! (or jonquil, I forget which shade was which...)



I don't think it's ever seen tools



Pulling the pin put of the suction diverter flap



Releases the spring, which fits as shown



The rear wheels will be flopping about the place now, and note to remove and keep safe the centering bracket for the axle (shows it's based on the later style Senior)



The rear axle starts with a circlip



and ends with a pile of bits



Mmmm grimey

[beko1987]

Same story with the front wheels, just peel the bumper up so the axle can come out





Not too bad



Let's uncover the switch now by removing it's cover





More hidden filth



This leaves the switch hanging free, and we can remove the two hood screws





And take the hood off! You can see the mark from when the supressor went too... My poor mum shit herself 

[beko1987]

I really wish it had gone whilst I was filming, it was pretty spectacular



Anyway we find ourselves still staring at a very familiar cleaner that looked about the same 30 years before (and before that, same motor as in the 262, 612 etc)



First though we'll pop the headlight cover blank off the hood



And take the screw brackets off



Now we can remove the height adjustment thing, one circlip up here



and off it comes



We next need to remove the circlip hiding here on the inside edge of the foot pedal



Note where the circlips and washers go as you do this



Take the pedal off from the LH side, then move along the bar from right to left and remove all the clips

[beko1987]

Then when all loose, tap the bar out from everything with your favourite hammer



We can remove the supressor bracket now



Take one last look at the impressive aftermath



And hoof it and the bracket into the bin. Remove the red terminal cover next



Start unwiring it. The two red cables go to the switch



Undo this screw to release the cable from the bracket





and dig out the switch from the filth

[beko1987]

The foot pedal bit pulls off the switch



Looking on the other side of the motor we see the bracket that holds the wiring harness down



out it all comes



Let's remove this white wire



cable tidy unscrewed



Unclipping it also releases a carbon brush



Same with the yellow wire going to the other brush



The brush on this side didn't come out, and pulling is pointless as it'll just pull the spring off the end of the brush, so we can leave it for now



and remove the remaining top screws holding the top bearing down!

[beko1987]

Next, undo the screws holding the motor to the chassis



and chisel/lift it out (as appropriate)



Decades of patina!



Chassis is as stripped as it can be now short of removing the bumper (which unless you're good at making and fitting blind rivets leave on!)



Carrying on with the motor now, the belt spindle comes off



Then the fan



Then the spacer washers and main spacer spacer...



Back up top, unscrew the cooling fan

[beko1987]

Another level of screws splits the motor to show the coil



We can push the stubborn carbon brush out of its holder now



Unbolt the coil



and tap the armature out of the bottom bearing



DING! Handle is done, pulled off nicely



Everything then got washed and dried. Whilst the drying happened I grabbed another vacuum and got to work on the bag



Bag flange off



Then the really horrible bit, turning it inside out...



Then I started to vacuum it

[beko1987]

Eventually, it was as clean as it was going to be



You must NEVER wash 1980's Hoover bags as the transfers will wash off before your eyes! And this was very good, and very sodding rare! And luckily not utterly filthy, a good vacuum sorted it right out



Then some polishing was done, and I ran all the small parts over the wire brush as normal, and we find ourselves at this stage!



and we can re-assemble the motor! Starting by filling the bottom bearing back up with oil, as it all got washed out



Then the coil can go back in



Then the armature, and it should spin freely on the bottom bearing if you don't move it whilst it does



Top piece can be screwed on now



Cooling fan fitted



First of the spacers for the fan on

[beko1987]

Then the rest



Then fit the fan and belt spindle



Should still spin like a champ



We can now re-fit the motor to the cleaned up chassis! If the original motor housing seal is too far gone a nice bead of silicone works probably better!



Now re-fit the top bearing with a nice smear of grease around the shaft, and run the yellow wire routing and fit and run the white wire, with carbon brushes



Take the switch



pop the cover back on



and fit it



run it's wire nicely

[beko1987]

Plop the bit that sits under the wiring connector down



Then the connector itself



And wire it up as it was before



and pop the cover on



Now, there will be 4 spare wires from the supressor. Just join them together!



and tidy it up a bit



Refit the handle bail axle, with the bag flange lock slider, wit ha nice smear of grease along the rod so it slides freely



Remembering where all the washers and circlips go, clip the wire to the wire holder and assemble the RH side



Then assemble the recline lock pedal and gubbins on the left, again, nice smears of grease everywhere!

[beko1987]

It should all move very freely and easily once you're done



Front wheels next



Again, nice smear of grease on the axles will prevent it squealing as you push it



Same with the back axle, grease and assemble! Not forgetting to fit the height adjustment rid to the axle before the wheel



The hamster came to say hello



Re-assemble the suction diverter flap, and refit it and the tool port cage



The brushroll was a tough call not to paint. The damage was fairly minimal, and the rest of the paint in good order so I polished it and left it be, as it's original, and not utterly trashed



Nice brand new bearing in



and with a new belt, the assembled brushroll can be re-fitted to the machine. Look at the amazing brush strips!