Dyson & Sebo Vacuum Cleaner Repair & Advice Forums

Dyson Models => Dyson DC14, DC17, DC27, DC28 and DC33 => Topic started by: Millcreek on November 27, 2011, 01:40:14 pm

Title: USA DC17 Animal with rattling brushbar
Post by: Millcreek on November 27, 2011, 01:40:14 pm

My DC17 Animal is about five years old.  It recently has developed the common problem of the rattling brushbar, which makes a tremendous racket when the brush bar is rotating.  The noise occurs on carpet or hard floors but only when the brushbar is in use.  My model of the DC17 has a clutch.

I have done some Googling on the problem and accomplished the following:  made sure there were no loose parts, clogs or blockages (did not solve the problem), made sure all hair was removed from the brushbar (did not solve the problem), replaced the belt with another Dyson belt (did not solve the problem), replaced the brushroll (did not solve the problem), removed the end caps of the brushroll and sprayed them with Teflon lube (seemed to reduce but not solve the problem).  By the process of elimination, it seems as if the final step is to replace the clutch. 

What is the consensus of the experts here?  And is the DC 04/07/14 clutch unit also fitted into the DC17? 

Thanks for any help and suggestions.

Title: Re: USA DC17 Animal with rattling brushbar
Post by: MVacs on November 27, 2011, 08:51:47 pm

Welcome to the site Millcreek.  :tiphat:

Does the DC17 have a clutch? I thought it had a motorised brushbar. There is an exploded drawing attached.

As the DC17 is not marketed in the UK, I would like to ask any of our overseas members to chip in and answer this in more detail please.

Title: Re: USA DC17 Animal with rattling brushbar
Post by: Millcreek on November 27, 2011, 09:02:55 pm

Hmm, in looking at the diagram, there is indeed no clutch.  So the button that turns the brushbar on and off apparently activates the brushbar motor, and the brushbar is not driven by a shaft and clutch from the main motor.  So now I am left to wonder the cause of the problem.

Title: Re: USA DC17 Animal with rattling brushbar
Post by: MVacs on November 28, 2011, 08:01:56 pm

The brushbar motor drives a belt on this model, correct?

Title: Re: USA DC17 Animal with rattling brushbar
Post by: Millcreek on November 28, 2011, 08:06:14 pm

It does. 

Title: Re: USA DC17 Animal with rattling brushbar
Post by: MVacs on November 29, 2011, 10:12:16 pm

My next step would be to check the brush bar motor. From reading, I recall a DC17 has a toothed drive belt driven by a cog on the brush bar motor. I would be checking the condition of that cog, seeing if it feels loose or is chewed up.

I can be only of limited help as we are not familiar with this US specific model. I am hopeful that one of our US based members might offer some help.

Title: Re: USA DC17 Animal with rattling brushbar
Post by: Millcreek on November 30, 2011, 10:46:44 pm

I solved the problem. When I replaced the brushbar, I received the new model which takes the 10 mm belt. I was using the standard 8 mm belt. I got a 10 mm belt and the noise went away. Thanks for the help.