The Vacuum Cleaner . . .

The vacuum cleaner threw the drive belt - again. An all to frequent event now days. So we have been casting about for a new cleaner. Ugh, none have bags anymore, just canisters to dump (and get dust all over the place). And they do not seem to be self propelled anymore either.

So I took the old vac to the local vacuum cleaner repair guru. We agreed that if it cost more than $65.00 he would call for an okay to repair. I took it in Wednesday and said we needed it back pretty quick. He said if it could be repaired in would be ready by Friday.

Well he called today, Thursday, its fixed for less than $65.00 (but not by much - $58.00). That's a lot cheaper than a new one (with all the draw backs).

I picked it up. It has a new internal filter, a new drive belt, and a new part. The idler drive wheel had broken, that's the new part. It is a simple plastic wheel mounted on a metal ball bearing. The wheel had failed, cracked which allows it to throw the drive belt. So that go replaced. That was the good news.

The bad news is the replacement part is the same plastic drive wheel over a metal bearing. So we can expect it will fail again, down the road. But I guess we will get another 5 years out of it.

Replacing the internal filter will allow it to pick up better too. So it is rejuvenated. Good to go for a while, maybe a five or six years. Good deal.