Fixing up a Hoover Floor Polisher

[scoots]

I bought a Hoover Floor Polisher 5131 DI that needs a cleaning and a few replacement parts and I was hoping club members could help on this.

Photo 1: I'd like to remove the flexible skirt to clean it. How is it removed? I am thinking that unbolting the gray square right under the "HOOVER" badge will help release it. Will that work? Or is this really necessary and I should just clean it all in place?

Photo 2: The push stick comes in two parts that were originally held together, probably by a bullet catch of some kind, now with an improvised connector (screw and toggle bolt). Does anybody have a replacement I can buy?

Photo 3: there is an orange nipple at about the 9 o'clock position. Is this an unused sprayer head for better machines (I understand this unit was BOL).

Photo 4: There is a nylon clip around the power cord. Is this part of the machine, or is it something somebody stuck on at some point and it serves no function?

Thanks

 

[hooverwheelaway]

Hi Bill,

It's been a while since I've had one of those polishers apart but I'll do my best to answer your questions:

Photo 1: I'd like to remove the flexible skirt to clean it. How is it removed? I am thinking that unbolting the gray square right under the "HOOVER" badge will help release it. Will that work? Or is this really necessary and I should just clean it all in place?
I am pretty sure you need to remove the orange hood first, before you can remove the gray square.  But I believe once you unbolt the gray square, it should make sense how the rest of it comes off.  Try it without removing the hood first, though.. you may have success.

Photo 2: The push stick comes in two parts that were originally held together, probably by a bullet catch of some kind, now with an improvised connector (screw and toggle bolt). Does anybody have a replacement I can buy?
I do have plenty of extra handle nuts and bolts, it would be the same piece(s) that holds the lower handle to the polisher head.  PM me your address and I can pop one in the mail to you.

Photo 3: there is an orange nipple at about the 9 o'clock position. Is this an unused sprayer head for better machines (I understand this unit was BOL).  
I don't think this serves any purpose, offhand.  It may have been a way to dispense carpet shampoo on a more deluxe model, but that wouldn't be possible with this particular model.  Is there one on the other side of the polisher as well?

Photo 4: There is a nylon clip around the power cord. Is this part of the machine, or is it something somebody stuck on at some point and it serves no function?
This is part of the cord, it went on the cord, right after the cord comes out of the machine, and would have been connected to the handle screw that you are missing.  The handle screw would have gone through the hole in this, and it would have kept the cord stationary about halfway up the handle, so you don't have to always bend over to grab the cord.
 
There's a chapter in the Hoover Service Manual specifically about floor polishers - instructions on how to take apart and service the polisher.  If you have this and any other Hoover products up until about 1964 that you are interested in knowing how to service, this is a great piece of service literature to have. 

[this post was last edited: 7/18/2014-10:58]

1957 Comprehensive Hoover Vacuum Cleaner Service Manual

1957 Comprehensive Hoover Vacuum Cleaner Service Manual

www.automatice.org

 

[scoots]

Thanks for those answers

Hi Fred, and thanks for those detailed answers, they were exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks ESPECIALLY for the link to the correct Hoover maintenance literature, it was of immense help understanding how the unit comes apart.

I think I will remove the hood. It will facilitate cleaning, and it will give me a chance to look at the brushes and re-grease the gears.

Does Hoover still sell this grease? (I tried looking the part number up and got nada). If not, what is the modern equivalent?

Thanks also for your offer for the screw and nut. I am really fussy about keeping things as close to original as possible.

Bill

 

[hooverwheelaway]

Heya Bill!

 

Glad that you were able to download the service manual.  I've found that manual extremely helpful in many instances.  Hoover no longer supplies grease, but I think any high-temperature grease that doesn't get real "runny" when it gets warm would work just fine.  The grease that we used to get in little cans at Hoover was a really pretty turquoise blue color, not sure if that's of any help. 

 

I put the screw in a padded envelope and will drop it in a mailbox this weekend! 

 

I was perusing eBay, and I'm pretty sure these are the brushes your model takes (based on the hex-shaped hole): 

 

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

Happy scrubbing!

 

[launderess]

If you can hang on a bit will have a look at my vintage Hoover parts and service manual. Know it covers most things from the 1950's through 1970's and IIRC those polishers are in there as well. Seem to remember taking a look when we got our vintage floor polisher several years back. It came with a bag holding all the brushes but since found more cheaply on fleaPay.