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I have an upright vacuum cleaner with rotating brushes at the intake. What rotates them is a belt that is rotated by a small rotating divot-looking thing.

The belt is always falling off of that divot.

The divot used to be silver/steel-colored, but is now brassy. I suspect, therefore, that it got smoothed out by use, and the smoothness is making the belt slide off of it. Does that seem reasonable? Can anyone suggest another explanation?

But what I really seek is a remedy to the belt-sliding-off-the-divot situation. (If the problem is smoothness of the divot, then perhaps a way to roughen it up.)

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  • Oh, darn, I see now that "questions regarding small appliances" are on the off-topic list. I assume this will be closed. I'm asking the Lifehacks folks whether they think it's on-topic there; if so, and it's closed here, can you migrate it to there, please? Thanks.
    – msh210
    Mar 9, 2016 at 3:25
  • some photos will help.
    – ojait
    Mar 9, 2016 at 4:19
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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's about a small appliance. Please see the help center for more information.
    – Niall C. ♦
    Jun 20, 2016 at 3:56

2 Answers 2

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You're absolutely right & that's what's happening...unless of course you have the wrong belt. It's time to buy a whole new Rotator thanks to planned obsolescence.

Although, I might be willing to try some sort of retainer until the new Rotator arrives. Maybe 3 screws on either side of the belt area around the rotator body & far enough away as to not saw through the belt. Or, band clamps holding thicker plastic strips (sides of plastic lids or layers of soda bottle bodies) around the rotator body. A screw on guide or retainer where the belt comes out to the rotator...nothing on the rotator so you don't spend 3-days balancing out. You get the idea.

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  • No problem. Place the order & give a few things a shot. If they hold-up then the new one will be your spare.
    – Iggy
    Mar 9, 2016 at 4:47
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try wrapping duct tape around the drive rod. What usually happens after awhile the belt tension is great enough that the shaft from the motor (divot) becomes bent slightly. The shaft is now out of "true" and spins in an oscillating manner. Wrapping tape at the shafts end may compensate for the wobbling motion. You can also purchase a new motor.

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