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Kirby Vacuum Fan Repair

Here at Great Vacs we sometimes get asked how you replace a kirby fan. Usually a fan breaks or cracks because you picked up something metal or hard when you were vacuuming. So this will tell you how to replace it. Tools needed are a flat head screw driver, 9mm end wrench and a long nail or vice grips, phillips head screwdriver for models G3 and G4 and a start bit screw driver for models G5 and up.

NOTICE - This website is ONLY for our customers and employees. If you have not bought from us you are not authorized to view this document. Also GreatVacs and any of its parent or child companies are not liable for any work you do on your vacuum. If your vacuum needs repaired or fixed in any way you need to send it to an authorized repair center. Any work done by anyone reading this document assumes all liability and risks to themselves, others around them and any property that may be damaged. Great Vacs has written this document for informational purposes only and assumes no risk or liability in any way.
Thanks, Dustin

Disclaimer - All information that we have provided is third party information. The information contained is just what we have learned over the years from repairing and rebuilding kirby vacuums. All information and statements are merely our opinions. All official and technical information on kirby vacuums is not contained within this information. For that information you need to contact the kirby company or your local distributors. We are not a Kirby distributor nor are we associated in any way with the Kirby Vacuum company. We don't claim to include all information in this document but if there is something that you would like us to add, please let us know. By doing the work yourself you assume all liability and responsibility of doing so yourself. It is suggested that this work be performed by a vacuum service center.


The main steps to replacing the fan is taking the vacuum apart to be able to get to the fan. The following steps are how to take it apart.

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Kirby Vacuum Fan
WARNING: NEVER ATTEMPT TO PERFORM ANY TYPE OF MAINTENANCE OR WORK ON THE VACUUM IN ANY WAY WHILE VACUUM IS CONNECTED TO A POWER SOURCE. DOING SO MAY RESULT IN ELECTRIC SHOCK.

Remove the Powerhead To do this you will select your carpet height adjuster to its highest settings. Then spin the belt lifter so the two red arrows are pointed at each other. Then disconnect the head and take it off. Side note - when you are done and put your head back on dont forget to realign the arrows to green on green.
Kirby Vacuum Fan repair
Remove the bag and handle Right where the handle goes into the actual vacuum it snaps out. To unsnap the handle their is a button on the back of the handle right at the base where it goes into the vacuum. To take off the bag put your hand under the boot mini emptor (plastic part at bottom of bag) and pull away from the vacuum and it snaps off. That is how you take off the handle and bag.
Kirby Vacuum Part
Remove the trim around the Pivot handle The next step is to remove the trim around the pivot handle (where the handle snaps in). The first thing you want to do is to undo the screw at the bottom of the trim. The screw is located right above the transmission switch. Then you want to remove the screw that holds the cord under the trim. When that is off you want to unsnap the trim buy grabbing the bottom of it and lift up and at the same time push toward the front of the vacuum. The trim then comes off.
Kirby Vacuum
Remove the Metal Body With the powerhead and rear trim removed the 4 screws that remove the Metal body are now visible. First we remove the 2 on the rear of the metal that were covered up by the trim. Once those are removed we move to the front of the vacuum and remove the two remaining screws that are holding on the front of the trim. With the 4 screws removed now you simply lift the Metal body off of the vacuum.
Kirby Vacuum Fan assembly
Remove the Front Fan Cover Plate With a star bit or a phillips screw driver (head type depends on model) remove the 5 screws on the front plate and pull off the front plate. To get it off you might have to pry it off with a flat head screw driver.

With the completion of this step the vacuum is taken apart as far as we need it to be. Now the motor, transmission. and other main parts of the kirby vacuum are exposed.


Remove the old fan O.K. first you put your nail through the pulley or clamp your vice grips on the pulley to secure it from moving. Next we attach the 9 mm end wrench on the motor shaft so the shaft will not spin (see picture). Then you are going to turn your nail or vice grips backwards (reverse threaded) and the pulley will unthread. Then you are going to pull off the fan. If the fan will not come off get 2 flat head screwdrivers and put pressure on both sides of the fan and pry it off. With the fan off I usually clean behind the fan and then put on the new fan.


Putting the new fan on The best way to do this is look at the order the old fan came off and then reverse it. However I will also explain how to do it in detail as well. With the fan their should be 4 pieces. A metal coupler, a rubber gasket, a plastic washer, and a metal washer. What you do is put the rubber gasket on over the metal coupler. Then you slide those on the shaft with the flat side facing the fan side. Then you put the plastic washer on (this is correct if you look at the picture I mixed up the order of washers but the metal washer goes between the fan and the metal belt pulley), then you put the new fan on and then you put the metal washer on and then you screw the pulley back on. Then reattach your tools and tighten everything until it is good and snug.

Put everything back together

Now you simply put everything back together. Do it in the reverse order than you took it apart. The only thing you need to do differently is when you put the front plate that covers the fan you will need some gasket sealer on it and then put the 5 screws back in. You do this so no air leaks around the fan cassing and you have good suction. After you tighten the screws you will see some excess gasket sealer squeeze out. Take a rag and wipe the gasket sealer off while it is wet. Then simply put the vacuum back together and test your work.