Breaking Down A 5 Gal. Shop Vac

[Mechanic688]

I broke down a Shop Vac the other day so I thought I'd show how easy it is to remove the motor.

This is the 5 gal vac.


Flip the lid over and remove 4 Hex screws, 8mm


Close-up of the cover.


Separate the cover to reveal the motor.


Plastic part unsnaps, fan underneath.


Remove nut to remove fan.




Under fan is motor dust cover, remove 2 Phillips screws.


Open winding motor and power cord, that's all the goodies.

[bigburtchino]

My shop-vac "SUCKS"!, I think I'll keep it sucking some more,

Mech. will you break the motor down?

[junkfreak]

Got a dead one in the shop now. Still has the wheels on it so I know I'll utilize that . I like wheels on everything ,makes moving stuff much easier and quicker. Thanks for the pictorial Mech.

[NHscrapman]

I tried to smash out the motor on the last one I got... not the way to go about it.
some things are just better to disassemble.

[NJSouth]

That looks MUCH easier than the industrial belt sander I tried taking apart yesterday.... What a nightmare. I will take my frustrations out on an unsuspecting Shop Vac next!

[junkfreak]

That looks MUCH easier than the industrial belt sander I tried taking apart yesterday.... What a nightmare. I will take my frustrations out on an unsuspecting Shop Vac next!

I feel ya. Some things become a quest the more aggravating they are. But ,when I get something I've never done before I get excited, cause I know that there's a good chance that I may need to buy a new tool! Can never own too many tools! Or bfh's!

[Mechanic688]

My shop-vac "SUCKS"!, I think I'll keep it sucking some more,

Mech. will you break the motor down?

Those would make a good motor for pulling the copper out but right now I have no right angle cutter (of any sort) to cut the loops off. Somewhere I lost my Dremel so I just had to turn in about 36 lb of motors for a lousy .10 lb. Steel stayed the same at $80. net ton tho.

The wheels on the newer Shop-vac's are just snapped into a hole in the main "barrel". No unbolting or unscrewing them.

[NewbyScrapper]

Great pics and info Mech, ty