Polaris 280, typical pressure? Drive axle can be stopped incredibly easily

[mtc89]

My sweep has been functioning very poorly for a few months, and finally not working at all. I took the wheels off to find the inner teeth nearly stripped smooth on the two-wheeled side, opposite side seemed fine. With my booster pump running and the wheels removed, I’m able to stop the drive axle with a light touch from my pinky. Is this normal? I think I’m not getting tons of water pressure from the booster, I’m wondering if there’s a leak underground.

There are rebuild kits on Amazon for like $100, but I want to be sure there isn’t something more profoundly wrong with the sweep itself.

 

[Bperry]

My sweep has been functioning very poorly for a few months, and finally not working at all. I took the wheels off to find the inner teeth nearly stripped smooth on the two-wheeled side, opposite side seemed fine. With my booster pump running and the wheels removed, I’m able to stop the drive axle with a light touch from my pinky. Is this normal? I think I’m not getting tons of water pressure from the booster, I’m wondering if there’s a leak underground.

There are rebuild kits on Amazon for like $100, but I want to be sure there isn’t something more profoundly wrong with the sweep itself.

Often the motor jets get a piece of grit in them and it reduces the pressure to the motor. Take all the jets hoses off and blow them clean. Also check the screen filter on the hose connection at the pool wall.

 

[HermanTX]

My sweep has been functioning very poorly for a few months, and finally not working at all. I took the wheels off to find the inner teeth nearly stripped smooth on the two-wheeled side, opposite side seemed fine. With my booster pump running and the wheels removed, I’m able to stop the drive axle with a light touch from my pinky. Is this normal? I think I’m not getting tons of water pressure from the booster, I’m wondering if there’s a leak underground.

There are rebuild kits on Amazon for like $100, but I want to be sure there isn’t something more profoundly wrong with the sweep itself.

I have rebuilt mine at least twice. That turbine needs to replace every so often as that drives the wheels. Ensure that tube that leads to it is clean, not cracked or leaking.
Changing the gear wheels is important.

 

[mtc89]

Often the motor jets get a piece of grit in them and it reduces the pressure to the motor. Take all the jets hoses off and blow them clean. Also check the screen filter on the hose connection at the pool wall.

Yes I have removed the jets and cleared them out, and the little inline filter.

I have rebuilt mine at least twice. That turbine needs to replace every so often as that drives the wheels. Ensure that tube that leads to it is clean, not cracked or leaking.
Changing the gear wheels is important.

I’ll have to dive deeper in and inspect the turbine then.

 

[1poolman1]

Yes I have removed the jets and cleared them out, and the little inline filter.

I’ll have to dive deeper in and inspect the turbine then.

Give the paddle wheel a spin. Is it smooth? If not, replace the bearings and while you are at it replace all the bearings (8) in all the wheels since new wheels don't come with bearings.

It really doesn't take much to stop the paddle wheel, that's why it is protected under a cover inside the cleaner head. The whole thing is run by the leverage of a small gear against a larger one, the inside of those wheels, but a twig stuck between the small and large wheel will stop it. Yes, they wear out. If you run your Polaris the suggested amount of time in a pool, it will travel over 2500 miles per year according to the factory. They are only a small amount of stainless steel and a lot of plastic.

The biggest reason that inside of the wheels wear is that the drive axle is also worn, look at it and you should be able to see that. The wheels are adjustable on the inside to set the engagement of the axle to the wheel to compensate for the wear which no one, including me ever really does.
If the drive axle is very worn, you should replace it as well or it will wear the new wheels faster.

The easiest way to even out the wear is to rotate the wheels on occasion, they are all the same and it takes about 15 minutes. The rear wheel that is driven by the small center wheel is always going to be less worn. Swapping the two gear-driven wheels from side-to-side evens the wear on the teeth.

I have been using the ATIE brand of replacement parts, on Amazon, with good success. You can get a complete rebuild kit for about $200.00.

 

[mtc89]

Give the paddle wheel a spin. Is it smooth? If not, replace the bearings and while you are at it replace all the bearings (8) in all the wheels since new wheels don't come with bearings.

It really doesn't take much to stop the paddle wheel, that's why it is protected under a cover inside the cleaner head. The whole thing is run by the leverage of a small gear against a larger one, the inside of those wheels, but a twig stuck between the small and large wheel will stop it. Yes, they wear out. If you run your Polaris the suggested amount of time in a pool, it will travel over 2500 miles per year according to the factory. They are only a small amount of stainless steel and a lot of plastic.

The biggest reason that inside of the wheels wear is that the drive axle is also worn, look at it and you should be able to see that. The wheels are adjustable on the inside to set the engagement of the axle to the wheel to compensate for the wear which no one, including me ever really does.
If the drive axle is very worn, you should replace it as well or it will wear the new wheels faster.

The easiest way to even out the wear is to rotate the wheels on occasion, they are all the same and it takes about 15 minutes. The rear wheel that is driven by the small center wheel is always going to be less worn. Swapping the two gear-driven wheels from side-to-side evens the wear on the teeth.

I have been using the ATIE brand of replacement parts, on Amazon, with good success. You can get a complete rebuild kit for about $200.00.

The axle is in good condition, and spins freely. The wheel on the single wheel side was like 90% fine. The two large wheels and the small wheel on the other side were nearly smooth from the teeth being worn away. I got a complete rebuild kit, bearings included. Hope it fixes the issues.

 

[1poolman1]

The axle is in good condition, and spins freely. The wheel on the single wheel side was like 90% fine. The two large wheels and the small wheel on the other side were nearly smooth from the teeth being worn away. I got a complete rebuild kit, bearings included. Hope it fixes the issues.

Small, single wheel has no teeth on the inside. It is driven by friction from contact with the front wheel and drives the rear the same way. Be sure to follow the instructions on how to adjust the wheels against the drive axle and how to adjust the spring-loaded center wheel.

 

[Mayorb]

Also, check the internal jet orifice that drives the turbine. It's inside the curved turbine cover. Sometimes small debris gets there and blocks it.

 

[mtc89]

Also, check the internal jet orifice that drives the turbine. It's inside the curved turbine cover. Sometimes small debris gets there and blocks it.

So I installed new wheels and a new small wheel. The gears all mesh. I took off the turbine cover and ran the pump and confirmed it had a water jet spraying from the little hole in the cover. Reassembled everything and the wheels will not spin. Solid jets coming from the suction jets, thruster, and tail. Just the wheels will not spin at all, 0 rpms.

When I had it apart I confirmed the axle spinned freely, the bearings were good, and the paddle wheel had good teeth. Not sure what to do at this point. My pool has been green for weeks because I can’t get all of the Darn out of it.

 

[ajw22]

If you did not replace the bearing then you did not do a good rebuild. The bearings build up enough friction to stop the low torque the water creates. You cannot feel the friction and I don’t know how you can say the bearings are good.

 

[mtc89]

If you did not replace the bearing then you did not do a good rebuild. The bearings build up enough friction to stop the low torque the water creates. You cannot feel the friction and I don’t know how you can say the bearings are good.

Then I will replace the axle and bearings too. However, I did discover that the paddle wheel jet was clogged. I took the cover off and thought the jet was a little unusual in appearance, like it should be more laminar. Despite having already cleaned it with a pipe cleaner, I took the hose off and was able to knock out two small seed pieces that I recognized from one of my trees. There’s a tremendous difference in the pressure coming out of that little hole now, and the wheels are spinning. I will see in the morning how well it has performed overnight, but I will replace the wheel bearings regardless.

 

[Bperry]

Then I will replace the axle and bearings too. However, I did discover that the paddle wheel jet was clogged. I took the cover off and thought the jet was a little unusual in appearance, like it should be more laminar. Despite having already cleaned it with a pipe cleaner, I took the hose off and was able to knock out two small seed pieces that I recognized from one of my trees. There’s a tremendous difference in the pressure coming out of that little hole now, and the wheels are spinning. I will see in the morning how well it has performed overnight, but I will replace the wheel bearings regardless.

Make sure you clean the filter at the wall port as well or you’ll be cleaning that little jet out again. Mine would get a small grain of dirt stuck in again 15min after I cleaned it previously.

 

[mtc89]

If you did not replace the bearing then you did not do a good rebuild. The bearings build up enough friction to stop the low torque the water creates. You cannot feel the friction and I don’t know how you can say the bearings are good.

So I took it all apart again and the original Made in USA oem bearings were smooth as butter. I could spin the axle by hand and it would keep spinning and spinning like new. Compared to the brand new Chinese replacements, which were substantially more stiff. I left the original ones in, they are not the problem.

Even running all night the sweep did nothing. As little movement as the wheels were getting, it just doesn’t go anywhere. It should work like new but it just wont. It’s getting good pressure, there’s no clogs, clean filter. All moving parts work smoothly. Not sure what to do anymore.

 

[Bperry]

So I took it all apart again and the original Made in USA oem bearings were smooth as butter. I could spin the axle by hand and it would keep spinning and spinning like new. Compared to the brand new Chinese replacements, which were substantially more stiff. I left the original ones in, they are not the problem.

Even running all night the sweep did nothing. As little movement as the wheels were getting, it just doesn’t go anywhere. It should work like new but it just wont. It’s getting good pressure, there’s no clogs, clean filter. All moving parts work smoothly. Not sure what to do anymore.

Maybe got more dirt in the jets. It took me about 3 times doing that before I got rid of the thing.

 

[HermanTX]

So I took it all apart again and the original Made in USA oem bearings were smooth as butter. I could spin the axle by hand and it would keep spinning and spinning like new. Compared to the brand new Chinese replacements, which were substantially more stiff. I left the original ones in, they are not the problem.

Even running all night the sweep did nothing. As little movement as the wheels were getting, it just doesn’t go anywhere. It should work like new but it just wont. It’s getting good pressure, there’s no clogs, clean filter. All moving parts work smoothly. Not sure what to do anymore.

This is what the manual states to check if your cleaner is not moving. Have you check the RPM of the wheels before putting into the pool?
See screen capture below.