We have the Dyson animal 2 and it’s near impossible to push on carpet. We can’t find the height adjuster, can you please help? null

Question

Louise · Accepted Answer

I agree with the reviewer who called Dyson out about the Animal 2 having too much suction for normal carpets. I have hardwood floors and LARGE area rugs. My carpets are not shag, nor are they considered "deep pile." However, the vacuum is almost impossible to push. On a previous Dyson I was advised to either drill holes to allow more air into the height leveler or to add washers to increase the distance between the brush roller/suction tube and the carpet. Both would let more air in, reducing the suction. I also noticed that one person posted the suggestion that one remove the rubber portion of the height adjustment bar altogether. Tomorrow I will be on the phone with Dyson. It is ridiculous to spend this much on a vacuum cleaner that doesn't work.I read reviews but several people said that they worked fine on shag and deep pile carpeting. Tomorrow I will be on the phone with Dyson. It is ridiculous to spend this much on a vacuum cleaner that doesn't work.

Answered by Louise 6 years ago

Answer

Sadly, lining up the filter on the side did not work for me!

wb407 · Answer

I just received my vacuum. It came having this issue. Found tons of comments and reviews that make it sound as though this behavior is a feature (of improved suction) and not a bug. I already filed a warranty claim. THEN.. I found a video on youtube that everyone on this thread needs to see. I'll summarize the takeaway.. the filter on the side of the ball is not installed correctly; there are two arrows that need to be aligned perfectly. In his video, his was off by a small fraction of an inch. When I unscrewed the filter housing, I saw that mine also came pre-installed misaligned by a small fraction of an inch. I twisted the filter slightly so the arrows lined up, then screwed the filter housing back into place. Turned the vacuum on and.. suddenly it works correctly.. without any drag on either bare floor or carpet. Amazing.. such a simple fix isn't better known.. either in owner comments/discussions or by Dyson's customer service agents.. who were extremely nice and did their best to be helpful.. but they need to be trained about such issues. On the one hand, I'm disappointed that I wasted so much time today on this. On the other hand, I'm happy that my new vacuum is now working perfectly.. and amazed that such a simple fix did the trick. To others.. please spread this info. No silly hacks are needed.

original video showing this solution:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3a8Y6MsHAw

michaelhartdesigns · Answer

I SOLVED the hard to move on CARPET PROBLEM for my Dyson Ball Multifloor 2 vacuum. See the before and after video comparison. Watch https://youtu.be/voXyl-SntSs

The solution will not damage the machine, it's removable, requires no tools or additional equipment and will not reduce the machine’s awesome suction power. The solution will work on the Dyson Ball Multifloor 2, Ball Animal 2 Total Clean and the Ball Animal 2 vacuums. 

-M

VacsMaster · Answer

Don’t throw out your first gen Animal until you know this problem will not happen on your carpet! Luckily I still had mine in the garage, turns out the heads are interchangeable! There is a tension clip that locks it in where the head meets the ball on both vacs, can be pulled loose with your fingers. I swapped the heads (after a good cleaning of the old one) lined power plug up, pushed the head on and set the clip back in place. Everything powered up and worked just like the new head, but now I can push it through my carpet without breaking my back. By no means ideal but it got the job done, Too much power, too perfect of a seal, would be better to direct airflow than just gluing the thing to the floor. Dyson needs to send the big brains back to work and offer a solution, not excuses.

Answered by VacsMaster 5 years ago

DotB · Answer

There is no adjustment. It is supposed to automatically adjust. We had the same problem with our brand new Animal 2 Dyson. I called them and spoke at length with the support person at Dyson. Bottom line: that's the way it is and I should pick another vacuum. The most likely explanation for the problem is that the carpet has a thick pad which it can not suck any air through. Kind of a ridiculous problem but the way it is. I have returned it and am now searching for a better option. I don't think one exists in the Dyson line. The woman I spoke to recommended a rechargeable (yuck) or a canister type (yuck again). Looking at reviews and other brands now.

Answered by DotB 5 years ago

BillM · Answer

To fix the Animal 2 to push and pull easier on carpet, cut the rubber seal off with a razor blade on the 2 end sides of the brush bar plate. This will let a little air in and totally fix it and this is best fix so its easier to push and pull on all types of carpet. i haven't noticed any reduction of performance from doing this. Highly recommend this fix, because Dyson support will not tell you this fix because it voids the warrantee on the brush bar part.

Answered by BillM 5 years ago

Phil · Answer

The person that stated the answer about the side filter is absolutely correct. I turned mine not even a sixteenth of an inch to line up the arrows and it’s much easier to push.

ELNS · Answer

I was looking for an answer to a different question, when I stumbled upon the post about the filter in the ball being off by just a little bit. This post is accompanied by a couple pictures to help. I wish there is some way I could respond directly to the person who posted it because I would like to tell them that they are my angel from Heaven today. I recently took my Dyson Animal apart to clean it using a very good video on Youtube. Ever since then, my Animal has been much more difficult to push and it used to be so easy, I loved vacuuming with it. But, it had become quite a chore that I was more and more frequently trying to palm off on my husband or son because it was so difficult to do. I followed the directions in the video to a T when I cleaned it and put it back together, but somehow I always felt like that had something to do with it when it didn't push easily anymore. So, I found this post today, and when I checked my ball filter, sure enough it was off by I'd say 3/8 to 1/2". That was not something that was in that video when I put the Dyson back together or I would have made sure that was in the right place. I made that adjustment and voila! My Dyson Animal pushes just like it did when I first got it! This needs to be included in all directions and videos that deal with taking the vacuum apart to clean it and putting it back together again. And the customer service people need to know about it, too, because some of these posts show that they don't know about it. By the way, some people have been complaining about the suction, but that's one of the things I love about it. It really gets all the dirt and pet hair up; just be careful on the edges of area rugs because it tries to suck the whole rug up.

Answered by ELNS 5 years ago

MrsLozo · Answer

We call Dyson regarding the animal pro and rep stated they are not design for carpets with thick padding. She suggested using the cordless Dyson with less suction. We ask about taking out the bottom plate for less suction and some of the other recommendations people posted or here and she stated doing anything to alter the product could cause problems down the road which can forfeit the warranty. Unfortunately, they don’t tell you which carpets are better for the product before buying. It’s a shame to make a product that cause so much money and it only works on thin carpets. This product works great on bare floors. We considered keeping it just for floors but why buy an expensive vacuum for floors only.

Answered by MrsLozo 5 years ago

TheDon · Answer

I have a Dyson 65 with the same problem. Took it to the Dyson agent (who were very helpful as always) and they drilled 2 holes to to let more air through. It will now move, but it is still too hard to push. I get the feeling that it will ruin the carpets. I agree with the comment about the Animal, in that Dyson need to fix the problem by Design, Seems they have such good products and a good Brand name, but their design department needs a change. there are so many comments I can make about how the Dyson Upright 65. Maybe someone is aware of a second attachment that may work

Phil · Answer

To anyone reading this , I am sort of having an issue also. However, I have thick plush carpets with an acoustic absorbing pad underneath , and I have no problems at all on any of them. I do however, have issues vacuuming this 9x12 thin rug. It’s almost like the rug is too thin and the roller bar gets stuck. Have no idea how to fix.

Courtney · Answer

Commenter Bill M is a freaking genius! First, this machine is not worth the $500 I paid for it! I cannot believe you have to cut part of the machine off to get it to function properly, thus voiding your warranty. But that is indeed the case. Bill said to cut the rubber seal with a razor blade on the sides of the head to break the air seal. I tried that with a slit in the rubber on each side. That didn't work. You literally have to cut that entire piece of rubber out of there, I used a small pair of very sharp scissors and removed the whole piece, about 3"x1/2". Now it works pretty great. Guess my warranty is voided, but at least I can push the darn thing around the house without straining. The suction remains top notch, still cleans the carpets well. Really glad I don't have to toss this vacuum in the garbage. Thanks BIll M!

Fixedit · Answer

The bottom plate can be compressed and held in place with zip ties. I only compressed the front and wrapped the ties around the tangs to keep it from expanding slowing air to be pulled from the front of the vacuum head.

Jayne · Answer

I wish I would have seen this problem
Before I purchased. Will not work on area rugs at all. My arrows are lined up. Should not have been told it adjusts to rugs. Does not…I have no thick pad. Will try to return. Terrible.

Tmac · Answer

Have a mechanical "fix" to reduce the suction. There is supposed to be a "switch" on the right side bottom of the unit. I didn't see one. So I examined the very bottom replaceable frame. I Noticed on the frame that touches the rug/ floor there is a flexible accordion type of of gasket integrated in the frame. It maintains the suction when the unit is on the "bare floor". I have an additional well used Animal 2, so I took the old frame and trimmed the rubber off of the sides only. So far it works. Dyson could fix the design by putting a "visible" switch on the frame to compress the frame together thus adjusting suction. Perhaps those of you without an extra unit could buy a replacement frame and modify it.

Webstir · Answer

Yo! Pay attention to this comment.
Commenter “wb407” nails the problem.
Read that answer and your problem will be solved.

Answer

See the answer referring to the side filter. It worked on my new Animal 3.
YEAH!! So easy.

Answer

I was having the same issue … seemed hard to push even on hardwood floors (like it was dragging) … on carpet it was almost stuck to the carpet … reading the issue about the filter I did exactly what he said and ensured was lined up with arrows. I also cleaned it thoroughly as well… wow! Now it’s back to normal and works great… the good part was I reviewed with Dyson, and while this was never brought up by them, they sent me a complete new head so I will just hang on to that.

Answer

I had the same problem with my new Dyson animal vacuum, could not push it across the carpet.  After looking for remedies on the internet and finding very few, all which required things that would potentially void the warrenty,   I took it in to a Dyson Service Center in Lenexa, KS and they put a new plate on it while I waited and it works great!

Jiggety · Answer

I just received my Dyson DC65 Animal Ball 2 vacuum last week. It works great on wood floors and low-pile rugs, but had great trouble on our thicker pile carpeting. The brush head would suck so hard that it created a seal against the floor and became impossible to move. 

After reading various solutions on line I called Dyson and they agreed to send me a new sole plate for the brush head. In the mean time I modified the original one in a simple way, by drilling a series of 1/8" holes through the sole plate, along the curved face behind the brush. This allows more air (and dirt I suppose!) into the head and the brushes still go fairly deep into the pile to pull out deeper dirt. This is precisely what I wanted, and it would be easy for Dyson to provide alternative sole plates to customers with thick pile carpeting.

Answer

Brilliant to adjust the filter!!

Answer

If u get a couple small rubber o rings and place them on the two spots that let the plastic cover move up and down it fixes that very simply

Answer

Every thing I have found says it’s self adjusting,it’s useless on carpet

Answer

Does it have a height adjyster

Dyson · Answer

Dysentery upright carpet Cleaning

Craig · Answer

See this thread, which fixed the problem for me (I have an Animal 2):
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/513993/Suction+too+strong+on+DC41

Basically, there’s a little strip of rubber on the bottom of the vacuum that you can remove.

Green · Answer

Why is my Dyson V8 animal so hard to push

Eyegal · Answer

I just got mine and I was having issues with it. I discovered I didn’t put the handle on correctly. Readjusted it and it works great now. Glad I didn’t give up too soon.

BBinSD · Answer

This is what Dyson chat just told me... suction is too strong for some carpet, I guess. Including my low pile 9 ft x 12 ft area rugs. I wish my 20 year old Dyson hadn't just cracked from age - it was way better

From Dyson chat...
Dyson cleaner heads are designed to seal to the flooring. The carpets are showing to not be compatible with the high suction level of the vacuum. The vacuum will require air flow through the carpets to pick up the debris and allow for movement over the flooring. As your vacuum is not moving when on this would indicate that the vacuum is effectively suctioning to the floor and is incompatible. We try to make them work on a variety of flooring types and unfortunately, we are unable to account for everything.

Matt · Answer

It doesn’t have a height adjustment so to speak. It’s automatic. The issue you are having is due to the extreme suction of the vac. Basically you just gotta push it harder.

DysonProductExpert · Answer

Hello there, this is Kelly with Dyson. The cleaner head on the Dyson Ball Animal 2 is self-adjusting; there's nothing to adjust, as the cleaner head will automatically raise and lower to seal in suction across all flooring types. Ultimately, the machine being hard to push will likely be the result of suction forming an air tight seal between the cleaner head and the floor. Please feel free to reach out to us directly for further support, as askdysonUS@dyson.com.

Best wishes,
Kelly
Dyson Customer Support

“We have the Dyson animal 2 and it’s near impossible to push on carpet. We can’t find the height adjuster, can you please help?”

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