The brush bar quit going around

Hello, Rudy -

Without knowing the make and model of your vacuum cleaner it is a challenge to answer your question.

Some vacuum cleaners have an on/off switch to turn the beater bar/brush on and off, so that when using the machine on hardwood, a moving beater bar/brush will not damage the wood.

You may find these troubleshooting steps helpful:
(Quote)
If something gets caught in the brush roll, the overload protector shuts off the roller. Lie the vacuum down and turn it over to access the brush roller after turning it off and unplugging it from the wall. Check the roller for threads, hair or other debris wrapped around the roller. A pair of scissors can cut through long threads and help you to remove them from the roller. Double-check the belt on the roller to verify it sits in the groove made for it. The brush roller won't function properly when the belt is misaligned.
(End quote)
Source:
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/electrolux-vacuum-troubleshooting-71892.html

Personal opinion: Find a local vacuum repair business, take your vacuum cleaner there, and have a trained technician inspect your vacuum cleaner and recommend the proper repair and quote you a price.

Best wishes.

Most vacuums have an adjustment at the front so when you go from linoleum floors to thick carpet you can raise or lower them. Try raising or lowering it. Also every vacuum with problems I've ever looked at has needed a serious cleaning. Hair gets caught and wrapped around the wheels, hair gets caught on the "beater" bars and slows down the whole vacuum. Finally string or thread gets caught around everything. My wife does a lot of cross stitch and knitting projects, so I have to dismantle and clean our vacs about once a month. Finally if the air filter is clogged, then air can't pass through it. Change the filter or rinse it out in the sink. You'll breath a little better after you do this too.

did you remember to put the belt on? Did you clean the ends of your beater bar?

It sounds like if the rod is clean then there is debree inside the roller where the rod fits in too.

If it is a smell of burning rubber - most likely your vacuum belt is overdue for replacement.

At this point - remove the brush roller, remove the old belt, clean off your brush roller and remove any string or hair that may be bound up around it (usually around where the belt goes or on the sides), and put on a new belt. Your Kirby should act good as new if your bag is replaced at the same time.

If the brush roller has too much string and hair wrapped around it, many times the brush roller will not spin as fast as the belt is driving it and you will get that burning smell.

Pry the end caps off the brush bar, you will find hair and string wrapped up tight in the end. the bearing may also be shot, you can try and oil it up a bit to keep it spinning. <!-- from fixya rte -->

the loud ratching is a warning to tell you that there is something stopping the roller bar from rotating this is a very common thing lay the machine on the floor front side down take off the bottom plate and just check the belt is in the centre of the belt guide on the brush bar normally if you turn the roller slowly without the bottom plate fitted it will straighten out on its own

Hi Dave.

Ok you need to lift belt end of roller up, so that you get the roller straight then lower roller down so that both ends go in at same time down.

Use a large flat screwdriver to help lever roller up from belt end & watch your fingers (Ouch).

http://dysonmanuals.llc.nu/

This other than it's capabitlities to clean is a very fragile product for this reason. Everytime you get something wrapped around the rollers it quits allowing the roller brush to turn. My repair guy says it is in the switch on the handle it causes some sort of short or something. Everytime it happens it costs me $45-50 to get it repaired the first time it was still under warrantee next time I'm just going to buy something with a better track record and a longer warrantee. I think Dyson has a five year warrantee.