Maintaining Your Pentair Rebel Suction Cleaner

Are you a homeowner who owns a Pentair Rebel Suction Cleaner (360473) or are you considering adding this versatile cleaner to your pool care system? If the answer is yes, you may be curious as to what maintenance may be required on these machines. You will be relieved to know that the Pentair Rebel Suction Cleaner is generally a low-maintenance cleaner, meaning you can spend more time enjoying your pool and less time fixing your pool equipment. If you’re curious about what kind of maintenance the Rebel requires most often, please read on! 

Basic Maintenance to Ensure Longevity

Practice Healthy Habits

Your Pentair Rebel Suction Cleaner should remain in your pool at all times with few exceptions; one of those exceptions occurs when you shock your pool. When you are swimming, you may unplug the Rebel from the leader hose and place it on the side of your pool. During the off-season or whenever storing your cleaner, please be certain not to coil the hose or leave it in direct sunlight. You may lay the hose out flat in a shaded location to protect your hose for years to come. 

Check Your Components

To ensure your Rebel cleaner remains working properly, you should make it a habit to visually inspect your cleaner periodically. The first thing you should do is ensure that the turbine (360293) is moving in an unobstructed manner and that there is no visible debris clogging it up. The other part of the cleaner you need to check every so often is the tires (360287) on the machine. Regularly checking the tires will ensure they are not excessively worn; if they are, it’s time to come see us at ePoolSupply for a replacement! 

Removing Debris from the Turbine

Before you begin, ensure your pool pump is turned off. Once this is done, remove your Pentair Rebel from the pool, disconnect it from the leader hose, and choose a clean, flat work surface. You are now ready to begin!

Step 1: 

Set the cleaner onto your work surface with the buckle facing you. Give the right wheel a few forward turns; if the wheel turns easily, you’re in the clear (and so is your cleaner). If you have issues turning the wheel, it’s time to clear out the debris within the cleaner.

Step 2:

When it becomes necessary to clean your machine, go ahead and open the buckle by pulling both out and down, then lift the front of the top cover up and firmly pull forward (you may need to wiggle the cover a bit to loosen it). Once that’s done, lift the top cover straight up and set it aside.

Step 3:

Next, take the turbine cover off by lifting it straight up; set that piece aside as well. It’s time to inspect your Rebel for debris: look over and remove any visible obstructions from the turbine and its cover.  

Step 4:

Take a look at the rest of the cleaner - the gears and drive shaft specifically. Remove any visible debris from those parts as well. 

Step 5:

Give the right wheel of the cleaner a turn. If the wheel turns smoothly, congratulations! You’re finished with maintenance and it’s time to put the Rebel back together again.

Step 6:

Start by placing the top cover over the assembly, then insert the tabs on the backside of the top cover into the slots on the backside of the cleaner. Secure those tabs and the top cover will fall into place. Go ahead and lock the top cover onto the cleaner using the locking buckle and get ready to reinsert your cleaner into the pool. Don’t forget the leader hose and turn your pool pump back on. 

Should you find that you require any parts, take a look at our tune-up kit for the Pentair Rebel!

Replacing Your Tires

How do you know when it’s time to replace the tires on your Pentair Rebel cleaner? Here’s a hint: when the outer tire surface has worn down to the level of the tire’s grooves, it’s time for replacement. Follow along to learn how to do so!

Step 1:

To remove the tire, be certain to start at the beginning: turn your pool pump off and remove your cleaner from the pool. Once that’s done, detach the cleaner from the leader hose and place your cleaner on a flat work surface.

Step 2:

Now it’s time to get to work! Go ahead and fold the tire off the wheel from top to bottom using only your hands - should you use tools, you run the risk of damaging the wheel. 

Step 3:

To install the replacement tire, keep your cleaner on a flat surface. Seat the top of the rubber tire on the wheel, making sure that the back lip of the tire is resting on the inside edge of the wheel. Be certain to use only your hands to replace the tire; using tools can damage the wheel. Stretch the bottom of the tire over the bottom of the wheel while remaining certain that the back lip of the tire is flat on the inside edge. 

Step 4:

You are now almost finished! Fold the back lip of the tire onto the back of the cleaner wheel along the entire wheel. When you’re through, the tire should lie flat on the surface of the wheel. Putting the tires on can be difficult, but keep in mind that they are made to be tight around the wheel so they don’t fall off. Don’t worry! The tires will not rip or break while you’re putting them back onto the wheel as long as you only use your hands for the job. 

 Get Your Pool Equipment at ePoolSupply

Whether you’re a new pool owner or have been enjoying your outdoor paradise for years, you’ll need the best in OEM parts for all of your pool equipment. For over 25 years, ePoolSupply has been the leading supplier of pool equipment and parts. Get everything from suction cleaners, filters, heaters, and more. We even have YouTube videos to assist you in getting to know your Pentair Rebel Suction Cleaner! Check them out below!

With extensive experience in pool repair and maintenance, our experts are here to help walk you through the process of maintaining your cleaner. Give us a call at 602-274-7946 or send us an email at [email protected].