Maytag Orbital Transmission with the Power-fin agitator

[scrubflex]

Does anyone in the club own a Maytag Dependable Care washer but, uses the awesome POWER-FIN agitator?

How much better does the orbital transmission performs with 'super' size washloads. For instances, heavy jeans, quilts, large sheets and towels.

Can you share and post some pictures?

 

[mayfan69]

Found this on Youtube....

I believe "Westytoploader" does....

Here's the video on Youtube...

Leon

 

[gyrafoam]

IMO, the Extra Large-Tub Orbital machines were not as good a performers as the Newton drive units.
Especially at High water level------if it was an earlier Orbital machine without the ratcheting agitator, the turnover could be really slow.
So slow, that, with that stupid 90 second Deep-Rinse, sometimes the clothes would not even get a chance for one roll-over before the rinse cycle ends !

 

[scrubflex]

IMO, the Extra Large Orbital machines...

Do you mean the orbital partnered with the power fin agitattor? Would the 1/2 HP motor have a better effect on how the transmission washes in the orbital compare to the Newton drive 1/3 HP motors?

It looks like there is a "stroke sweep" difference between the two washers. When I look at a belt-drive Whirlpool and Kenmore (68 OPM) agitation stroke the clothes movement has a 'steady' and 'swift' downward roll on the load. (That's how the clothes move in the orbital videos). The Newton drive and Whirlpool agitation stroke is about the same, (205 degrees) but, Maytag 'swishes' and 'flops' the clothes from side to side before rolling them downward. I'm not complaining, I just notice the difference between the two, the motor size.

It's clear the Whirlpool/Kenmore agitattion stroke is faster than Newton Maytag (63 OPM) and the agitator base is/maybe wider but, not much.
Is the deep rinse REALLY only 90 seconds? I read the Dependables have a longer rinse, 3 minutes.

 

[gyrafoam]

The Orbitals have shorter fins so in theory need to move faster to agitate the same amount of water as the Newton.Well, that is theory.

IMO, the longer finned, slower, wider stroke of the original Power-Fin is a superior cleaning system.
IMO, of the Orbitals, only the standard-sized tub models did a good job with a full load----although the ridiculously short deep-rinse still did a lousy job of rinsing.

They had a good thing going with the Helical's and Newton's and they should have left them alone.
Once they tampered with the tried and true they made a fast trip into corporate oblivion. DUH!

 

[gyrafoam]

Oh, BTW, my '64 Highlander with the filtering Gyratator is amongst the best of the best Maytag ever turned out.
When all else fails it is this old machine that I turn to----to take care of business. Washes and rinses throughly.
It is a brute.
I don't care what dirty fabrics you put in it----they will be clean when you take them out.

 

[peterh770]

"Let's Talk Service" July-August 1989

Washing results are virtually the same as before. Although the agitation stroke is much shorter, the oscillations per minute are higher to get the same wash action. There are 150 oscillations per minute on Fabric-matic and single speed models. On two speed models, there are 100 oscillations per minute on slower speed. However, the outer edge of the agitation fin moves throught the water at exactly the same speed as it did with the previous transmission.

 

[scrubflex]

original Power-Fin is a superior...

I completely agree the Power-Fin agitator is one of the BEST agitators ever created and still is today. And, you're right the standard size tub models do a good job of turning the clothes over.
A video is on YouTube-Maytag Washing (agitating).

 

[gyrafoam]

Now Peter, you know the washing results with the Orbital's is nowhere near that of the Newton or Helical's so don't even try it!

 

[autowasherfreak]

My roommate and I used to go to a laundromat that has mostly older belt drive Whirlpools and Maytags. I would used the top loaders that were closest to the Big Boy front loaders which were Maytags. They were older machines in harvest gold and avocado green, and they agitated like the one in westytoploader's video and had the power-fin agitators. I noticed something was different as soon as it started to agitate so I open in and see what was going on. It reminded of the Whirlpool direct drive machine I had in the early 90's.

Unfortunately the laundromat is no longer in business. I would talk to the owner, and very nice old man. He told me the last time we were there he didn't know how much longer he would be open because his health was failing, he had lung cancer. I liked going there, because it less expensive, and had the coolest washers.

 

[scrubflex]

westytoploader's video-power-fin agitators's...

Autowasherfreak, what year was that when you used that laundromat? Was there any difference in the look of the older washers? I mean the interior, the tub. And, these were the deep tubs.

Are you sure they didn't agitate like eddy210's video (Maytag A210 Souped Up) that uses a 50 cycle pulley and belts? The 50 cycle pulley and belts amped the agitation speed from 63 OPM to 72 OPM.

BTW, there's NO WAY the obital powerflex 12 and loadsensor agitators could perform as good as the power-fin agitator.