A108 - wouldn't spin - did I make the tub too tight?

[Lucy]

I replaced the seal and bearing, so it doesn't leak down the middle anymore (yay!), but then it wouldn't spin. Everything else worked fine. I figured it was just the belt, but my DH said "well, the belt was working just fine before you fixed it". So I waited til he left and put molasses on the belt. Spins just fine! He thought I must have overtightened things when I put it together, but I thought I did everything about the right torque - just two or three medium-light taps with a big hammer on the spanner tool on both the mounting stem and spanner nut. The tub is hard to turn, but as I recall it was also hard to turn when I was turning it during disassembly.

The belt seemed a little glazed looking to me, and it is not an original Maytag belt - it was the closest John Deere one we could find, but it has worked fine for 10 years. The original worked for 22 years before that.

I will order a new Maytag belt for sure, but since the molassessed one is spinning it fine, should I still be thinking about taking it apart again and loosening it slightly? My DH is worried I'm going to burn out the motor or clutch or something. I personally think it is fine, and only time will tell for sure, but I would like some of your fine opinions.

 

[akronman]

DH?

DH===Dear husband or Dumb husband?

 

[beekeyknee]

Won't Spin

Molasses! Good Heavens. John Deere, indeed. You don't know what you're doing. You need to do A LOT of research before you do anything else. There's all kinds of information on this site. Start searching.

 

[Lucy]

DH

You decide.

 

[bendixmark]

no spin

Most likely the basket stem is over tightened.Remove the basket and stem and then turn the transmission pulley clockwise until the end of its travel,the transmission should turn freely when you do this.Get yourself a set of maytag belts before anything that machine will not function properly without them as they act as a slipping clutch.Put the machine into spin without the stem.If it spins fine,reassemble giving the stem 2 light whacks with a normal hammer.Also make sure during spin the basket isnt hitting the tub cover.And no molasses for gods sake!!

 

[qsd-dan]

The belt seemed a little glazed looking to me, and it is not an original Maytag belt - it was the closest John Deere one we could find, but it has worked fine for 10 years.



Purchase genuine Maytag belts ONLY! The transmission belt has a cloth like covering and is designed to slip for the spin cycle. Standard belts are designed to aggressively grip. I'm really surprised the John Deer belt has lasted 10 years. A standard belt usually breaks...immediately! The pump belt generally slips very little, if at all, so I can see that one lasting for a while.

but then it wouldn't spin....The tub is hard to turn, but as I recall it was also hard to turn when I was turning it during disassembly.

Most common error for first timers is that the tub cover is pushed too far down during the re-installation process, contacting and jamming the inner tub. Loosen the metal seal band and lift the cover up 1/4-1/2 inch or so all around. Does the inner tub turn easier now?

 

[combo52]

MAYTAG BELTS

Yes you should only use the MT belt for the main drive, the pump belt doesn't matter as long as it is the correct size. Be sure not to over tighten the pump belt it should be very loose when the motor is pulled all the way back, otherwise it will make the main belt slip more than it should.