Aftermarket bellows?

[fltcoils]

in thread Post# 46951-10/14/2004-03:03
http://www.automaticwasher.org/TD/ARCHIVE/VINTAGE/2004/266x9.htm
programcomputer said
"...I ordered a Bellows from a local parts house here in Lansing, a few months ago, and while it was TECHNICALLY the last one,I was told that while Frigidire HAS discontinued them...that there is an aftermarket company supposedly out there that will still make the bellows Has anyone else heard this?. "

Has anyone heard anything more about this aftermarket bellows supplier. Also, after 4 years how are those 1-18s doing?

 

[programcomputer]

On Bellows...

Hi Bill,

My 1-18's are long gone, as my move to Ann Arbor/ Ypsilanti did not allow me to bring more than one set when I moved I had only two the WC model washer 1-18's and my newest Frigidaire set with the rear controls..The house I originally rented here did NOT have a usable basement, as it was built in 1912 the stairs were on a very steep incline and were only 24 inches wide. NOT a easy place to put anything useable..

That said, the added on laundry room, which I believe was a simple enclosure of the back porch was just large enough for a single set of full size machines. And even now my Frigidaire Front loaders are in my storage unit, hopefully not disentigrating into piles of dust, as I downgraded even more to save money into a two bedroom apartment.

The 1-18's were at my folks house for awhile, then after sitting from about 8 months after I moved from my old house, I was politely asked to get them out of their basement as they were doing a re-model. I took them to a "old" friends house who agreed to store them, and as fate would deal me a few more blows before things started getting better, this jac*&ss moved on me to parts unknown, and my machines sub sequentially vanished with him.

That sadly said, in the realm of new beows, you'll have to call around. When I obtained mine from Electric Appliance Parts Co. In Lansing, I was told that they last ordered bellows for these machines in 1991-92. Which means by the time I got one for my machine that bellows had sat fro at least 12 years.

Yours does look to be okay. Hopefully you have the bellows pliers. You WILL need them. I had to drive to Jackson back then just to find a place that had one, and would let me use them.

Chad

 

[jeff_adelphi]

The bellows for the 1-18 is still available. I ordered several of them a short time ago.

 

[joelippard]

Re: I ordered several of them a short time ago.

I'd love to know where you ordered them from, I'd like to have some on hand just in case I need them.

 

[jeff_adelphi]

I ordered them from Tribles Inc. (www.etribles.com) but any Electrolux parts dealer should be able to order them.

On the Tribles website click on "parts finder", then on "search for item number", then select Electrolux (WCI) from the manufacturers list, and enter the part # 5300638860.
The bellows are $31.49 each plus shipping.

 

[fltcoils]

yes yes yes !!!!

5300 + pn = part via electrolux!
wow.

ok, but how about the oil bellows and the tub seal?
pn 5433572 = oil bellows.? electrolux/trible equiv?
I tried 53005433572, 5305433572, no luck.

thanks

 

[fltcoils]

Why not make some

Does anyone have an oil bellows?
Frigidaire Oil Bellows Part# 5433572?

Do we need to make some new ones?
The usual problem is low quantities and high mold cost.
But suppliers exist which specialize in short runs for engineering prototypes.

A good bellows to copy, a wood box, some latex liquid = a mold for short runs of 500 or so. So I believe that it might be possible to make some frigidaire bellows, based on a "good" air and water bellows. Or based on a 3DCAD file.

amazing what you find when you
google <rapid prototype rubber bellows>
google <rubber bellows>

 

[qsd-dan]

Maybe we should start a post to see how many people are interested in purchasing these bellow seals and have a run of them made.

You can count me in on a few quantities of both seals!

How many different bellow seals did Frigidaire make for all of their pulsating transmissions anyway?

 

[goatfarmer]

Bill, I was at Bell today, and talked to Mike. He seemed to think he could still order bellows. Might be worth a shot.

kenny

 

[fltcoils]

Thanks Kenny,

I was busy with work---- (and taxes which are still not done).

I'll talk to Mike shortly though. I know a few sources for the water bellows, but the oil bellows isn't so available, or at least I've not found sources. So Mike @ Bell Parts in SB IN might indeed be a good source. He was very nice on the phone when I ordered the parts for my smashed Maytag Drying Center (thrown down the stairs by the movers, exactly like that Laural and Hardy movie with the piano and the long long stairs)

Given more time I might a oil bellows in the shadowgraph and draw up a autocad 3D model (or have Mark help me).

I wish we could contact the purchasing guy from Frigidaire and find out who made them, and therefore who has the molds.

Too bad the packages don't have some notes on the mfg on them. I should check the OE water bellows I've got.

 

[fltcoils]

That picture of bellows is from Columbia Engineered Rubber inc

located in Dayton OH.

any lightbulbs go on?
Hometown of Frigidaire = Dayton OH

I've passed this idea to Dave Harnish and Robert.
Jon Oleksyk @ 1-800-227-3539 ex 19 is the "internet order" contact
[email protected]
http://www.columbiaerd.com/ColumbiaContacts.html

 

[fltcoils]

3-D model of Oil bellows

Here's a try at a model of the oil bellows
something a rapid prototyper uses for making molds and parts