Agitators in classic GEs

[westytoploader]

Hi Jason,

That strange-looking part is the pump coupling...made from a flexible rubber/fabric material. The pump is not belt driven, but directly driven by the motor through this coupling (which bypasses the clutch). One of the advantages to this setup is that no matter if you're spinning on Gentle or Normal, the pump always runs and drains at full speed.

The GE Filter-Flo pump is one of the most powerful I've seen, and like I mentioned before, wastes no time in getting rid of the water in that HUGE outer tub. That Filter-Flo stream has a pretty high flow rate as well and gets the job done!!

--Austin

 

[coldspot66]

It is called a flexible coupling. It connects and drives the pump, which is stationery to the motor/clutch, which is mounted on a cable suspension system.

 

[lightedcontrols]

GE gained MY RESPECT!

I remember in college at FSU, in the dorm laundry room.....the boys would stuff those machines full, stand on them to get even more clothes in and to get the lid to close, put about half a box of soap powders in, slam the change in, and go on about their business for a few hours! Those machines had the ramp agitators and NEVER seemed to break down!!! I graduated in 1978 and decided that the GE would be my FIRST washer. Unfortunately, when I went to buy one, I ended up with a harvest gold set of Maytag 608's. They had just stopped production of the 806's and only had a dryer in Avacado green!...so the harvest gold was the choice. Those Maytags are still running perfectly and until a year ago had never even had their belts changed! A Maytag with that GE ramp agitator would have been an awesome machine. Washability of the GE agitator and the dependability of the Maytag!!! Mark

 

[brettsomers]

Do yall think the Maytag transmission benefitted at all from the low-stress their agitator placed on it? good question about putting a ramp in a maytag. i imagine they would have to beef up the spline. any thoughts?

 

[gelaundry4ever]

agitators in classic GEs

I also had a 1993 GE filter-flo set. It had the ramped agitator with the minibasket and filter-flo pan. I liked the sounds of the agitation cycle on small load. I noticed the colder the water, the sudsier it sounded. Example: cold/cold. small load. normal speed. regular cottons cycle = dark colors small load.

http://youtube.com

 

[gelaundry4ever]

minibasket sounds

I remember the time when my mom used the minibasket. It was on small load and normal speed. When it would go into the rinse cycle, I heard a bang, bang, bang, bang noise. I thought it sounded like the washer was off balanced. So, I walked over and discovered that the washer was in the rinse agitation on normal speed. It was also interesting to hear the sound of the downy ball floating in the washer.

http://automaticwasher.org

 

[mrsalvo]

My mother had a tol GE with the ramp agitator in the early 80's and boy, it could really clean clothes well, even the dirtiest loads. It was a workhorse, but the transmission started leaking oil into the tub and well, we bought another washer. I forget what kind.
I've always wondered though, it struck me funny that Westinghouse ramp and the GE ramp was so similar in design. I would love to see a side by side comparison of the two and compare rollover. There was a Westinghouse laundrymat not far from our house that we used on occasion when the Wards (Norge) quit working. The indexing of the tub seemed to hinder the rollover whereas the GE pulled the loads down in no time. The Westinghouse did all right in getting the clothes clean, but I always thought it was a copycat of the GE, though Westhouse I think was gentler on the fabrics.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Filter-flo cleaning power of cold!

I remember the time I washed the dirtiest denims in cold water! The ramped agitator in my '93 GE filter-flo set would give the dirt the beatdown of its life! Yes! It was set on cold and normal/fast and the regular cycle! Today's washers and dryers are nothing but soaking machines! They'll make your clothes look like somebody had diarrhea all over them! Manufacturers today expect us to start spitting on our clothes and scrub them with a used toothbrush! THat's nasty! That's disgusting! If you're thinking about getting rid of your filter-flo set, you will regret it! I know I will!!!!

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Bring these filter-flo washers back!

GE should be ashamed of themselves! Shame on you GE! You ruined a great washer! Bring back the classic filter-flo washers or at least revise them!

 

[gelaundry4ever]

cold sudsy normal wash

I've noticed the colder the water, the sudsier the wash. This was especially true for the normal/cotton/sturdy cycle on small loads. The warm water was low sudsiness, and the hot washes sounded more like clear water. Anybody noticed? Like I said... the colder the water, the more sudsy the water especially on normal speed and small load size with the ramp activator is. I would love to hear what the ramped activator would sound like on small load and normal/fast speed with the minibasket and filter-flo pan attached to it with the lid shut. It sounds neat to me.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

GE reminiscence

I'd love to get a 2-speed GE filter-flo set to play with and reminisce the days of my childhood. I'd use that for filthy overalls and jeans and leave it on normal speed for 99-100% of the time.

 

[petermaz]

GE filterflo new addition

I just picked this up about a week ago and I’m in love. My mother had a 1955 filter flo and then we had a 1976 GE dispensall filter flow, which was top-of-the-line. I hated the lid on that one because you’re constantly had to take it apart to clean.

 

[repairguy]

Congrats! They are certainly great washers. We have this model in gold.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

hey petermaz

I used to have that washer which was a 1993 model along with the matching dryer. I'd sit by that machine for hours. I love the small load setting and tne normal speed on the regular cycle. That is my favorite washer. I wish GE still made them.