woodjack99
Well-known member
Compared to an older helical one. Especially an early orbital one with the turquoise agitator like the helicals had. That bright color and fast movements. The helicals were so much gentler, quieter, and more soothing.
Am I the only one who feels like I’m going to have a seizure from watching an orbital Maytag?
- Thread starter woodjack99
- Start date
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Short stroke transmissions in general aren’t as gentle on clothes and do horribly when stuffed full if it doesn’t have a dual action agitator. Reason why short stroke transmissions mainly the Maytag orbital don’t turn over large loads of laundry all that well is short stroke transmissions simply don’t have the torque of the long stroke transmissions such as the Maytag Helical transmission and Whirlpool belt drive transmission with about a 145 to 150 degree arc.
The standard capacity orbitals do pretty well but the large capacity machines without the dual action agitator have a difficult time turning over a full load, especially with jeans. Zero issues in the longer stroke transmission. Maytag should have designed the fins a bit bigger on the large capacity orbital washers. I'd personally swap a Powerfin and just use it that way.
ryner1988
Well-known member
Short stroke washers
I think the primary issue short-stroke machines like the orbital Maytags and direct drive Whirlpools tend to have is overloading. Also as stated above the agitator plays a role as well. My DD machine can turn over a load just fine but because the neutral drain doesn't work right I'm really careful not to overload, as I don't want small items going over the top of the drum during spin-drain and blocking the pump. I admit that I have a tendency to overload if I'm not paying attention, so this actually keeps me in check with that. I fill the machine for sure but once I feel like I have to work to get anymore in there, I stop. Set on the super load setting, a full load does well with the agitator that came with my machine -- the specs said it's a DD surgilator, but I thought that only came on the earlier belt drive washers. At any rate, it does look somewhat different than the dual-action agitator although it is still a two-piece design and seems to work by turning the load over, rather than forcing the clothes to the bottom of the tub.
I think the primary issue short-stroke machines like the orbital Maytags and direct drive Whirlpools tend to have is overloading. Also as stated above the agitator plays a role as well. My DD machine can turn over a load just fine but because the neutral drain doesn't work right I'm really careful not to overload, as I don't want small items going over the top of the drum during spin-drain and blocking the pump. I admit that I have a tendency to overload if I'm not paying attention, so this actually keeps me in check with that. I fill the machine for sure but once I feel like I have to work to get anymore in there, I stop. Set on the super load setting, a full load does well with the agitator that came with my machine -- the specs said it's a DD surgilator, but I thought that only came on the earlier belt drive washers. At any rate, it does look somewhat different than the dual-action agitator although it is still a two-piece design and seems to work by turning the load over, rather than forcing the clothes to the bottom of the tub.
I've never had any problems with short-stroke DD machines in all the years of using them: seven years of granny's 1985 spin-drain Design 2000 (which didn't have a dual-action agitator), my 1991/1992 KA, occasional use of the parents' 1994 KA, occasional use of a 1999 KM 90, a few runs of the 2002/2003 WP Gold that I refurbed, and a couple of the 2002 Catalyst. I load them up to capacity, and am not overly generous with water level selections or aggressive with agitation speeds.
The WP Gold clip is a set of twin sheets, extra pillow cases, and a bedspread.
lotsosudz
Well-known member
Overloaded!
It appears that the top video, the load desperately needed more water added, and the lower one was just plain overloaded
it appears to me that the top video desperately needed more water added, and that the bottom video shows a overloaded washer. I know that the DD machines held, and handled large amounts of clothing, but to me it seems overloaded. Just my 2 cents.
Hugs,
David
It appears that the top video, the load desperately needed more water added, and the lower one was just plain overloaded
it appears to me that the top video desperately needed more water added, and that the bottom video shows a overloaded washer. I know that the DD machines held, and handled large amounts of clothing, but to me it seems overloaded. Just my 2 cents.
Hugs,
David
lotsosudz
Well-known member
OOPS
Sorry for the duplicate copy!
David
Sorry for the duplicate copy!
David
Neither load was overloaded or short of water. Everything came out fine, clean & freshened.
You Can't Beat the Pleasure of Long Stroke Action . . .
Words to live by for me!
I remain firmly in the camp with the OP. The both videos served to validate my sentiments, the first one with audio and the second with visual.
Words to live by for me!
I remain firmly in the camp with the OP. The both videos served to validate my sentiments, the first one with audio and the second with visual.
Hmmm, small wonder how Maytag lid-switches prevented you from viewing ANY action when the lids were opened...
-- Dave
-- Dave
I never had a problem with my big tub Maytag orbital because I didn't overload it.
If I had a complaint it was the final rinse is too short by a minute or so. 90 seconds barely gives a full load a chance to roll over one time.
If I had a complaint it was the final rinse is too short by a minute or so. 90 seconds barely gives a full load a chance to roll over one time.
Short Stroke Mts are far easier on clothing
This is one of many reasons that MT made the change, having worked for Maytag in the 70s we had lots of clothing damage complaints on their washers.
CRs proved this with a test of one speed washers by washing sheer curtain panels Maytag was the only machine in the test that ruined the shear curtains in one washing, GE, WP, KM and even Norge washers with their very strong agitation did no damage.
Just a month ago a friend who bought a house in my neighborhood asked me to wash his queen sized mattress pad. [ in his current house he only has a WP compact DD washer that is not large enough to wash this, so he has brought it over to my house several times to wash and I have either done it in a super capacity DD or in my SQ FL washers ]
In his new house there is a mid 80s MT A511 fabric-matic large capacity washer, so I told Larry you can wash this in your machine.
I loaded it in on the maximum water level, the machine was able to turn it over easily.
Well when it was done the mattress pad was badly damaged and a lot of it was scooped out by hand and thrown in the trash, needless to say the MT will be replaced with a good used FL machine as soon as I get to it.
Larry is very into saving water and energy and his CLOTHING.
John L.
This is one of many reasons that MT made the change, having worked for Maytag in the 70s we had lots of clothing damage complaints on their washers.
CRs proved this with a test of one speed washers by washing sheer curtain panels Maytag was the only machine in the test that ruined the shear curtains in one washing, GE, WP, KM and even Norge washers with their very strong agitation did no damage.
Just a month ago a friend who bought a house in my neighborhood asked me to wash his queen sized mattress pad. [ in his current house he only has a WP compact DD washer that is not large enough to wash this, so he has brought it over to my house several times to wash and I have either done it in a super capacity DD or in my SQ FL washers ]
In his new house there is a mid 80s MT A511 fabric-matic large capacity washer, so I told Larry you can wash this in your machine.
I loaded it in on the maximum water level, the machine was able to turn it over easily.
Well when it was done the mattress pad was badly damaged and a lot of it was scooped out by hand and thrown in the trash, needless to say the MT will be replaced with a good used FL machine as soon as I get to it.
Larry is very into saving water and energy and his CLOTHING.
John L.
Reply #11
Are you sure short stroke machines are easier on clothing? I haven’t noticed anything getting damaged in either my long stroke Maytags or in the 2 years I’ve owned my ‘63 Whirlpool belt drive washer.
I even remember reading something qsd-dan posted in the archives where his grandparent’s were still wearing clothes from the 60’s and 70’s back in the early 2000’s that were washed in nothing but long stroke Maytags along with only being dried in Maytag HOH dryers for all those years as well. I can confirm this since my t-shirts didn’t show any wear when washed in my Maytag A606 and certainly didn’t show any signs of cracking on the vinyl decals when dried in my Maytag DG306 gas dryer.
www.automaticwasher.org
Are you sure short stroke machines are easier on clothing? I haven’t noticed anything getting damaged in either my long stroke Maytags or in the 2 years I’ve owned my ‘63 Whirlpool belt drive washer.
I even remember reading something qsd-dan posted in the archives where his grandparent’s were still wearing clothes from the 60’s and 70’s back in the early 2000’s that were washed in nothing but long stroke Maytags along with only being dried in Maytag HOH dryers for all those years as well. I can confirm this since my t-shirts didn’t show any wear when washed in my Maytag A606 and certainly didn’t show any signs of cracking on the vinyl decals when dried in my Maytag DG306 gas dryer.
1966 Maytag's First Power-Fin Agitator
Does anyone have any these earlier designed power fin agitator...spare and or extra?
www.automaticwasher.org
I've posted previously of a long-time family friend who told me of being unhappy with a Maytag toploader. She needed a new machine and decided "I'm gonna get a Maytag!" It stretched and twisted and mangled her knitted tops and sweaters, she returned it to the dealer. Her previous machines that I recall were a GE Filter-Flo (1960s 2-speed) and a Whirlpool LAA-7700 (1974/75). The Maytag was presumably sometime in the mid 1980s. The shorter-stroke orbital introduced in 1989. I last visited her in 2018 before she moved away, she had a Frigidaire frontloader.
Ah, it appears grandpa John is off his meds again, or hitting the firewater.
After 40 years of use, I'm still waiting for all of this destructive, worn and torn clothes and bedding. Well, damn, here I sit still using the same old stuff decade after decade. I've retained the same statue since my mid teens and still wear those same clothes but some not in public anymore due to the changing times.
As far as opinions on different machines, it's really subjective and comes down to what one is use to. Yeah, orbitals seem a bit chaotic to me because I grew up being lulled to the sounds of long stroke 'tags. The sounds of Hobart Kitchenaid Aids and reverse rack Maytags also bring me to my happy place but would probably drive most to suicide today. Just what I'm use to. My '63 Frigidaire WCI-63 washer with the Rollermatic agitator drove me up the wall but to a boomer it probably brings back fond memories of being young, parents healthy and full of life, and grandparents still around.
Just continue using whatever brings you joy and pleasure in this world before it all comes to an end.
After 40 years of use, I'm still waiting for all of this destructive, worn and torn clothes and bedding. Well, damn, here I sit still using the same old stuff decade after decade. I've retained the same statue since my mid teens and still wear those same clothes but some not in public anymore due to the changing times.
As far as opinions on different machines, it's really subjective and comes down to what one is use to. Yeah, orbitals seem a bit chaotic to me because I grew up being lulled to the sounds of long stroke 'tags. The sounds of Hobart Kitchenaid Aids and reverse rack Maytags also bring me to my happy place but would probably drive most to suicide today. Just what I'm use to. My '63 Frigidaire WCI-63 washer with the Rollermatic agitator drove me up the wall but to a boomer it probably brings back fond memories of being young, parents healthy and full of life, and grandparents still around.
Just continue using whatever brings you joy and pleasure in this world before it all comes to an end.
Reply #14
Same here, I haven’t had anything get damaged in all the years I’ve used long stroke Maytags and Whirlpools. Some of my clothes I bought 2 years ago still look fairly new despite a little cracking on the vinyl decals on some of my shirts. None of my shirts would have any cracking on the decals if they were only dried in Maytag HOH dryers gas and electric.
Same here, I haven’t had anything get damaged in all the years I’ve used long stroke Maytags and Whirlpools. Some of my clothes I bought 2 years ago still look fairly new despite a little cracking on the vinyl decals on some of my shirts. None of my shirts would have any cracking on the decals if they were only dried in Maytag HOH dryers gas and electric.
Long stroke Maytags with Power Finn agitators
Just remember Maytag changed the design because of thousands of complaints over the years of clothing damage I worked for the company I know.
There was never any reason to have such a large squared off agitator design in that small automatic washer tub. If I was going to have a long stroke Maytag washer is my primary machine I would at least put a Kenmore Roto swirl or a GE w ramp agitator in it With a 50 cycle pulley like others have done This also gets the spin speed up to a more decent level so it would perform closer to our new Speed Queen Toploader
Among the serious washer collectors on this site very few even have a Maytag in their personal use area which is enough evidence for me. Remember Maytag changed this design on their own the government didn’t force them to do it It’s not a Conspiracy it was a company making improvements in their product which were well received by consumers.
The last of the dependable care Maytags with the load sensor agitator were by far the best Maytag washers they ever produced.
PS, Dan actually I’m back on my meds lol but such comments are not appropriate and will be dealt with if you continue.
John L
[this post was last edited: 8/11/2022-09:18]
Just remember Maytag changed the design because of thousands of complaints over the years of clothing damage I worked for the company I know.
There was never any reason to have such a large squared off agitator design in that small automatic washer tub. If I was going to have a long stroke Maytag washer is my primary machine I would at least put a Kenmore Roto swirl or a GE w ramp agitator in it With a 50 cycle pulley like others have done This also gets the spin speed up to a more decent level so it would perform closer to our new Speed Queen Toploader
Among the serious washer collectors on this site very few even have a Maytag in their personal use area which is enough evidence for me. Remember Maytag changed this design on their own the government didn’t force them to do it It’s not a Conspiracy it was a company making improvements in their product which were well received by consumers.
The last of the dependable care Maytags with the load sensor agitator were by far the best Maytag washers they ever produced.
PS, Dan actually I’m back on my meds lol but such comments are not appropriate and will be dealt with if you continue.
John L
[this post was last edited: 8/11/2022-09:18]
Usable Capacity
There's an eBay sale linked in Shoppers Square for a vintage Norge promotional item touting the ability to wash 10 (ten) full-size bedsheets in the new Norge 14. Outrageous! The horror!
There's an eBay sale linked in Shoppers Square for a vintage Norge promotional item touting the ability to wash 10 (ten) full-size bedsheets in the new Norge 14. Outrageous! The horror!
My mom purchased a Maytag A207 washer in the Summer of 1973. This washer, and the DE407 dryer, were used until I got the Whirlpool Calypso machine around 2003. I do not remember it ever tearing up any item of clothing or linens. We never overloaded it, and always used the proper water level.
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