Chime!
Gary, the first and best hint your damper will give you is when you grab the agitator and move the tub around. It should move side to side and back and forth pretty easily. If you have to muscle it to move the tub around, your pads are most likely dry and need lubrication. Polylube is the best and will also do a bang up job on the motor carrage slides as well. It's called the damper due to it suppressing vibration transfer from the tub to the base frame. As the pads dry, the mechanism is able to 'grab' the base and thereby shake it. Left too long, the aluminum damper can rip off the pads and then grind itself into oblivion against the Zinc-coat steel baseframe. This is not pleasant to see or hear (metal grinding and/or black dust which is ground aluminum) and is also a mighty pain in the ass to fix. I've seen it left so long that the damper gets ground so thin that the ears that the tub support arms bolt to shear off then the tub drops, etc, etc... No good Maytag deserves such a fate...
Dan did a good job describing the process (He'd better have as I just spent time showing him...) but here's some more tips in longer form:
Use your finger to apply the polylube on the pads. Give a even coating but you don't just slather it on. Over lubing the pads isn't the best especially as Polylube ain't cheap! Just a light but even coating will do.
When re-assembling, tilt the washer bach so the mech settles back onto the pads. Start and finger tight the back spring nuts first but just a few threads, enough to start and hold. Set the washer back down and pull the tub forward. This will allow the front spring eyebolt to get close enough that you can start the nut on that one as well. Tilt the washer back again and use a socket wrench to equally tighten the nuts until about 3/8 - 1/2 inch of threads come out the ent of the nut. Set the washer back down and re-attach the top bolts and spin the washer to check tub alignment with the top opening. Adjust the spring bolts from the inside as needed to center the tub if needed. All Maytag dependable care platform washers will eventually need this at least once in their lives.
Replacing the pads is a bit more involved as you have to disconnect all hoses to the tub, remove the drive pulley and brake assy underneath, undo the springs so the whole 'tree' (the tub and trans assy coplete) tips out. Set that upside down and this will enable you to replace the damper if needed. Once the damper has been ground into, it usually will need to be replaced or it will rip off the new pads. Dan got lucky with his washer. One pad is halfway loose but still on. If he replaces the pads BEFORE it comes all the way off, he'll save a pricy damper. (You hear me, Dan?) Use a drill with a wire brush to grind off any pad/adhesive residue/scrunge on the base frame. Glue on the pads with Maytag yellow adhesive and let set. Lube the pads and re assemble. In other words, guys, LUBE THE PADS BEFORE THIS IS NEEDED!!!
(pant, pant...) Sorry about the soapbox there, but I see too many Maytag owners ignore what their washer is trying to tell them until they hear 'The Grind'...
I'm glad you rescued her, Gary (and Toggles!) Talk about a diamond in the rough! She's a pretty girl and was lucky indeed to find you both! The whole machine simply shines with a healthy glow that says "I'm loved!" The appliance whisperer in me also hears her saying "I'm lonely. Where's my dryer?" Heh,heh,heh...
RCD