BD Rebuild

[114jwh]

Thanks so much John and Gordon - I really appreciate it. I have to say that I read many archived posts that were a tremendous help throughout this project and most of them involved feedback and experience from both of you. You both have so much knowledge and myself and probably many others are grateful that you've taken the time to share it over the years.

John, I've actually rebuilt a few old outboard motors and other various things in the past but this was the first time for a washing machine. It probably took me a lot longer than it should have but like anything else it was a bit of a learning experience along the way. If I ever do it again I think I could get it done much quicker!

The pump was aftermarket so I will keep an eye out for an FSP.. What I would love to also do is get my hands on a diverter valve to add the suds saver. The function is built into the timer so it's just a matter of adding the hardware and a few changes under the hood.

Gordon, I was lucky in that I know someone in the parts industry that was able to get me most of the parts that I listed. They were aftermarket so some do seem to require slight retrofitting here and there due to the very specific tolerances involved but I found the quality to be on par with the original, the prices were exceptional and given the scarcity of parts for these old machines beggars can't be choosers! Yes, I read somewhere about the pump bolts so I made sure they had the washers before I put it in.

If I didn't have this source I probably could have scrounged up most of what I needed but it likely would have been from about 4-5 different parts suppliers just because they have a few of this and that sitting on their shelves. Although it seems that the BD shared some parts with DD machines, the DD machines are also no longer being made and in an age of buy new instead of repair I think almost all these parts will be close to obsolete in the next few years. Now is the time to stock up I think while you can.

You're right - I believe the BD design was around longer here than in the US. It seems like over the years Inglis took much longer to catch up to their counterparts in the US in terms of design changes. However, they rarely ever show up around here on places like Craigslist etc so I don't know that many more are still around.

Paul, thank you also for posting your progress on your restoration - this also helped me along the way. It looks like your tub is the same as mine - the white coating they originally used sure didn't hold up as well as the standard grey. I may end up painting mine too. Mine is very rough, chalkboard like. How did the White-Coat do at smoothing it out? I was surprised at how well the clear POR-15 smoothed everything out in the outer tub and centerpost so may try that as an undercoating first.

Thanks to everyone for all the kind words along the way, was really nice to hear.

 

[swestoyz]

Bravo James on the wonderful restoration!  Now that you've gotten through one, you certainly tackle any washer rebuild now.  A freshly rebuilt belt drive can be music to the ears.

 

I can't speak much about the other MFG casting logos that you've found, but here in the states, GM would have different divisions cast engine parts for other divisions, starting in the 70's.  It isn't uncommon to find a Pontiac code on a Cadillac intake during the smog-era.

 

Ben

 

[ragnboneman]

Quote 114jwh (Vancouver)

" You're right - I believe the BD design was around longer here than in the US. It seems like over the years Inglis took much longer to catch up to their counterparts in the US in terms of design changes. However, they rarely ever show up around here on places like Craigslist etc so I don't know that many more are still around. "

Inglis is a branch plant in many respects like a lot of Canadian companies of that era pre free trade.
Inglis is much smaller and the Canadian market it 1/10 the size of the US market with high tariffs to keep foreign made equipment out.
So peculiar was the Canadian market that in a round about way companies that are rivals in the USA might be cooperatively making the consumer goods in Canada sold under different names.

There are many fine examples of US made tooling being sent to Canada to continue to produce something that the US parent no longer makes...
Coleman stopped making table lamps in the USA in the 40s I think, but the production line continued to make them in Canada until 1970.
And parts were stamped in Brass unlike more modern tooling in Kansas where lanterns were all steel...

Buffalo stopped making this particular drill press in the USA probably in the 50s.
But Canadian blower and forge continued to make them into the 70s for Canada, just because it was cheaper.
Or rather cheaper for the manufacturer, but not so much the consumer.

The reason it was cheaper is the price to consumer was higher.
No incentive to modernize means old designs and tooling will continue to make an old product for a captive market..

Other notable old products, the last Studebakers were made in Hamilton out of left over parts..
D series Lawnboys made at the OMC plant into the 80s
PL Robertson screws and screw drivers that no one was interested in just about any place else...

Thanks to free trade.
We have new and cheap products just like everyone else but made in other countries
The real lesson of Inglis is not that is made washing machines.
Its that for political reasons it made washing machines in peace time so it could manufacture small arms in war...

http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=13477

 

[combo52]

How long did the whirlpool belt drive design last in Canada?

I think in the US it was completely discontinued in the spring of 1986.

Does anybody know how much longer it was built in Canada or any other country for that matter? I know Brazil head belt, drive whirlpool products as did Australia.

John

 

[maytag85]

I think (I think) Whirlpool (Brastemp) belt drive washers were made up until 1991 for the South American market, maybe even 1992 possibly.

 

[brisnat81]

Hi John. They were all gone in Australia in 1980, that was when the licensing agreement ended between Malleys and Whirlpool, only the 24” machines were ever made here. The old timers talk about how the tooling was worn out at that point. The only change in 20 years of manufacture was a taller tub and a plastic tub ring, but the spin tub never changed in length. The DD machines arrived in the early 90's, made by Whirlpool USA. Whirlpool again gave up on the AU market at about the time the Cabrio came onto the market, but they're again hawking machines, but it seems to be a mix of lower quality european and chinese made stuff now.

Kleenmaid here was rebranding Brastemp belt drives from about 1984 until the very early 90's when they switched to painted hob Speed Queens. Both the Brastemps and Speed Queens had poor paint finishes and rust was a problem. Having said that, but 1980 the quality of the paint and porcelain on the Malley's made machines had decreased to the stage that the out tubs, hobs and cabinet bottoms all rusted and deteriorated rapidly, compared to the machines of 5-10 years earlier.[this post was last edited: 4/24/2024-18:49]

 

[kenmoreguy64]

US and Canadian production of the WP Belt-Drive

I am not able to pinpoint down to the week when US production ended for the BDs, but I purchased one brand new from Sears that was delivered the last week of August, 1986 and was made in week 32. Its serial is C63221750. I have later collected a pair of Lady Ks that were made in week 35. One of these is the infamous Lady K that Red Carpet Drew saved for me from “The Pile”.

I was later told by a long time WP employee that WP kept a small independent assembly line running until Spring 1987 for a few specific models. I not long later saw an April 1987 made LA7800XP in outside “storage” at a local appliance rebuilder.

Don’t ask me why, but I called Whirlpool’s toll free number in the early 90s and was told that coin op BDs remained in production for some time later (a couple years) and that Canadian production lasted at least into 1989.

I hope this is helpful.

Gordon

 

[neptunebob]

I thought I read on this site

That Whirlpool stockpiled some BD machines in case customers who were not happy with the Direct Drive wanted a machine like they had before. Think there were very many of them?

 

[combo52]

Changing out direct drive washer is for belt Drive machines

We definitely changed out some of the early 24 inch direct drive machines for 29 inch belt drive whirlpool washers because customers were not satisfied with all the lynching and scum lines on clothing from the spin and drain machines.

Whirlpool knew they had a big problem on their hands and worked quickly to get the neutral drain system working, after that time the complaints pretty much disappeared. They also came up with a gentle wash system, where even on the normal cycle. It didn’t wash it hi speed all the time.

But I never heard of any bd machines being stockpile for this purpose.