Changing a Maytag tub bearing and seal: A how to...

[redcarpetdrew]

Recently, Dan wanted me to show him the steps on changing a Maytag Dependable Care platform tub bearing and seal on his HA806 that I gave him. What we here at the shop call a 'stem and boot job'. There has been interest expressed on my possibly sharing that with all of you. In the interests of saving a few more Maytags and passing on what was taught to me by my mentor for future repairmen, I will do so. Everybody has a different style of doing it. I will show you mine with some pics and helpful hints and some possible pitfalls to avoid. I also hope if our wonderful Robert finds this useful, it can be archived somewhere easily found for future reference. I also hope you folks find this useful and interesting as well.

Here goes...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Yah gotta start somewhere!

You have to pull the front panel and lift the main top. It doesn't matter if you have a old critter or a newer model with the plastic tub cover. You undo the tub cover to expose the inner tub. If you have the old metal cover with the band clamp and gasket, CAREFULLY loosen both bolts and slide the ring off being careful not to damage the lip on the outer tub. There can be rust spots on that lip. As long as the lip is intact, try to gently remove the rust to prevent future issues. Remove the agitator. Old models usually will pop off (some will fight you) and newer models (read orbital transmission models, usually) will have a 1/4 headed set screw to back out.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Remove the old tub nut. REMEMBER! This tub nut and the Stem you'll meet later are REVERSE threaded. Righty loosey, lefty tighty! You will need the tub nut tool for this. This tool will also be needed for the stem later.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Remove the metal ring (next to hammer shaft in picture) that keeps the nut from damaging the tub finish and set aside. Carefully lift out the inner spin tub and set aside. This will expose the neat stuff.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

The neat stuff...

This is the old mounting stem that also forms part of the tub seal. Note the set screw you see in the side. The older ones are hex headed while the newer ones (and the new replacements) are torx. LOOK FIRST for a agitator keeper ring (the black rubber ring on the shaft in the picture.) You will need to remove this. If your agitator had a set screw, you most likely won't have this. Take a mini screwdriver and poke it inbetween the shaft and the ring, stretching it slightly enough to get it out of the channel and up off the shaft. You should save this for reuse as they are getting difficult to find. Remove the set screw and use the tool to spin off the stem. REMEMBER the reverse thread...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

There's the boot seal. This just sets over a lip in the center of the outer tub. just pull it off. Also, there's the old agitator shaft seal. remove it, too. this may come off in bits. There are two washers with a spring compressed between them in that rubber cone. Make sure you have all those bits off ff it separates... You can also see how that keeper ring I talked about would interfere with it coming off now.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

You will now need to get the tub ready to remove. Unhook your tub drain hose, water level pressure hose and if lucky enough, the bleach injection hose. Undo the three tub bolts. Keep the three flat, rectangular spacers that sit in between the lock rings and the tub arms for later.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Carefully lift the outer tub off the transmission. If the seal has been leaking, this may fight you slightly. Twist the tub slightly left and right to help. Now you can see the bearing sleeve. They DON'T always look so pretty, esp if it's been leaking or was siezed up! If you're lucky, the old sleeve will just slide up and off. If you aren't so lucky, then it gets interesting. The sleeve is held onto the upper trans housing by corrosion/rust. Some people will use a torch to heat the sleeve to break it loose. I will use a chisel and hammer. Avoid damaging the trans housing and threads by running the chisel down the 'channel' you see in the neck. The sleeve will split and expand so you can lift it off. Use a very fine grit sand paper or better yet, plumbers sanding cloth to clean the transmission neck where the new sleeve will sit. Just enough to remove the crap and make it shine.

 

[rollermatic]

very interesting

love the pics. having only worked on frigidaire washers i am always curious how other brands are put together.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

You can now press out the old bearing from the tub. This is pressed in from underneath the tub. Again, everybody has their own way. I will set an old blanket or towels down on the floor and set the tub on top of them. Use your foot to >gently< push the bearing out. Sometime rocking your foot will help. REMEMBER, the tub drain outlet neck is sticking out down there. Don't MASH it and damage that. ALSO, it is possible to warp the tub bottom with too much pushing with ALL your weight. Don't stand on it.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Nothing's better than a clean hole...

Take time to inspect the hole in the tub for dirt, rust, scrunge. This is also the time to clean that outer tub inside and out for that annoying lime, etc. if you want to.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Now we start to put this jugsaw puzzle back together!

The new bearing can be pressed in the same way. set the tub upside down on those pads as to NOT damage the lip of the tub. I will use a small shot of windex to lube the hole so the bearing will press in easier. Set the bearing in the hole and cover with a cloth to keep crap from getting into it. Press it in with your foot. Again, pivoting your foot in a circular motion while pressing can help. Use firm pressure but DO NOT STAND ON IT!!! You can deform the tub bottom then the bearing will not sit staight on the trans shaft. Then you are shafted yourself! Press until the bearing is seated up against the tub bottom.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

This is what the bearing SHOULD look like when seated. Right up against the tub bottom with no real gap showing.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

A quick word on the difference between old and new...

This is a side by side of the old (left) and new (right) bearing assys. An old trick I used to quiet an old (thick) bearing as a temporary measure without tearing the washer apart was to take a knife and make a small slit in the side and use a Zoom Spout Turbine oiler to shoot a bit of oil in there. Then I'd spin the washer and listen to the tub bearing quiet down as the oil wicked up into the bearing. (That trick was requested by Ben a while ago. There you are...) You can see how the new, skinnier bearing can't be done like that... Ahhh, progress!

 

[redcarpetdrew]

This is what comes with the bearing kit. I hope you saved those flat spacers and the tub bolt nuts because the kit doesn't come with them.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Slide the new bearing sleeve onto the upper trans neck then gently lower the outer tub back down into the washer.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Hopefully using new tub bolts (I'll show you why in a second) reattach the tub to the support arms. You can see the placement order of everything in this picture.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

The three amigos...

The tub bolts have gaskets pressed onto them. It helps to use new bolts to help prevent leaks. REMEMBER, there are two long and one short bolt. The short one goes up front. I won't admit to having once putting a long bolt up front, reassembling the whole thing and spinning it to discover the long bolt smacking the inside of the front panel... No, I won't! I also won't share with you the words that slipped out of my mouth. I'm sure you can guess. I KNOW you Frigidaire owners know them by heart... LOL! Remember those gaskets when we hit the next step...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Time to tighten those bolts. Remember those gaskets? They are why I will tell you to use a wrench to hold the bolt in place while you use a ratchet to tighten the bolt nuts. If you turn the bolts instead, you will deform or outright damage those gaskets and then you can watch water dribble down the tub arms. Trust me, it's not an enjoyable experience. Tighten the nuts FIRMLEY but don't wank down to the point you'll mash the gaskets too much and cause leaks...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

I will lightly drip some turbine oil into the bearing to help it spin until the self lubricating functin kicks in. Self lubing? What? How does THAT work? The metal of the bearing is impregnated with oil and as the bearing heats up while it turns, the bearing will 'sweat' a little oil. This is common for things like drum bearings, HOH blower bearings, etc...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

This is the boot seal. Not much to it. You can see the end that seats down on that lip of the tub and the other side has a carbon ring that forms the seal against the bottom of the stem.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Mounting the boot isn't too bad. Again, I use a little windex to lube the inner lip of the seal so it will slide on easier. Push down gently but firmly until it seats down against the tub floor. Turning it back and forth as you push helps. REMEMBER, the carbon ring is fragile. Don't push down on the ring with too much force or you'll break it. The boot should sit evenly and centered around the shaft. the lower lip of the boot should be touching the tub bottom evenly all around like the bearing did earlier.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

The mounting stems. A big difference...

You can see the old (right) and new (left). Gone is the clip and washer which compressed the shaft seal down. That has been replaced with a triple lip seal that is part of the stem. Ehh, it works but you can see how the newer LAT's have been leaking in larger percentages compares to the old kids...

No worries! I have a secret weapon!

 

[redcarpetdrew]

The secret weapon!

This is the original shaft seal. You can still get them for now. I will use this in conjunction with the new triple lipped stem for a fool proof seal. The only time you CAN'T use this is when you have one of those orbital transmissions with the white plastic shaft keepers. It comes with a modicum of grease inside it but I usually add a little. You can use Maytag's center seal grease, or in a pinch, the blue colored boat trailer wheel bearing grease. just add a little and push it on the shaft 'point' down the install the stem.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Screw the stem on. Tighten it by hand until you can't turn it then use the tool to tap it about 1/8-1/4 turn more. Install the set screw and tighten. You want it to bite into the 'meat' of the trans housing threads. You DON"T want it to go into that channel on the side of the trans housing. If it does, the tub will make a knock or click noise while in agitation as it torques back and forth. it will eventually also shear the set screw off and then do very unpleasant things... Trust me...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Set the inner tub back in, being careful not to drag the hole across the threads for the tub nut. Try to make sure it's centered.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Reinstall that protector ring then the tub nut. Tighten the nut firmly. Next, you put the washer into a spin to check the tub centering. loosen the tub nut and adjust as needed to prevent the tub hitting the outer tub then tighten. NOW, you reinstall that small black agitator keeper ring if your washer had one. Reinstall the agitator. I have used the keeper ring WITH the agitators with the set screw if there is enought play that the agitator makes some noise. Another small trick...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

The tub cover: another hint/trick...

If you're working on the newer washers with the plastic tub cover, snapping it on is a piece of cake. The older ones can be a pill. One trick I use is to use the markings from the tub cover gasket before to help locate it when reassembling.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Works almost every time.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Mount the tub cover. Tap it down gently until the gasket hits the lip on the outer tub. It should be perfect. Put the band clamp on and tighten the two screws evenly while making sure you caught both the gasket AND the lip of the outer tub so they will sandwich together and seal. Remember to have the tub cover oriented correctly so the out of balance lever will hit the tab on the cover. Also, the band clamp should be positioned so it won't strike the cabinet as it spins. They should be in the corners. See next pic...