Don's Pink Maytag gets a seal job!

[swestoyz]

Hey Gang -

Wow, what a busy washer weekend, wasn't it? Jed and Robert gracefully plowing through the Unimatic in Minneapolis, I heard through the grapevine that things were stirring in Omaha, and up in Coon Rapids a Maytag was being rebuilt! This past weekend Don (jetaction), Geoff Delp, and myself took it upon ourselves to replace the o-ring seal on Don's beloved Pink Maytag. Follow along and take a look!

Okay - most of us have seen what a Maytag looks like with the panels off, so I'll fast forward to tearing into the transmission, which is required to replace the o-ring seal.

Geoff Delp - what have you done!?! Here we have cracked open the housing to let the remains of the 50 year old transmission fluid ooze out. The guesstimates were that not even half of the original fluid contents were still present - with the other half having leaked out through the bottom of the transmission over the years.

 

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Here are the boys cleaning away - notice how happy they look!

 

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Here Don is scraping the remains of the original gasket, while Geoff is cleaning the original gear-set.

I guess they decided I was better suited to man the camera ;-)

 

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Here are is the transmission case all nice and cleaned up, ready for a rebuild.

 

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I have purposely not included any photos about the o-ring replacement, because, well, it is hard to photograph a procedure in a hole that is about 3/4 in diameter.

The o-ring sits about 3 inches down the agitate tube. It will be very HARD, and will require a high quality dental pick to remove. After Geoff and I trying for about an hour, the lovely apprentice decided to click her heals and give it a try. With his huge muscles, Don was able to remove it in 5 minutes. WAY TO GO!

 

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After getting the seal installed (pat myself on the back), Geoff was ready to lubricate the agitate shaft in Maytag transmission fluid.

Comments should be left for the end of the thread.

 

[swestoyz]

In goes the shaft (be careful not to cut the new seal with the helix of the shaft!!!)

 

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Make sure the tang rests within the recess of the housing.

Notice how everything SHINES! This is Iowan craftsmanship here.

 

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We were using a copy of the 1962 Maytag repair manual, specially copied and protected in plastic sleeves to not damage the pages of an original.

 

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Now Don will demonstrate the gear-set installation. He took such pride in this (and for good reason too!)

 

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continuing....

 

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It all seemed to come natural to Mr. Shier. I think he even commented at one point that it was easy!

 

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Getting closer (noticed that the base of the bird bath made a lovely transmission holder for our afternoon rebuild. I HIGHLY recommend one for your job)

 

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Dang, he is good. Just about ready for fluid - a few more items to go.

 

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Last step is to install the true-arc rings (or snap rings to others)

 

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There she is! With the help of the "bi-direction" snap ring pliers (thanks Robert), this job is complete. Now it is fluid time...

 

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Here is the first 12 oz. (of course, after we commented the gasket to the housing)

 

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Quick - get the paste on the gasket and slap the top plate on!

 

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YAY! A freshly rebuilt Maytag transmission, ready for installation.

 

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Now, back in the basement

the washer comes back together. While the owner was taking a "Disco Nap", I decided to button everything back together.

 

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Here we have the clutch bearing installed, drive pulley installed, and the drive lug in place. Make sure to 'take up all the 'play', and place the lug with approx. 1/4 in to 3/8 in distance between the the drive lug and the tang on the pulley.'

Ok. This picture is not a good example, but it was completed.

 

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Outer tub installed - with the 'Caution' label facing the front of the machine (hehe Geoff...)

 

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Next the mounting stem is installed. I can't stress enough on the importance to using center seal grease on the threads of the stem. Makes the job MUCH easier.

 

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wash tub seated

 

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And BOOM - everything is done! (well, close enough) ;-)

Thanks again Don for the great fun in working on your machine, and Geoff for your expertise on everything Maytag. It was a great time!

Ben

 

[tuthill]

AWESOME

Ben, Don, & Geoff.. <font color= red> GREAT </font color= red> job! I think there should be an unwritten rule that if you do restoration work to a washer, you must take pictures! It just makes it that much more fun. That pink tag is just beautiful! Is Don moving it into the laundry room? He should take some pictures of the wash! -Jed

 

[mielabor]

Another nicely illustrated restoration story. It's wonderful to see those well oiled cog wheels. Unfortunately, living in a country with front loaders only, I have never seen anything like those sturdy gears in a washing machine here.

 

[christfr]

good job boys.. its fun aint it..i see you didnt make as much of a mess as i did when i did mine.. that machine should be all set for another 50 years... congrats

 

[Unimatic1140]

Wow you guys those pictures are super cool! Thanks for taking these, I bet that pink 'tag is one happy washer.

 

[geoffdelp]

What wonderful pictures, Ben ... I am in shock and awe!!

Poor Pinkie ... her DNC (dust 'n clean, as Don calls it) on the World Wide Web for everybody to see; I'm SO embarassed for her!

Don finally got the chance to do a rebuild on one of the more beautiful machines in his fantastic collection. He says that he's not mechanically inclined; don't you all believe it! He was a real pro and he sure felt a sense of completion/satisfaction when it was all over and Pinkie was in recovery.

Ben is a walking Maytag pro; he knows all about these machines; it's absolutely incredible.

I think Don need a disco nap after all those fumes from the lacquer thinner!! It sure makes for a great parts cleaner, however.