Future Availability of Real Maytag Parts

[tuthill]

Correct me where I'm wrong, but does Maytag still makes most of the major parts for their classic center dials?? What can I still get? Can I get a: motor? belts? pulleys? transmission? timers? hoses? pumps? ... etc.

With the acquisition of Maytag, will Whirlpool still continue to offer these parts??

 

[gansky1]

There are still thousands upon thousands of these helical-drive machines in use - not only in homes, but in commercial and coin-laundries as well. The pumps, seals, bearings, boots, belts, brake, etc. should be available for a quite a while. The old-style long stroke transmissions haven't been available for a long time, but you can get the orbital drive (faster, short stroke) for the later machines. It will be interesting to see if the quality of parts remains the same as Maytag OEM.

 

[qsd-dan]

You can still get all of those parts today, but that won't be the case in the very near future. Most appliance places that I have been to in the last 7 months are staring to throw them all away in the dumpster. NOW(!) is the time to start hoarding and stashing parts!!!! I've certainly been doing my part on that lately.

You may be able to work out a deal with most places for an entire lot of old parts for a cheap price. Appliance parts stores want them gone so they can stock up on parts for the newer machines (I don't why since new appliances are junk and get thrown out when repairs are needed these days.)

 

[redcarpetdrew]

The Factory says so...

As a factory service center, we are required to stock a certain number of parts for the new machines. Under warranty, we have to fix the newer units. Stocking parts for the older units is ok but more now than ever, customers are driven by price more than quality. So, more and more of the older, quality built units go away in favor of the newer, cheaper to buy,throw it away and buy another one units... That was one of the things that spelled doom for the dependable care Maytag laundry. They cost more to make due to all the metal involved and therefor cost more to buy. Also, the government mandated that washers and dryers be made with materials that cost less energy to make (read plastic). There is also a certain train of thought among the manufacturers that it helps sales to make a washer that wears out sooner requiring another purchased sooner than later. YeeHaw!(sarcastic yeehaw here.) In a meeting recently, I learned that Whirlpool expects the current direct drive platform to stop production around 2010 due to energy guidelines which means that the Cabrio design will be the bread and butter...

It is possible to retrofit a orbital transmission into a older Maytag washer. Infact, it seems to me that there was a kit comprising of a trans and newer style agitator. The older center dials share a large amount of parts with the newer dependable care models such as belts, etc. but let's see what Whirlpool does with all that. They are already jacking up the costs of parts for the Maytags (probably to discourage repair and encourage sales of the new whirltags...)

RCD

 

[gansky1]

Time for hoarding?

I figured this would be happening - possibly a good five years of plentiful, crucial parts for those Dep. Care washers but the many, if not most of the center-dial unique things are already gone, I'm sure. I wonder if they still make/stock that kit for the orbital replacement - I would think they won't for long if they still do. Onto the newer and "better" I suppose.

 

[bobbyderegis]

I've noticed the belts and drain hoses are very much lesser quality now. I actually stop and grab anything good on any tossed out Maytag I see. I recently bought OEM belts for the A612 and ended up putting the original ones back on. The new ones were made in Mexico and thinner.
Bobby in Boston