GE Filter-Flo Straight 8-Vane vs High 4-Vane Activators

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scrubflex

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Which design is better between these two and can do a better job at cleaning clothes with a full 18 lb. washload? Can one hold more laundry then the other? And, of all the GE activator agitators which one is able to wash a SMALL to MINI-WASH level load the best?
 
Amen to that! The ramped agitator handles all water levels better than anything. I've got a 14 pound machine and with that ramped agitator in there, it can do a lot more than 14 pounds if necessary.....believe me........I've tried!

I have a straight-6 for it as well and it's less than useless. From what I've heard the straight-8 is even worse. The only one that was ever even remotely useful was the straight-4, but the ramped agitator will handily outdo it too.
 
My take:

I have a theory that in the late sixties GE switched from its tried and true ramped vane activators of the V-12 and V-14 series to the straight-6 and straight-8 versions to improve the capacity and PERCEIVED efficacy of the mini-basket. Maybe also to claim an extra 2 lbs. or so capacity on the regular wash. In any case it proved to be a bad move and they switched back to the ramp activators by the early eighties.
 
And the verdict is...

The spiral ramp 3-vane is the best agitator next to the dual action. It is the ONLY agitator I've seen that can actually handle an extra 'OVERLOADED' wash. Where the clothes on the tip-top packed in are forced down to the bottom and lifted up and over continually while moving them around the tub. Nothing stays at the bottom or the top just like the dual action. I NEVER REALIZED HOW AWESOME THIS AGITATOR IS. Even a jet cone agitator with an overloaded wash can get stuck at a stand still. That really saids alot, which means the spiral activator is a very powerful agitator. It's very important to me that spiral activator can handle all water levels because the turnover per load size really determines how much more the washtub does and can handle. Also, the complete effectiveness of the agitator. From experience, the 'heavy duty 18' straight 8 vane can ONLY wash large loads well but, nothing below medium.
Do any of you guys have the real 'extra large' capacity tub measurements? I've read it's 2.7 cu.ft but, tub width (DIAMETER) and the length can tell a different story. Especially, since it washes more than what the manufacturer claims and or consumers report rates.
The large ramped 3 vane activator base is (13 3/8") wide. If you measure the 'space' from the agitator base to the 'sides' of the tub the overall measurements will give you the diameter.
BTW, the spiral activator that has the "ribbing" design on the bottom of the ramps are suppose to create an extra dragging current on the back stroke making it stronger than the other.
 
I know I'm gonna get it....

But...

It throws the Maytag Power-Fin in the dirt and laughs hysterically at it.

It's relatively easy to overload the Power-Fin, and it doesn't seem to like big bulky items like sheets or bedspreads. The ramped activator handles pretty much anything I've ever thrown at it with ease, including a queen-sized bedspread. Believe it or not, it'll turn that thing over in the wash, and it's PACKED in that tub.
 
gonna get it...

Tristarcxl, I don't think so. Althought, the Power-Fin is my love, the Spiral Activator clearly out-performs it. I notice in ALL the videos I see on YouTube of the Power-Fin, they're NEVER a real full-size large load. The ONLY way you can really see how effective an agitator is, by loading the machine with a capacity-filled load. (I don't mean OVERLOADS!) That's truly the real PROOF. If your 14 pound machine with the spiral ramp can easily handle a queen size comforter then, GE's 18 pound machine can wash more than Maytag's extra large capacity machines. Tristarcxl, how clean does your clothes come out after the wash? Can you also compare cleaning results between the two? Also, how does the Spiral Activator work with a heavy jean/denim load?
 
I still think the Power-Fin works better in the smaller capacity machines than it does in the later deep-tub machines.

I don't have a very good machine to compare the Power-Fin to the GE with since I have an old 1960 Highlander with a worn brake package. That said, if I do an 8 minute wash, it will agitate good enough without the tub indexing to get a good result.

I haven't done any really nasty laundry in the Maytag, but I've thrown some NASTY clothes in the GE that came out like new. With having pets, I will say that the GE clothes come out far cleaner than the Maytag just because of the lack of lint, fur, and "pills" on the clothes. I know the GE has a slower spin than the Maytag at around 600 RPM vs 618 on the Maytag, but I swear the clothes come out drier out of the GE. I haven't measured, but I think the GE has a slightly wider tub which would explain a lot of that.

I wear 38x36 jeans, so they're bulky and heavy. I have to wear them for work since I deal with molten lead a lot, and cotton attire is a must for safety. I tend to do my denim load on Saturday, so I toss 6 pairs of jeans in there and wash on a large water level. It handles them with ease and I've never had a problem with twisting or mangling.

See the video below for an example of a severely overloaded rampie in action. 24 XL shirts being PACKED in that poor machine, and it still championed right through them. Try THAT with a Power-Fin!

 
You're right, it does work better in the smaller washtub because the 'rib vane' is shorter on the column of the Power-Fin. Where as the deep tub Power-Fin rib-vane is lengthened and the flex-fin height stays the same. But, if they raised the 'start of the curve' on the flex-fin to where the 3rd row of lint filter hole are place, it would have the same action for the deep tub Maytag. I don't know why they did'nt think of that. You can see the definitely see the difference in the wash action between the two. Oh yeah, Maytag spin is only 8 RPM's faster than GE's spin. GE NORMAL speed spin is (610 RPM). (Maytag's 806 deep tub is 16" tall and 21 3/4" wide). Six pairs of 38x36 jeans in a 14 pound capacity and handles them with ease awesomely OUTRAGEOUS!!! Hey, when you add more water to those extra heavy loads, can you fill the tub up near to the retainer ring? When it begins to spin does the water spill out to the floor? If so, is there any way to stop or block the water from the overflow spin-splash?

That video is OUTRAGEOUS!!! I tell you, I'd never thought the Power-Fin would have that problem because of their large flexible fins. Go figure.

And last, how do you post video links on the AWORG club site? I haven't figured that out yet?
 
I'll stick with my Rampie..... Higher middle vanes aside, I don't think they'd add too terribly much to the efficiency of the agitator. Compared to the ramped? Forget it!

I made a video comparing the polypropylene ramped agitator to the straight-6 with the shorter middle vanes. Behold it's uselessness....

 
I have been saying it all along.........

when manufacturers made a deeper tub, they never raised the fins of the agitator, they only raised the center post up about 2 inches, and I always thought that the agitator should have increased the fins to accomodate the larger load.....the dual action is the only one that did this with the spirals raising up with the tub....and GE did raise the top part of the fins but the bottom should have been increased also....

but I can remember my mothers GE 1964 V-12...where the vanes decreased as they got to the top, but that machine could handle any load, sheets, bedspreads, work clothes, or a heavy towel load, and it just seemed to be best at water extraction compared to a whirlpool....I just never realized how great of a machine it was until we got rid of it....because of all the many features of todays machines, all I ever really use is normal wash, warm wash/cold rinse, high fill level, and maybe 1/2 size on ocassion...for every load....don't need all the gadgets...just the basics....her only complaint was I didn't have perm press cycle(which really didn't need) and the filter flo always left a lot of lint behind, compared to my aunts whirlpool self clean version....
 
This depresses me...

I would love to have a ramped agitator for my 68 Programmed GE but I don't want a newer white one- I'd like to keep it as authentic looking as possible. I only have the 6 vaned in there now and it does a decent job but I'd love to hear that good old "schlump" of the ramped agitator. Does anyone have a spare I can buy? I can interchange the spline if necessary. I can always put the old straight vaned in if I want to use the mini basket but I'd love a ramped agitator in the older style to still fit my current FF pan and Jet Swirl Fabric Softnr dispenser - anyone out there have one for sale? It's quite obvious which is the better agitator...

Let me know...

Thanks! Matt
 
Okey-dokey, the Rampie is the BEST. There will always be a place for the 18 lb 'Heavy Duty 18' Straight 8-Vane ACTIVATOR agitator with me. It was the reason I fell in love with GE washers. In my own experience, it performed the best with large and extra large loads. It just didn't move the clothes on smaller settings...(maybe the water levels are set for too little water). I notice there aren't much photos or videos of extra large capacity GE washers. Is that because there's not many available...maybe a dumb question but? Again, is there anyway to stop water from splashing on to the floor when filling the water pass the highest water level for a maximum wash loads? Other then not do it.
 
you could cap off or plug up that tube.....but when it fills that much don't you worry about clothes floating over top to the outter basket...a water level just above the top of the vanes should be your limit for the machine to handle, I have filled a few past ths mark and it seemed the rollover stopped...
 
Thanks Yogi, what tube can you cap off or plug up? I wouldn't actually fill it to the tub ring. And, wouldn't the retainer ring prevent the clothes from floating over into the outer tub? Do you have this problem when you fill up to top of the vanes? Instead of stopping and restarting the spin drain so water will not spill over to the floor.
 
when you lift the top up off the machine, about 3 inches forward of the fill flume is the automatic overflo unit that connects to a tube down the outter tub to the base....this only "activates" when water reaches the very top of the outter tub, a siphon action is created and removes about 2 inches of water.....the water would have to be above the filterflo flume before this would actually activate...

now, if your having water splash out during the spin, you have to investigate where the water is coming from, because it could be the top seal, which may be out of place from removing the top or just not sealing along the top

in the mean time, rather than stop and start the spin, reach in and hold the tub so it won't spin while it drains all the water out and then let go to allow it to spin....sort of a neutral drain......
 
reach in and hold the tub...

Thanks Yogi, I never tried to hold the tub while it drained out...didn't think the transmission would allow it. I believe you're right on point...outer tub top seal problem. Do you think there's any way to stabilize the suspension system better? When a washload is off balanced the spinning gets WILD...banging against cabinet wall...shaking and vibrating...pretty noisy spin. Any ideas?
 
are your sure the snubbers at the base of each corner is on there correctly, and that theres a snubber on each side, cause that will throw it off track big time, especially if one side is gripping and the other side is not, or if they slipped off the metal piece during shipment.....their easy to put back in place with a screwdriver wedged in between to seperate and slide back on.....the one by the motor is probably the hardest to get at.....

the only thing that ever bothered me about the GE's was the amount of water used to fill the outter tub, compared to what is used inside the tub.....
 
Yogi, I'm sorry I don't have the machine anymore...going by memory. I wasn't knowledgable enough to check those things out at the time. But, I had the overflo water splash out during spin even when the tub wasn't filled up to the top of the vanes. I know you can add alot more clothes to fill 'er up to the top and match the water level... getting the full usage of the whole tub...snubber misplacement could be the problem. Do you have a literature photos of the GE you can post showing these parts?

Does GE use the same size outer tub for the large and extra large washtubs? If not, couln't you use the smaller outer tub? It's rediculous to waste so much water.
 
Of course...for someone who'll rebuild a GE washer should use the smaller outer tub to cut down water usage...I'm sure there still be enough space to hold the large inner tub
 
water reaches a certain height, and an automatic suction is created to form a siphon action until the water level drops
 
it goes on the floor.....comes out on the left side of the machine....the idea is so it doesn't overflo out the lid and over the top to the control, and wires and motor....

I only seen this once on mine, when the water valve got stuck open and kept filling, look out, it comes flooding out!
 

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