GE Versatronics Alive and Working Very Well!

[filterflo]

Mike in Long Beach aquired my GE Versatronic set that HarvestGold decided not to bother fixing. Seems the outer tub decided to finally spring the leaks so common on GE's of this vintage, after being stored for over a year. Ive repaired dozens of these while helping out various dealers and now that Mike is a pro at it having done two different machines now in less than a year he can tell you how easy it actually is! Here is a before photo after the tub was removed. This model has the original metal cased tranny:

 

[filterflo]

holes repaired and first coat of rust paint:

 

[filterflo]

boot installed and testing for leaks

 

[filterflo]

Tub installed almost ready for a load

 

[filterflo]

Washing! Yeah!

 

[brettsomers]

that outer tub looks large for the basket doesnt that waste water? David

 

[filterflo]

This model of GE's has an optional second rinse. Mike has pretty soft water and likes to use a LOT of SUDS! That second rinse might really come in handy!

 

[filterflo]

Back together as Laundry Twins, proud of you Mike for taking on the job and doing it so well. You, I and a lot of others just LOVE our GE's!

 

[bajaespuma]

Want to make it really special??

You know the ramped three-vaned spiral agitator that fits on the V-14's (along with its Mini-basket)will fit in this unit.

Also, the "HEAVY DUTY-18" version of this Versatronic Model (c.1969, I believe WWA-8800, with a straight-vaned blue activator)sported a non-speckled blue porcelain wash-basket. I remember seeing it in the New York City Macy's appliance department and wanted it very badly. Pity I was only 12 at the time and had not two nickels to rub together.

 

[filterflo]

Great agitator Pics, thanks for posting. Love that GE agitator. Notice that Mikes washer has the original wire clothes guard around the top of the tub? Those are so rare and hard to find as they rusted thru the years and were usually replaced with the plastic rings........Just love that criss cross design.........

 

[westytoploader]

Great pictures...glad they're up and running again!! I didn't realize the Versatronic machines were made in both a standard and large-capacity version either! The transmission case looks good as well where the boot attaches. What was the purpose of the cup-shaped piece on the shaft? I never saw any later GE's with it.

Rick, doesn't your V-14 have a wire clothes guard as well?

 

[filterflo]

The cup shaped piece on the agitator shaft is an earlier design of where the basket boot would attach. The later design, as on the washer you had repaired the tub in earlier was much easier to install and remove than this design. The basket boot is the plastic piece that acts as an agitator bearing or guide to keep the agitator from wobbling back and forth during agitation.....

 

[timborow]

Can I see?

the vacuum beside the washer? What kind is it? Tim

 

[appnut]

David, yes GE's were notorious water hogs once they moved away from the solid tub design.

Bob, I think someone here has that very Versatronic you are speaking of (the 1969) and has posted a pic, OR it's in an advert that's been seen here. Yes it's a very striking, lovely basket.

I agree, I personally prefer the ramped vane activators in FF GE's and wish my 1978 one had had that.

Mike, congratulations on the restoration of the outer tub. That is truely one beautiful set. Gives me chills just looking at it.

 

[swestoyz]

Hey - that is awesome! Great work there on the patch job, nothing like knowing everything went well on the leak test. That is a beautiful set there, and in a great color to boot. The ad/display above the machines is the icing on the cake!

All of this GE talk is getting me excited! Thanks for posting Jimmy ~

Ben

 

[harvestgold]

G.E. Versatronics

Mike wow good for you that repair was way beyond what i could attempt to do i am so glad you got them fixed great set love the water flow .i just picked up a late 70`s G.E.washer it`s missing the mini basket but it works perfectly and clean as can be very little use filter-flows are so cool to watch enjoy the set john

 

[filterflo]

Actually John, its a real easy fix if you had tried. Mike and I both told you we would help you with it, and I offered to fix them on my recent trip to Calif. Guess you lost interest in them. Mike sure got a great set!

 

[peterh770]

Quote: "that outer tub looks large for the basket doesnt that waste water? David"

When GE swtiched from a solid wash tub to a perforated tub, they really didn't change the construction of the machine that much. So with a solid tub, you had it susspended on the transmittion holding the water. When GE went perforated, they put the tub still susspended on the transmission within the old outer tub, so filling both takes beaux coudles of water. The GE outer tub is stationary and basically part of the cabinet. In other manufacturer's desgins, they made the outer tub "float" with the inner tub within the cabinet. This allowed the inner tub to be a couple inches to less than an inch from the outer tub, using much less water. With the GE, they had to leave all that room in which the tub can swing around in during spin.

When a GE goes out of balance, it does not shut down. Instead, the belt and the clutch prevent the tub coming up to speed, and the wash tub swings around within the outer tub, many time scraping the outer tub and chipping the porcelain off and rusting around the top.

This is also why the tub boot looks like some kind of black, warped, horned crown that maybe Voldermort or Hillary Clinton would wear. The outer edge has to clamp to the stationary outer tub, while the inner edge clamps to the transmission. All the horns inbetween allow maximum flexibility.

OK, so maybe George Bush wears one too...

 

[trainguy]

Jimmy & Mike,

That set looks so beautiful. It makes me want to digress from Frigidiare...wait, haven't you tried that already Jimmy? Let's see, you gave me a Maytag AMP, a Norge Timeline, a Whirlpool dryer....OMG - I HAVE been converted!