Help with Maytag A606 with inner tub nut

[mrmom]

Hello to all. The new guy here. I have been a collector of old machines for 40 years However not washing machines But I can appreciate the old machines better than the throw away's they make now.
My mother bought only four washing machines in her life the first I have no idea what is was. The second was an A606 Maytag. When I got married in 1984 she asked if I wanted the 606 she was going to get a new maytag And so it arrived to my laundry room where it has ran for many years.
I have replaced the belts twice and the drain pump once. Now that I have a daughter and grand daughter using it on a weekly bases it is being used a heck of a lot more. it started making noises on the spin cycle and the tub was moving way to much even with a medium size load. I decided to check it out. I pulled the front cover and found the dampner pads had slipped out. So those have been ordered. I pulled the agitator and noticed a little oil on the spline. When I looked at the bottom of the agitator it had a couple of streaks of oil on it. I wiped off the spline and found that the lip for the snap ring that holds the seal down is eaten away and the snap ring was just sitting on top. I have read all over this site how to get this nut off of the inner tub, left handed threads ETC I bought the TB123A spanner wrench, I have beaten the living heck out of this with an 8 pound hammer So much so that I am starting to round the corners of the nut. I soaked it with liquid wrench Sunday then again Monday when I got home. I beat on it for half an hour. I decided to soak it again so it is waiting for me when I get home tonight. Does any one have any suggestion that I can try? I have in the passed used a dremel with a metal cutting disc to break loose large nuts on machines. I just would like a professionals opinion first
Thanks
Fred

 

[repairguy]

My opinion is to cut it off! It is a lot easier and faster. Plus you won't accidentally chip the porcelain tub with the hammer. I usually use a wedged punch. One good hit on the top on opposite sides always breaks it in half. A new nut comes with a seal kit so for me it is no problem. Good luck!

 

[mrmom]

Thank you for the reply I am going to do it tonight I have baseball gloves for hands Trying to hold that wrench with one hand and swinging a hammer with the other in a 4 cubic foot area I could just see me teaching one of the grand kids a new special word that I would be reminded of every time I saw my daughter in law.
Fred

 

[DADoES]

 
As I recall from the one time I did this job, there's an allen screw in the spanner nut that must be removed before it'll come off.

 

[mrmom]

From everything I have read the outer tub seal has the set screw in it The inner tub does not But I will look closely before I do anything
Fred

 

[DADoES]

 
Oh, right.  Cloudy memory and don't do the job every day.

 

[goatfarmer]

No  set screw on the spanner nut. If you're sure you are whacking it the right way, cut it off. I've never had one that tight, a chisel and punch usually get's them to turn.

 

[mrmom]

Ever notice when you open the can at both ends the worms get out faster I took a cold chisel hit the nut 3 or 4 times on each side and it was off. Now I am looking at the cork covered nut I spray it with liquid wrench and while it is soaking I take the allen screw out I even make sure they didn't put one on top of the other so I know it's clear The last time anyone touched this was at the factory I banged on this thing for 10 minutes Clock wise. It finally started to move after making three revolutions I realized the whole shaft was turning. I got a 1 1/4 wooden dowel I put it between the tub braces and the hole in the back of the cabinet I banged on it again but nothing So I sprayed it again and started cleaning up 40 years of soap residue that's when the other end of the can opened I am posting a picture of the shaft and the new problem 40 years of soap residue must have sealed it and so goes my questions
How do I get that nut off can it be cut off also?
Can the outer tub be Heliarced, Brazed, Welded?
If not what is a fair price for the outer tub if I can find one local
Thank you for your reply's
Fred

 

[mrmom]

I dug out the seal at the top of the nut so I could get to the threads with some liquid wrench. I filled it up. While I was waiting I cleaned the tub completely needless to say I found a few more holes. I also did a lot of reading, lucky for me the paint store down the street has POR15 I bought a pint along with the metal prep. I have done some fiberglass work in the past, I have some cloth and resin so I am going to try that once I get this tub loose I tried the spanner wrench and the flat tip punch but it still won't move I'm going to let it soak over night. Anybody has an idea I'll try it
Thanks
Fred

 

[brucelucenta]

Have you considered just getting another machine? Certainly would be easier than all of this it seems and there seem to be lots of them still out there for sale on craig's list and such. I did check craig's list and there seem to be several in your area that might be a good replacement.[this post was last edited: 7/29/2016-06:14]

 

[combo52]

Stuck Basket Mount

I assume you removed the set screw, but in many cases I have to also cut this part off,with a dremill type hand grinder you can cut two deep cuts in it and then break it off.

 

It is fairly to patch and repair the outer tub, your tub should be saveable.

 

[jimmler]

I have had much better luck with PB Blaster as a penetrant. Most any hardware store carries it.

 

[mrmom]

Hello
I have worked on older machines for a long time I just can't give up and I have almost 125.00 in parts sitting on the floor. I take it as a challenge, I know a futile one some times but I have to try. I am going to look for the PB blaster. I have a couple dremels and cutting wheels so tonight when I get home I will give it a go
Thanks for the input I'll keep you posted
Fred

 

[DADoES]

 
Satisfaction at a job done can be a sufficient reason to proceed. 

 

[lowefficiency]

Keep at it!

If there is one thing I learned from restoring old cars, it's that parts won't be available forever, and neither will the knowledge of how to repair things. Sometimes your only choice is to fix what you have, and you can't count on replacement parts or assemblies to get you through, so you can't be destructive in the disassembly.

And just like what you're saying here- the special tools, a repair guide, or set of instructions written when an item was produced isn't necessarily the correct process to follow anymore after 40+ years. (For example, just look at the pictures of broken agitators from using the factory pullers, and the "new" tools and processes people now use to remove them safely.)

Someday, there will be a time, when someone else is struggling the same way. And there's a good chance they will find this thread in a Google search, and gain a huge benefit from the insight here. So pressing on, and documenting what works and what doesn't, is a great benefit to the community!

 

[mrmom]

Thanks Loweff1ciency Cars huh hole different site but I have a 61 Porsche roadster and a 62 Harley panhead and yup machined many one off's
Well spent the better part of 2 hours cutting measuring and cutting some more I was kind of flying blind I didn't know how deep to go but I got it off Now I have a couple questions I'm hoping maybe the real repair guys might be able to tell me. I have a bearing stuck on the spindle Yes I can cut it but the new part doesn't have this also there is a fluted rubber plug stuck in the hole of the tub Again I don't have a new one of those either Are these part of the original seals that they don't use or make anymore? and we just get along without them
Going to work on this tomorrow and Sunday going to make an all out assault
Thank you for the input
Fred

 

[mrmom]

I was reading this morning before I went at this project. The rubber is the Tub bearing boot. I am still not sure of the bearing at the top, But I am going to inspect the boot real close, I believe I am going to go the extra mile and replace it seeing how it is the most difficult to get to and a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link Which would make that the old Tub bearing seal
Fred

 

[mrmom]

Well i have it all back together But I need some input When it is in damp dry spin how much movment should there be in the tub The inner tub it not hitting the outer tub and the machine cabinet is not really moving but the tub is shaking at top speed I read some where here about the tub hole should be centered in the cabinet hole when it stops spinning When i spin out the water with the tub empty the tub leans towrds me when it stops. I read to tighten the rear springs to pull it back but I have done this three times and I think the inner tub is off center But I can't find a way to tell what is center and what is balanced Anybody?
Thanks
Fred

 

[mrmom]

I am going to keep going on this But if anyone wants to give there opinion on the post above I'm here
First off I have never worked with POR15 it is some strange stuff for sure Looks like thin paint but if you get it on you hands and your sweating it acts like grease or oil it stains the skin but from what I have read it dries by humidity and heat To much dry heat and it takes for ever to cure To much moisture and it breaks down. But I got the hang of it. I used the metal prep they sell and kept all of the tub wet for all of 45 min.'s Once that was done I washed and dried the tub POR15 says bone dry. I decided to go with JB weld I let that set up for 3 hr's then I painted the whole inside of the tub even around the rim. We are in the 90's here with 55% humidity So as the instruction said slight finger drag and it's time to re-coat 3 coats in all.
Now the inner tub had a problem at the hub The porcelain was chipped and it was starting to rust I used metal prep on it then I took some JB weld and filled it in a little higher than the rim I took some sand paper to bring it down as close to level as I could Then I took 900 grit wrapped it around a block of wood in a circular motion The sand paper only being on the JB weld once I used a straight edge and a flash light to make sure it was all the same all the way around. I contoured it to match the hub. Then I painted it with POR15 I know it looks a little bad because it's thin I couldn't keep it from running So it is all back together but I still have this spin problem. Is it possible to reset the inner tub again with out taking all apart? and is there a way to know when it's straight