Is there anyway to stop Speed Queen INDEXING?

[scrubflex]

If the machine is new why aren't the breaks working? The Wavy Flex agitator is very powerful...(still don't get why it's actually compared to the dual-action)...the dual is the ONLY agitator that can force an over-stuffed load down to bottom of the tub...plenty other agitator's that turnover laundry as good as but, the dual is the best at it...that being said, the Wavy Flex still pulls clothes down into the tub overloaded, SO WHY HINDER THE EFFECTIVENESS with indexing...Speed Queen must be aware of this...why won't they correct the slipping?

 

[ladd]

I have a one month old TC5000 that does some indexing. I've read that it will get better as the machine breaks in, but don't really know how putting some wear on the brakes will make them grab better.

 

[frigilux]

My 2017 Series 9 SQ still indexes a little—maybe about a 10th of a turn; noticeably less than during the first year, at any rate, back when it actually was hindering rollover on large loads.

I’ve always enjoyed watching indexing tubs, so it’s a win-win for me. After nearly 30 years of front-loaders the SQ’s indexing and spin-drains complete my old-school top-loader experience.

I know John L. (combo52) has posted how to stop the indexing. Maybe he’ll see this and weigh-in on it. Otherwise, search SQ threads about indexing. It’s in there somewhere.

 

[scrubflex]

Thanks guys, I'll take a look at that

 

[scrubflex]

So, does the Speed Queen washers need an additional 'torque spring' to completely stop the tub indexing...a 1/4 rotation is really bad and an 1/8 is bad enough...if no other way, a 1/16th would be at least acceptable...1/2 inch back and forth rocking is basic...(can an extra spring be installed)...I mean the only two WCI agitators that are capable of turnover (with full loads) are the Westinghouse Deep Ramps and Kelvinator/Gibson late 70's to 80's Ten Vane "angel wing" agitators...for the Ten Vane agitator, if the indexing arc was decreased from a 1/4 rotation (90 degrees) down to a 1/16th , rolling would have been awesome

 

[scrubflex]

Beside, the indexing, can anyone also explain why Speed Queen for years haven't CORRECTED the water level load size selector MISPRINT...the 'medium' selection is in place of LARGE...here's a pic of the medium setting water level...it's clearly an amount of water for a 'LARGE' setting

 

[scrubflex]

here's a video of the transmission INDEXING..."Speed Queen AWN542 noise" youtube

 

[mrb627]

Brake Slip

Initially, it was told that the break pads were factory coated with a lubricant of some type to prevent corrosion which might occur between factory assembly and final installation at the purchaser's location. Perhaps when machines are shipped around the world on tankers, the salt air can cause issues. Cleaning the brake pads with a solvent was said to correct the issue.

Malcolm

 

[scrubflex]

Hi Malcolm, I suppose the tub indexing complaint percentage isn't high enough to consider a solution...indexing has been a issue for years...has anyone tried to clean the brake pads?

 

[lowefficiency]

>> ... but don't really know how putting some wear on the brakes will make them grab better.

There are volumes to read if you are really interested... but two things to highlight:

Despite our best manufacturing tolerances, brake pads and drums/discs are never "perfectly" matched in shape and flatness. Therefore, when put in contact with each other, there will be ridges, bumps, high spots, or just slightly mismatched shaping which prevent complete and even contact between the two surfaces. Under the initial usage, these high spots and ridges will see a disproportionate amount of pressure & friction, resulting in them wearing down faster than the rest of the surface. Over time (a comparatively short time), this is a self-solving problem, as the materials wear to conform to each other for a better fit.

So upon initial use, the brake is less effective... but after a short period of usage, the characteristics will have improved and stabilized considerably as the surfaces conform and make better contact.

A second factor is the initial conditioning of the drum/disc. Upon initial use, there is a transfer of material from the brake pads to the drum/disc, which alters the friction properties of the drum/disc. If you've ever changed the brakes on a vehicle, you might be familiar with the process of "bedding in" your brakes. A search for "adherent friction" will give all kinds of information on this subject, and how the initial cycling of a brake changes the properties of the surfaces.

(Note: I'm not sure that either of these are explanations of why the Speed Queens are indexing, just posting them as examples of why braking systems could be less effective when new, but improve with usage.)

 

[eurekastar]

If you look at the brake rotor on a Speed Queen and the brake pads, it makes sense that a break in period is needed.  The rotor is round and the pads are flat.  So it makes sense (to me at least) that it takes time for the pads to wear enough to provide grip.  Since Speed Queen is designed for commercial applications first (like a laundromat) which would see constant use throughout the day, the break in period would be shorter than my Speed Queen which sees maybe five to seven loads throughout a week. 

 

[scrubflex]

Hmm, it's odd to me that Speed Queen would need to install a major washer component "that get's better with use"...rather than design a brake system that does the job without side effects...how dangerous is it if new vehicle brakes have ANY slippage...(that's risking people lives)...it seems that the details would have been settled during the designing...resolve the tub indexing with a different brake system...is it too expensive???

 

[henene4]

That's just material science for you...

Another factor: Breaks tend to be smoother after manufacturing then after some use to an effect similar to sanding a surface:
A sintered or cut surface is smoother then one treated with friction from a relatively rough surface.

Every friction interaction between 2 surface "breaks away" parts of both surfaces.
The rougher the surfaces, the more they interlock and the bigger the chunks that break away.
There will always be some wear to both surfaces, to harder surface less then the softer one (proportionally).

 

[lowefficiency]

>> how dangerous is it if new vehicle brakes have ANY slippage...(that's risking people lives)

Vehicle brakes actually *are* designed to slip! If they didn't, they would grab and lock up, which would make for extremely dangerous handling on the roads! Anytime you slow down without fully stopping, those brakes are slipping, and they are designed to do that day in day out for tens of thousands of miles.

A closer comparison for the washing machine perhaps is the vehicle's parking brake, which is usually used as the functional equivalent to a wheel chock. But even they are still designed to allow slippage, as your parking/emergency brake is your last level of the redundant braking systems in your car... and should your primary hydraulic brakes fail while driving, that emergency brake is designed to allow for a safe controlled stop.

 

[spinmon]

The indexing will diminish. If you're not getting good turnover in the Queen,you have too many items in there!

Why wear out your clothes and the machine while getting poorer wash/rinse? "Overstuffed" IS overloaded. Load properly and enjoy.

 

[scrubflex]

Okay and true...thanks everyone

 

[combo52]

Indexing SQ TL Washers

Hi Harry, you are way over thinking this issue, of the 1000s of SQ TL washers we have sold or serviced no customer has ever brought up this issue, it does not affect performance in any real way.

 

That said and while this is a great washer for most users it is still a crude machine and I will never have one in my laundry room.

 

If you want perfection in a traditional TL washer rebuild a WP-KM-KA top loader from approximately 1985-1995 , you could also do a WP-KM BD or a MT DC or a GE FF washer but with a few more trade-offs in performance and difficulty because of age in restoring them.

 

John L.

 

[spinmon]

While the DD's ARE good all around machines,they are not 'perfection'. We had 2 from new incl a '96 90 series KM. The norm wash speed da-da-da-da sound is ok. The KLUNK into spin is sometimes startling and neutral-drain issues do occur. Spray rinse on last spin sorta' dilutes softner. Spin NOT vibration-free most times.

To me the SQ sounds good and has very smooth spin. Washing good,rinsing fair,spin dry seems wetter than DD. Our DD's were not trouble-some except for neutral-drain. The '96 needed a new trans when 1 week old,but usually drained thereafter.

I did replace 'belt kit' on 8 yr old SQ which made diff in spin accel and speed attainment.

To each their own,but the SQ is decent,reliable,and to me the closest to classic washer sights and sounds available TODAY!

 

[gusherb]

The best (and only solution) is to keep using it and not worry about it. The more you use it the faster it will go away. It took over 6 mos for it to go away on mine and it gets used a good amount.