Lubing damper pads: pre 1966 Maytag advice needed

[dnastrau]

Greetings:

As a preventative measure I want to lube the damper pads on my '61 A700. This seems to be especially important as the early damper pads now seem to be NLA. I am not sure how/if the later ones are different; they seem to have different part numbers. Anyhow...

The tub moves around fine and the pads have not come out from underneath the damper so I hope I can just put some fresh Poly Lube on them. I have read how others have done this service on post'65 machines; however since the older machines like mine have the short springs, what is the best method to remove them? It looks like there is a jam nut on the top that I can leave in place and can just loosen the three nuts accessible on the bottom of the machine. This sounds like it will also keep the factory tension adjustment intact.

Does this sound like the best approach? No matter how it is done, this looks like it is going to be awkward. Even removing the top cover is a lot harder on these older units.

Thanks for any advice!

Andrew S.

 

[bobbyderegis]

Andrew:
The pads on the older style helical drive Tags were felt, not polypropaline.(sp?) I'll check the manual to see what lube they say to use. Poly lube may not be the best for the felt pads.
Bobby in Boston

 

[dnastrau]

Thanks Bobby for the clarification

I did not know that the early ones were felt. I just got my 1957 copyright "helical drive" manual that covers the very first post-AMP (1958 on?) machines. It says to saturate the pads with "power unit grease" after they are glued down which I believe is Maytag transmission oil. I can't imagine that this would stay on those pads for very long since it is like a heavy weight motor oil.

If your book says something else please let me know. I am tempted to try some 100% silicone grease on them instead. That stuff will stay put, lubricates well and contains no petroleum so it should be inert as far as the felt and glue of the pads is concerned. After 49 years any lubrication has to be better than whatever is dried up in there now. I am suprised that the tub moves around as well as it does...

Andrew S.

 

[revvinkevin]

Poly lube may not be the best for the felt pads.

Actually, Poly Lube is EXACTLY what should be used on the felt damper pads... just ask RedCarpetDrew or QSD-Dan! When RCD was down here at my house in Jan, we replaced the damper and the pads on my '71 806. That is what he told me to use on the pads... Poly Lube!

Kevin

 

[dnastrau]

Long time Maytag dealer said today...

Hi Kevin:

I actually spoke to a local Maytag dealer late this afternoon who has been in the business since 1970. He said Poly Lube, or silicone grease is fine - even white lithium grease - the main thing is to not use anything too thick or too much.

I think what Bobby is saying is the the pads on older machines are made of felt and the newer machines (and the replacements that you have on your 806 for instance) are made of polypropylene. I am 99% sure that the pads on my '61 A700 are original so I'd bet that they are felt. The 1957 "helical" book that I have specifies using power unit grease and the old "Repair Master" book specifies that and "Molykote" lubricant - probably because Maytag hadn't developed "Poly lube" yet.

Perhaps "Poly lube" (which apparently is a type of silicone grease based on my Internet searches today) is backwards compatible with the older style felt pads. Since "100%" silicone grease is inert as far as dissolving things is concerned (that's why it is used on rubber o-rings and gaskets) I'll bet that Poly Lube can be used on the older pads.

I will post back with my results using Poly Lube. Unfortunately no one stocks it around here so I will have to order some... I already have silicone grease but I can't be sure that it is exactly the same as Poly Lube. I might as well use the right stuff while it is available.

Thanks for the input!

Andrew S.

 

[combo52]

MT DAMPER PAD LUBERCANT

Almost any grease will work on the old felt pads. The newer white polyester pads need a lubricant thats compatible with plastics, poly-lube is great but so are a dozen other modern lubricants. I have been an authorized MT red carpet repair man for almost 40 years a gave up buying poly-lube at least 30 yrs ago. These lubricants are not that critical you need to use the right type of lubricant etc but there is nothing magic about it having to have the MT WP GE name on the package.You are just going to pay a lot more for something you may already have. I am much more impressed with the products you get from automotive parts supply houses its usually much better quality. WP , MT ,& GE have never done a very good job supplying glues, sealant & lubricants etc they are often old or leaky or hard in the tube its just not the best way fix things. How many people would to the Ford dealer to motor oil and windshield washer fluid etc?.

 

[dnastrau]

Thanks for the input John

What would you use on the old felt pads then? I found a small tube of Poly Lube on the 'net for a little over $3.00 including shipping that I ordered. If I don't use it on the damper I'll use it on the motor carriage rollers.

"Molykote" was mentioned in the old "Repair Master" book. That would be a Molybdenum disulfide grease - perhaps like automotive CV joint grease.

 

[combo52]

MT DAMPER PAD LUBRICANT

Yes on the old felt pads you can use pretty much any grease you want. the motor rollers can take almost any lubricant thats plastic comparable neither one of these areas are high wear or stress. Most MT washers run there whole life with no additional lubrication.

 

[dnastrau]

Thanks John...

I will use Poly Lube on my new motor carriage rollers and I'll decide on the damper lube once I have it apart. Since I work on my own car I have a lot to choose from.

 

[mistereric]

I'm going to have to investigate some ominous noises my 806 has been making soon enough. Is there a list of things like this to check someplace?

 

[dnastrau]

What kind of noises?

With all of the reading that I have done in the archives here I would think:

A screech when starting agitation or spin could be a bad drive belt.

Loud noises during the spin cycle could be a bad spin bearing.

A groan/squawk when the spinning tub comes to rest after spin or shutdown could be a dry brake lining that needs to be oiled.

If you grab the agitator and move the tub around on its suspension and find it is hard to move and/or makes noise it probably means that the damper pads need to be lubed or replaced if missing or damaged. If metal on metal contact has been happening here, you will likely see black metal dust on the base inside the cabinet. You may need to replace the base and/or aluminum damper if they are severely damaged.

Debris caught in the pump can also make noise.

That's about all that I am aware of being a Maytag novice.

Andrew S.

 

[qsd-dan]

I found a small tube of Poly Lube on the 'net for a litt

If it's the little 3 ounce tube, you're going to need 3 of them for the damper pads (one for each pad) and at least one tube for the carriage rollers.

 

[dnastrau]

3 oz. tube of Poly Lube

Hi Dan:

Based on John's response and what the local Maytag dealer told me Saturday, the older felt damper pads like mine aren't affected negatively if a different type of lube is used. Apparently the Poly Lube was designed for the polypropylene damper pads used on the 1966 (I assume) and newer machines. The old books specify lubing the felt type pads with power unit grease (transmission oil) and/or Molykote which is a molybdenum disulfide type grease. I'll use the small amount of Poly lube that I ordered on my new motor carriage rollers and I will probably use Moly grease on the felt damper pads.

If the original pads turn out to be bad then all bets are off. If I have to replace them then I hope I can make the new style pads work as the original felt type seems to be NLA now. I might also be able to make new ones out of heavy felt but I'd rather not go down that road.