Maytag Advice Sought

[danemodsandy]

Hello:

Well, I'm up against the wall- it's either fix my present Whirly washer (too new for discussion in this forum) or go vintage.

Since I'm very partial to simplicity, I was thinking about a center-dial Maytag pair from say, the early '70s. I have two concerns:

One, I'd love to hear about various models, so I can get a handle on what to look for. I'm accustomed to MOL machines, with two speeds, variable water level and a softener dispenser, but not umpteen cycles. I will admit that I find the TOL Maytags with a row of pushbuttons in place of the dial one of the most attractive washers I've ever seen. But an MOL machine would be fine. Lighted consoles are nice, but don't really need 'em.

Two, does anyone have a forecast on what Maytag parts availability will be like now that Whirly bought the company and is making so many changes? I know that genuine Maytag belts are critical, for instance.

Any thoughts about Maytags of this vintage would be welcome. My mom had a Maytag pair from the late '50s, sadly long gone in favour of an '80s Kennie stack unit (FEH!). She didn't really kill them, she just had the hots for something new at the time. If only I'd known then what I know now...

 

[goatfarmer]

Center dial Maytags are still plentiful,I find them all the time. I think most major parts will be around for a while. Models ending in 06,07,08 seem to be the most popular. 106,and 206(and corresponding 07,and 08 models)are small capacity,lower end machines. 406,and 606 are large capacity,MOL machines.806 gets you a lighted console,and a few more buttons.Probably won't find a 906,which was pushbutton,instead of a timer.
Maytag's in general are known for dependability,and are easy to service.It takes longer to open the package the belts come in,than to actually replace them! A proven transmission design,which was used for a lot of years.
Personally,I believe you can't go wrong with a mid 60's to late 70's Maytag.

kennyGF

 

[appnut]

The A606 will be a large capacity 2-speed washer with regular & perm press cycles. Probably the model that will best suit your needs. The 406 is a fabric-Matic model, 1-speed with fabric buttons or cycles on dial for delicate, perm press, and regular. The delicate alternates periods of agitation and soaknig during the 10 minute wash. PP has a cool down phase and a shortened final spin.

 

[sudsmaster]

I agree, a Maytag 606 would be a good choice.

I have a classic '78 GE Filter-flo, a '65 RCA Whirpool, and a couple of Maytag 606's (both from around 1967). The Maytags are by far the better built, more sturdy machines. No machine is perfect, but I think the reason why older Maytags are still so plentiful is that they lasted longer than most anything else.

Which is not to say that every one you find will be in perfect running condition. Seals and bearings do eventually fail, belts need replacement, etc. One nice thing is that most everything you need to do to the washer (outside of bearings/seals) is accessable from the front. That includes the motor, the belts (tipping machine back), the pump, even the damper pads under the tub support. So far one problem area appears to be blue plastic agitators that can be very difficult to remove (a must if you need to replace seals/bearings). There's a thread here that discusses using very hot water to soften up the rubber o-ring that holds them in place.

Oh, and the Maytags have a fabric softener dispenser built into the center of the agitator, along with a user cleanable passive lint filter.

 

[danemodsandy]

Zowie!

Mayken4now has offered me the most GORGEOUS pair of perfectly restored 606s you ever saw. Can't afford 'em (I told him that I'm more the kind of person who needs to find 'em unrestored and get busy with the tools), but they are exactly what I'd like to have.

Thanks for all the info, guys! 606s it is- just gotta find that little old lady who is tired of hers, and wants her a pair of them there pretty new Admirals down to Home Depot...

 

[rolltideroll]

Dan~You won't go wrong with an old set from the 70's. Like one of the above posters mentioned that the machines were still plentiful. They are and I would recomend picking up an old out of service washer and possibly a dryer also for future breakdowns such as pump or dryer belt as well as washer belts. Belts are easy to replace on both of the units as you probably know. Remember on the dryer that the belt goes on backwards as far as the ribbed side of the belt is concerned. Maybe you could get you a parts set in the house and play around with taking them apart and puttin' em back together so when an actual repair is at hand, you can do it quickly.

 

[sudsmaster]

If you want a matched set, it may be easier to look for 608 or similar vintage. That the center dial with the gold, not blue, trim. So far I haven't seen a 606 matching dryer around here, although I'm sure there are some. I have seen a number of x08 dryers.

 

[varicyclevoice]

Maytag washer A606 and dryer DG606

Hi there,

I have a Maytag washer A606 and a matching dryer DG606 in my basement. They are coppertone color. I bought them used in 1996. They are both in excellent condition. The washer has the deep tub on it. I put them in my aunt's basement here with the intention of using them someday. When I moved into the house in 2001, I opted to get an electric dryer instead of using gas, so the set has remained in storage in my basement unused since 1996. I would like to sell them especially to someone who would care for them. Let me know if you are interested. I have pictures if you like. I bought them for $300.00 but would be willing to entertain an offer below that.

 

[danemodsandy]

Hi:

Davenport is a long way from me- i'm in Atlanta. And like you, I favour electric dryers. Your price is great, and if I had a way to pull the needed transport off, I might consider it.

Thanks for offering these to me! P.S.- I LOVE Iowa- best-kept secret in America.

 

[peterh770]

Dan,
Go up Cobb Pkwy to Abbey Used Appliances. They probably have some behind the store awaiting a trip to the Krusher. You can also check behind Sewell Appliances on Roswell Rd in Sandy Springs, and Castleberry Appliances on Chamblee-Dunwoody Rd.

 

[danemodsandy]

Peter:

Hey, THANKS! Abbey and Sewell are very near me, and they hadn't occurred to me as sources. I'm also very familiar with Castleberry's- Lord knows they would have sold enough Maytags to Chamblee-Dunwoody homeowners back in the day. That was A906/DE906 territory; those people could afford the best without blinking. One of my mom's best friends has lived there since 1955; she still has her 1959 GE Liberator range.

I don't know why I didn't think of these, but thanks very much. Any idea how receptive these places are to crazy people wanting old worn-out appliances, and what kind of offer I should make? All my vintage appliance adventures so far have been through thrifts and the side of the street, so I don't know what the deal is with regular stores.

 

[rp2813]

Dan, I loved the 70's vintage center dial Maytag washer I bought used in 1987 and it worked problem free for 10 years. I only got rid of it because its companion dryer's drum froze up and was deemed not worth repairing. I gave the washer to a co-worker for her daughter, who had just rented a place of her own and I'll bet it's still working wherever it is now. I absolutely love the simplicity and resulting reliability of these machines and it's sad that they are no longer being built. It made no sense at all to trash that technology.

My only complaint was capacity. The lower numbered small tub models simply don't hold enough in my opinion, but for a person who is into vintage washers the tub size is normal, I guess. If I were you I'd hold out for a larger tub model, and as sudsmaster has stated above, the ones with the gold trim would be a nice find.

Good luck and have fun. I wish I had the time and space to fix (if necessary) and use a center dial pair in addition to my Amana daily drivers.

 

[peterh770]

Well, the rednecks at Abbey will be your toughest audience. Wander around their "showroom" and when they ask you what you need, chat them up. I haven't really talked to anyone at Sewell -- I just drive up to their little corral and look. Castleberry is a bit more receptive than Abbey. See if they will give a price first before offering. You should be able to get away with about $50 for a machine.

 

[goatfarmer]

If I spot a machine I'm interested in,at an unfamiliar place,I'll usually say that I have a similar machine that needs parts,and what do they need for it. That way,the business looks at it as an old washer,and not a "collectable".

kennyGF

 

[danemodsandy]

Okay- it's like yard sales, where you never betray your true interest. I've found things that made my eyes want to bug out of my head, but you have to affect a certain nonchalance, or things get sticky.

Thanks to everyone for a most enlightening and informative thread, and some great offers on machines (wish I could afford the shipping!). As soon as I run across a pair, I'll almost certainly be asking for rebuild advice, and advice on critical spares to stock up on, now that Maytag is, essentially, gone.