Maytag agitator swap

[akronman]

I have a Maytag A608, with original turquoise agitator, 4 slots for lint catching, approx 15" tall agitator in a 16.5" deep tub. I want a load sensor agitator or some auger type agitator, but the only ones on Ebay that list the size say 18.875".

Can someone suggest the actual Load Sensor PN or some auger type PN that will fit?

 

[maytaguy]

Agitator

Im pretty sure maytag made the dame agitators and slines for years but on the newer machines basically the LAT model and up, i think it all changed.... i know the black and early white and blue (turquoise) ones are usually interchangable.....

But as for installing a larger newer agitator i think thats not possible without a lot of modification......

 

[tomturbomatic]

No, the Load Sensor agitator fits in the 806 with the helical drive tranny just fine. I use one occasionally in mine. The thing is that unless you are running the 50 cycle pulley and belt kit, the agitation speed is going to be too slow for the shorter fins on the Load Sensor to do much in the way of water movement. The Load Sensor was developed for the short, rapid stroke Orbital tranny. The height is OK. Remember that on top of your Power Fin there is aded height from the softener dispenser holder. The disadvantage is that the Load Sensor is wider at the top than the Power Fin and the 806 has a narrower tub opening than the later Tags when they tried optics, including making the tub opening wider, to make the tub larger (didn't work) so there is less clearance between the agitator and the opening which can make loading and unloading a bit less convenient. As far as I can determine, there was not a shorter Load Sensor for the smaller tub Maytags. Maytag went through a lot of agitator designs for the Orbital tranny washers and some are quite effective because of the final arrangement of the fins on the barrel. Just make sure you get the Load Sensor agitator made for a Maytag and not an Admiral.

 

[akronman]

Load Sensor

TomTurboMatic----that 15" measurement includes the filter and fab dispenser. There's about 4 more available inches until a new agitator would hit the lid, and I'm willing to use 3.875 of it, what the heck. But with the Whirlpool/Maytag/Admiral name changes confusion, I am ...confused as to what to buy.
My tub has the 21 staggered rows of holes on the straight sides, I do believe it is the largest size from Maytag 1970's.
I've been all over PartsSelect, RepairClinic, and AppliancePartsPros, then over to Ebay too, still confused.
Thanks for info so far, I don't mean to be too needy, still learning.
Mark

 

[yogitunes]

Tom is correct

If you have a four slot powerfin, wether helical or orbital tranny, then the Load Sensor will fit, actually the LoadSensor will allow the lid to close on a standard size tub as well (exception is the stacked pair with the sliding lid), just make sure as said its a Maytag agitator, theres also a few different designs of dispensers that fit on top....

this one I added to a orbital tranny, opening is wider of course, but will fit the helical just a s well....

 

[combo52]

ALL TWO BELT MT WASHERS ARE HELICAL DRIVE MACHINES

The term helical drive refers to the reversing motor machines that were produced after 1956 and not the type of transmission that the machine has. The Load-sensor agitator was used in most MT washers where the model # begins LAT****** I am sure some one here can supply an exact model # if needed, or when I go over to the warehouse tomorrow I can supply the #.

 

[akronman]

Thanks Combo52

An exact PN or two would be great, any auger/corkscrew/LoadSensor/Dual action style agitator that will be an easy swap on my A608.
My late model Admiral, from Home Depot, had that overall style, just much taller, but I sold that machine a few weeks ago, once the Maytag and Easy and Speed Queen and Hoovermatic were all up and running. Who needs a machine from 2007? but I'll admit, the turnover was great with that racheting auger.

 

[tomturbomatic]

If you have to replace a Maytag Helical drive tranny now that it is no longer manufactured, you are sold an Orbital tranny and a new agitator. The proper Load Sensor agitator is pictured in the link from Ebay. I cannot vouch for the part number of the agitator in the link, but it is the correct size and shape. If you go to Ebay and type in Maytag Agitator, you will many different types of auger agitators. You will see the ones with an almost domed-looking base, but they are not for real Maytag washers. The real Maytag LS agitators have a narrow base and are the same height, without the dispenser cup holder, as the Power Fin with the lint filter/dispenser cup holder in place and it is slightly less than 15 inches tall. You are looking at one of the Amanda (as some people call the brand) or Norge or Admiral agitators which is not the one you can use. If you don't know what you are doing, get the model number from a large cap Maytag that came with the LS agitator and go to an appliance parts store, ask them to look up the part number and sell you the agitator, but you should be able to see from the picture of the almond machine above that it has a much narrower skirt and shorter fins and is not gonna do sh*t with the agitation strokes per minute in a 60 cycle 806 and is gonna cost you a lot of money for nothing. You don't put the candles on a birthday cake before you frost it and you don't put the LS agitator in an 806 before changing the motor pulley and belts. I changed the pulley in mine sometime in the 1990s so I have experience with its use and performance. Did you know that the LS agitator was meant to be used with a different tranny before you decided to switch to one?

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[coldspot66]

PART # IS 22001821.

 

[akronman]

Paging TomTurbomatic

Hey Tom---You were entirely correct, this Load Sensor in my A608 was a total waste of time and money. It barely kicks in to rachet, only under severe overloading, and for normal size loads it has too small a base/too short fins to really move the water well. Turnover has been poor, you were entirely correct on all counts, I wasted time and money. Who knew that Maytag properly figured out the best agitatar for the specific transmission and tub when it built my machine? Lesson learned. Thanks for your advice, next time I'll listen.

After 2 loads of bad turnover, I left one full load of curtains(lightweight but a FULL tub) in the machine while I swapped back to the original turquoise tall tub Power Fin agitator that came with the machine. Exact same load, and turnover was back to perfect Maytag performance, as built.

So, for $36 price and $14 in shipping, I learned to listen to the pro's and not waste my cash.

I very much enjoy this machine, very happy I modified it into a suds-saver, but that's all the modification for me. Maytag, not Mark, knows what they are up to.

So, anyone need a Load Sensor agitator for the machines built for it?