Maytag Dependable Care Washers Extinct

[launderess]

Warm rinses for wool are only good if one washed the wool in warm water. Sudden changes in temp can cause wool to shrink/felt. In fact one is best off using cold water to both wash and rinse wool. Warm water was better for washing wool when soap was the only product around for the task. Woolite, and other SLS/surfactant based products clean wool quite well in cold water.

Warm water rinses, were widely used when soap was the main "detergent" for laundry. Even after detergents came on the scene housewives still used/prefered warm water rinses at least for whites/colourfast items as it was believed warm water rinsed better. Warm water does rinse soap better, but cold water is fine for today's modern detergents. When using soap one does not wish for textile fibers to "contract" suddenly, trappping dirt/muck and soap residue within fabrics.
IIRC once the "energy crisis" of the 1970's hit, warm water rinse options began to fade from washing machines. You certianly wouldn't get one past the "Feds" today.

L.

 

[gadgetgary]

Laundress

TYVM for your expertise.

Much appreciated!

 

[irishwashguy]

I know that they are clearing them out

I listen to KOMO, it only comes in at night here in Portland, I heard that the Maytag store in the Seattle area is clearing out all of the 'old' models for 2006 to make way for 2007.EEK! I thought to myself. "Get rid of --all-- of your ratty old appliances and come to the Maytag store where we only sell appliances not garding tools"the comercial said. So, get them before they go away forever. I am a little courious what the new stuff will be like(perhaps a rebadged KitchenAid with a DD perhaps?)My Maytag dealer(Division Maytag) down the street from me that has been there since 1937 has also moved to smaller quarters.HMMMM.Lots of changes.

 

[cehalstead]

confirming bad news

Just made a visit to my local Maytag dealer, and found more confimation of what we had all feared....the Dependable Care Maytag is indeed dead. They have several in stock, but cannot get any more. The salesman told me "they were very concerned with what Whirlpool was going to offer under the Maytag name". He said that in the beginning, WP had told the dealers that they were going to bring back the Maytage quality, but the few new Whirtags (and that's what he called them!!!!!!) they had seen were nothing but WP's rebadged. It's a sad day for all of us Maytag fans.

 

[gefliterflo]

I have a similar setup to your washer on the inside on my Atlantis. The outer tub is indeed plastic, atleast on mine.

 

[johnb300m]

what a wonderfully simple washer! how could anyone NOT want to produce that? how is it "too" expensive? There's nothing in there.
the WP DDs look way more complex than that Maytag. What gives?
You'd think WP would adopt the Dependable Care model. It's a smarter move.

 

[johnb300m]

what kind of a transmission does that machine have? it looks funnel shaped? how does it work? does it spin like the old counterweighted trans?

 

[rp2813]

Hey guys, I've seen a lot written here about how today's Maytags are really Maypools or Maytanas or whatever, but like Patrick states in his post above, Gary's pic sure gives the impression that his machine has the same or similar mechanics to the wonderfully simple center dial models. So can anyone advise on when the last true Maytags (apparently that's "Dependable Care") were produced? I might opt for one of those as a quick and relatively inexpensive way to replace my Amana while I wait for a windfall so I can buy myself a FL pair.
Ralph

 

[gadgetgary]

Ralph,

'Gary's pic sure gives the impression that his machine has the same or similar mechanics to the wonderfully simple center dial models'.

I believe your statement is true. That is why I decided to get the Maytag DC before it disappeared. I think it has the same mechanism of the center dials of yesteryear....very simple.

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Gary, I will have to be on the lookout for this model. I presume the capacity won't be as large as my Amana's though, right?

 

[gadgetgary]

Ralph,

I believe that the capacity is the same.

 

[gadgetgary]

Another shot...

Inside

 

[peterh770]

No, the center dial Maytags had the original 180* washing arc to the agitation stroke. Maytag kept this transmission for the first 2 model years when they moved the dial to the side and redesigned the control panel. After that, they went to the orbital transmission with the 90* short, fast agitation stroke and started calling the machines "dependable care". Everything is the same, including the famous Maytag "Helical Drive", but the transmissions, agitation and agitators are different.

 

[llmaytag]

Love that tub size. Wish I still had mine, except that I prefer 12 vane non-spiral agitator. I think all new top loaders have the 90 degree turn agitation. I'd think that would be easier on the transmission and the clothes, but perhaps not.

Now I want to find an existing model despite my new Whirlpool.

 

[llmaytag]

Out-of-Balance/Lid Switch

Hey, I just noticed something from that pic. Is and out-of-balance spin stopped by tripping the lid switch with vertical extension on the white tub ring, (or whatever it's called)? Very simple and elegant design! Of course if someone tried to permanently bypass the lidswitch, it could be a problem during a realy out-of-balance spin.

 

[peterh770]

Yes, that is exactly how it works. One bump and your are shut down.

People who disengage washing machine lid switches generally don't have out of balance situations -- in the washer that is...

 

[rp2813]

Pete, thanks for that info on transmission and agitation stroke. I think my Amana has the 180 degree action and personally I like the sound of the longer stroke on a washer. The short stroke machines sound hyper and like they have no cajones. So I guess it's center dial for me if I come across one, or early brown panel models. Thanks again for the info. I do see the brown panel type in the thrift stores still, but center dials have pretty much dropped off the radar out there.

 

[appnut]

Ralph, Gary's Maytag has the 2.9 cu. ft. tub. (their Large Capacity). You Amana (and Altantas washers0 has between 3.0 & 3.3 cu. ft.

 

[sambootoo]

I know the orbital transmission has been in production for several years now. How's the quality compared to the old long stroke Maytag transmissions? I've priced the new Maytag LAV3600 at a local dealer and am SOOO tempted to bite the bullet and buy it (would have to be ordered from Atlanta.) Do you think parts will be available for a while?

 

[sambootoo]

I know the orbital transmession has been in production for several years now. How does reliability compare with the old long stroke Maytag transmissions? I've priced the LAV3600 from a local dealer and am soooo tempted to bite the bullet and buy it while they're still available. Do those of you in the know think parts will be available for a while yet?