Maytag LA612 & LA712 compatible parts?
- Thread starter chef
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chef
Active member
Thanks! The brass washer serves no important purpose? I'm installing a new shaft. What's the upper shaft bearing?
"What's the upper shaft bearing?"
There's an upper and lower brass sleeve bearing that the shaft rides on. When the upper seal goes, water makes its way down the shaft and contaminates the upper sleeve bearing. Water intrusion wipes the oil away and causes metal to metal contact between the shaft and brass bearing, destroying it. For some odd reason, Maytag made every single part available except those brass sleeve bearings. The sleeve bearing pops right out but you'll have to find a machine shop that will fabricate a new one. Tolerances here are very tight and critical. When the bearing is installed, the tolerances close up a bit.
"The brass washer serves no important purpose?"
The brass washer is located in the upper cone inside the A4298 seal. You can see it in this picture below. It's placed between the spring and outer rubber mold. It will be there when you purchase a new seal.
There's an upper and lower brass sleeve bearing that the shaft rides on. When the upper seal goes, water makes its way down the shaft and contaminates the upper sleeve bearing. Water intrusion wipes the oil away and causes metal to metal contact between the shaft and brass bearing, destroying it. For some odd reason, Maytag made every single part available except those brass sleeve bearings. The sleeve bearing pops right out but you'll have to find a machine shop that will fabricate a new one. Tolerances here are very tight and critical. When the bearing is installed, the tolerances close up a bit.
"The brass washer serves no important purpose?"
The brass washer is located in the upper cone inside the A4298 seal. You can see it in this picture below. It's placed between the spring and outer rubber mold. It will be there when you purchase a new seal.
chef
Active member
Thanks! Oh that bearing!
I bought a mounting stem, part # WP-6-2095720. It seems to be the correct part number but it's a different design. It doesn't use the washer, clip and a spring loaded seal. The spring loaded seal looks like a good design.
I bought a mounting stem, part # WP-6-2095720. It seems to be the correct part number but it's a different design. It doesn't use the washer, clip and a spring loaded seal. The spring loaded seal looks like a good design.
Maytag switched to the inferior triple lip seal around 1994. You can use a new A4298 seal under the mounting stem as added protection (small cone face down, like the previous design), just don't reuse the original washer and (obviously) the clip. Also, be sure to remove the bass washer that usually gets left on the shaft from the previous A4298 seal.
Maytag agitator shaft seals
The new triple lips sealed is actually superior to the old seal that Maytag used for decades. Problem was you need a very good agitator shaft and Maytag did not put a stainless steel sleeve on the shaft for the new type seal to be most effective.
I would not try putting the old type seal underneath the lip type seal I saw one a while ago where someone did that and it pushed the lip seal out and the whole thing failed very suddenly and completely.
You can really see the mineral buildup in that outer tub on your machine that you’re rebuilding, this is from hard water and using way too little detergent or cheap detergent, it’s also ruins the seal which is why the shaft is in such bad shape on that washer. If in doubt when washing clothing always use more detergent make sure the wash water is very slippery and your fingers.
John L
The new triple lips sealed is actually superior to the old seal that Maytag used for decades. Problem was you need a very good agitator shaft and Maytag did not put a stainless steel sleeve on the shaft for the new type seal to be most effective.
I would not try putting the old type seal underneath the lip type seal I saw one a while ago where someone did that and it pushed the lip seal out and the whole thing failed very suddenly and completely.
You can really see the mineral buildup in that outer tub on your machine that you’re rebuilding, this is from hard water and using way too little detergent or cheap detergent, it’s also ruins the seal which is why the shaft is in such bad shape on that washer. If in doubt when washing clothing always use more detergent make sure the wash water is very slippery and your fingers.
John L
"The new triple lip sealed is actually superior"
Oh really, why were these failing like crazy when installed on a brand new agitator shaft back in the 90's? This is a crap design, you're the ONLY repairmen that has had a nice thing to say about them without using an endless stream of 4 letter words.
I've been putting the old style A4298 seal under the new mounting stem for 14 years on all of my machines without any problems. My current daily driver has had one for 14 years and counting. I will be replacing it next year because I know the triple lip seal is probably dead and relying on the A4298 seal to keep water at bay.
Oh really, why were these failing like crazy when installed on a brand new agitator shaft back in the 90's? This is a crap design, you're the ONLY repairmen that has had a nice thing to say about them without using an endless stream of 4 letter words.
I've been putting the old style A4298 seal under the new mounting stem for 14 years on all of my machines without any problems. My current daily driver has had one for 14 years and counting. I will be replacing it next year because I know the triple lip seal is probably dead and relying on the A4298 seal to keep water at bay.
chef
Active member
Thanks. Use a new A4298 seal under the mounting stem like this?
Maytag dependable care seal in mounting stem problems
I have never seen a triple lip Maytag agitator shaft seal start to leak unless the agitator shaft was in bad condition.
Maytag started having a lot more center seal leaks in the mid 80s, they cheapened the seal assembly by eliminating the stainless steel machined ring and put a piece of plastic in there that was the first big problem.
The second big problem was the upper edge of the tub bearing would rust and then the seal would get stuck on that and wouldn’t move up and down and caused leaks.
A triple lip seal is superior to the old compression seal that Maytag used for years. Every washing machine in the world almost uses lip type seals as well as car engines etc. etc.
Putting the old fashion seal under the triple lips sealed probably won’t hurt anything it won’t do any good however… It was not meant to have pressure up on the bottom of it I did see one that failed where someone had done that.
I can’t imagine that you’re taking a machine apart Dan that you just rebuilt 15 years ago it should last far longer than that washing clothes for one person.
When I rebuilt my 71 lady Kenmore in 1978 it lasted over 35 years without a single failure of any consequence , Maytag should do at least as well.
John L
I have never seen a triple lip Maytag agitator shaft seal start to leak unless the agitator shaft was in bad condition.
Maytag started having a lot more center seal leaks in the mid 80s, they cheapened the seal assembly by eliminating the stainless steel machined ring and put a piece of plastic in there that was the first big problem.
The second big problem was the upper edge of the tub bearing would rust and then the seal would get stuck on that and wouldn’t move up and down and caused leaks.
A triple lip seal is superior to the old compression seal that Maytag used for years. Every washing machine in the world almost uses lip type seals as well as car engines etc. etc.
Putting the old fashion seal under the triple lips sealed probably won’t hurt anything it won’t do any good however… It was not meant to have pressure up on the bottom of it I did see one that failed where someone had done that.
I can’t imagine that you’re taking a machine apart Dan that you just rebuilt 15 years ago it should last far longer than that washing clothes for one person.
When I rebuilt my 71 lady Kenmore in 1978 it lasted over 35 years without a single failure of any consequence , Maytag should do at least as well.
John L
chef
Active member
Like this?
chef
Active member
Like this?
chef
Active member
Are all the Pitman transmissions compatible and can interchange parts?
chef
Active member
Who wants a LA612 washer
I'm giving away a LA612 washer. I installed a new brake and a bearing that's made in Japan.
I'm in the San Gabriel, CA area.
I'm giving away a LA612 washer. I installed a new brake and a bearing that's made in Japan.
I'm in the San Gabriel, CA area.
bpetersxx
Well-known member
looks real nice
defenitely fixauuppple
new word sorry about that
defenitely fixauuppple
new word sorry about that
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