Maytag question?

[abcomatic]

Here are the model numbers from my 2 everyday machines. HA 606 and A212
The question that I have is: Do these machines have the same mechanisms or did Maytag change them when the new model came out in 1981? Thanks. Gary

 

[combo52]

MT MECHANISMS

Same

 

[swestoyz]

Gary -

More than likely they do. The orbital transmission did not come out until the summer of 1989, so the chances of the A212 having an orbital transmission is pretty slim. Unless they sound completely different when they wash.

Ben

 

[arbilab]

change from helical to orbital?

Long as this has come up, can someone outline the basic principles of the helical vs. orbital transmission? I'm assuming spin was accomplished with a one-way clutch and both motors reversed. But what is the principle by which the rotary input gets translated to the back-and-forth agitation, and the difference starting in 1989? Purpose for the redesign? Cost reduction? I mean, the old one worked fine.

I know, it's kinda like asking "how does VHS work?". I can explain that but at the same time I've seen a WP trans taken apart and I STILL couldn't tell how it worked.

 

[volvoguy87]

Good question.

I'll let someone better than me explain how the transmissions work. As for difficult to wrap your head around, try a GE 2-speed clutch. I've taken mine apart and put it back together several times and I still don't completely understand how the darned thing works! And yes, it works after having been reassembled

Dave

 

[macboy91si]

Helical vs. Orbital

The only real difference is the speed. The newer Maytags are more like DD Whirlpool/Kenmores in their agitation. The machine works exactly the same way, just a modified transmission.

-Tim

 

[MaytagA710]

Out of the various manuals I have read about the different drive types for Maytag, the actual service manual explains how it works the best.

Both Helical and Orbital drive systems are identical up until the gear case, which is where all the components are to make the machine agitate. The motor will spin one way, and the transmission will agitate, when it spins the other way, the tub will spin.

The reason why it is called a helical drive is because the shaft that powers the transmission has a helical spline on one end, and this is what controls the agitation or spinning depending on the direction of the motor.

In the Helical drive machines, the drive pinion (the gear that is connected to the drive pulley which connects to the motor via belt) turns a series of horizontal gears. One of these horizontal gears has a arm attached to the top of it, this arm acts exactly like a piston in a car engine, it transfers a rotational/circular motion into a back and fourth motion. The other end of this arm is connected to a pie shaped gear which meshes with a shaft which has splines on it. This shaft just so happens to be the agitator shaft, and this is what causes the washing motion. This is a "slow and long" stroke machine, about 63 times per minute the transmission will make one complete agitation.

 

[MaytagA710]

Back page

Back page

 

[MaytagA710]

In this scan you can see the inside of the transmission. The drive pinion is the white gear at the bottom if the case in the top right of each picture, you can see the digram which shows how to remove it.

In the picture on the left hand side of the page below step 1 (where they are removing the fastener which holds it down), you can see the arm and pie shaped gear that I mentioned before. This is what transfers the rotational motion of the gears into a back and fourth motion.

 

[MaytagA710]

Now here is the Orbital Drive set up.

You can see the set up is the same down below, and the function that switches between wash and spin is the exact same. Like I said, as soon as you climb into the transmission do you see a difference between the two. I always admired the way the orbital drive is set up because it is so genius and simple.

The drive pinion comes into the transmission, the drive pinion gear is horizontal. It meshes with a big vertical gear which is referred to as the "bevel gear" in the diagram. This bevel gear has a hole in it which is between the centre of the gear, and the outer edge of the gear. A Y shaped piece called a Yoke fits into this hole. The letter Y has a bottom and a top, the bottom is the single shaft, and the top is the V shaped area with two shafts. The bottom of the Y fits into the hole, and the top half of the Y fits around and is secured a shaft. This shaft is called a Torque Block in the diagram, and it is hollow. On the inside there is splines which mesh with the splines on the agitator shaft. This causes the wash motion.

Orbital drives will oscillate around 150 times per minute. More than twice that of the Helical drive. This is a "short and fast" stroke machine. The tubs on Helical drives are tall and narrow compared to the short and wide tubs in a Orbital drive. Many people, including myself, feel that if the DD machines featured a short and wide tub, there wouldn't be a nick name of "Shredmore".

This set up is so simple once you wrap your head around it. I always admired the ingenuity of the Maytag engineers, such a simple set up, and it sounds very good too. Keep in mind the Helical drive works VERY similar to the Whirlpool, GE, etc... set ups.

 

[DirectDriveDave]

Now, those are some cool manuals!

 

[kenmore71]

To my knowledge, the tubs were never changed when they went to the orbital drive transmission. The agitators WERE changed somewhat radically. From 1966 until the end of the "helical" transmission in 1989 the primary agitator used was the tourquise "Power-fin". (There were a handful of exceptions...not that important right now.)

When the "orbital transmission was introduced with it's MUCH faster agitation speed the agitator was initially redesigned with much shorter fins on the bottom and the addition of what I like to call the "shark fins" on further up the shaft. The base of this agitator was also slightly less in diameter which may give the illusion that the tub is wider.

Here is a picture of a late A312, orbital transmission with the agitator still in torquoise from about 1990 or so.

 

[kenmore71]

In about 1994 with the introduction of the "Dependable Care" designation, the tub opening was widened and the agitator was changed to white polypropylene. Here is a picture of one of those:

 

[kenmore71]

And, finally, around 1997 the "Load-Sensor" agitator was introduced as a competitor to the WP/Kenmore "dual-action" agitator. Here's one of the those:

 

[tennblondie78]

I know this thread is ancient, but would anyone happen to have the turquoise version of the later agitator as shown in reply #11 that they wouldn’t mind selling? Those agitators still used the lint filter as in the powerfin, correct?

 

[good-shepherd]

Anyone happen to have the turquoise version

I have one of the orbital drive style agitators in Turquoise if you're still interested.

 

[petemo]

Maytag gas stove CRG 305

Hi, I have a Maytag gas stove, CRG 305 purchased in 1990. I am looking parts for it such as new knobs and possibly new burners. Any helpful ideas where to purchase these? Thank you

 

[jons1077]

GE Clutches

GE clutches depend on friction to adjust the speed. The three/four speed clutch is a really good illustrator of this. When the speed solenoids are activated it causes one of the sets of clutch shoes to slip outward away from the spinning motor shaft and attached drive shoes. Less friction means slower speed. This is why the single speed clutch is so much smaller in size. Faster speed means more contact with the shoes and more friction driving the faster speeds. On the three/four speed clutch, when both (medium and gentle) solenoids are activated you have the least amount of contact and friction giving a very slow and gentle speed.

I believe the Versatronic clutch had a similar basic idea involving friction but with a variably adjusted electromagnet that controlled this. Obviously something I will likely never see in my lifetime…