maytag wringer washer questions.....

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Wolverine . . .

I had 2 of those. A crank Automatic with a clear plastic top I got for Christmas when I was 4. Then somehow I got a wringer model too. And like yours, mine MYSTERIOUSLY disappeared one day. Not so much a mystery. I always figured my dad put them in the trash one night as they were "girls" toys. Now 50 years later I play with my adult washers. Some things you never outgrow!
 
So Christina-
How did things work out for you? Of course, everyone is patiently waiting to hear how you made out.
Hopefully it worked to your favor. Let us know...a lot of us are cheering for you.

Rick
 
hi all!!!

WOW!!!

first i have to say, "THANK YOU ALL" for all your replies to my post. i can't believe all the love & friendliness i have felt through this thread. I LOVE IT!!!

now a quick update......

i got a hold of my guy cousin & asked him if he would be willing to go with me to help me pick the wringer washer up (since sundays & mondays are his days off). and he said yes. and he actually just bought a new t.v. and wanted me to come over & check it out. and on my way out the door, i finally heard back from the seller/owner of the wringer washer. and she said she would be home.

so, i called my cousin and told him that we would be heading out to go pick up the wringer washer.

so, after i pick him up, we hit sams club, to gas up and we are heading towards the freeway, with the G.P.S. on my phone telling me how to go and i realize my phone battery is almost out of charge. and i didn't bring the d*mned car charger with me!!! no problem, pull over into an am/pm and get some munchies and a car charger that fits my phone. so, we are heading out and by the time we get going on the freeway, i asked my cousin what time it was and he said it was already after 2 p.m.!

it was too late, cuz i didn't want to go pick up the washer and bring it home and have my mom here while i'm wheeling it in (she hates me buying anything old anymore!!!). and i'm sure many of the members here know what i'm talking about when i say, i have to be "sneaky" about when i bring this wringer washer home!
LOL.....

so, i called the owner/seller and asked her if it was alright if i came to pick it up next week on monday, since my cousin's only days off are sundays & mondays.
luckily, she said that would be fine. and my cousin said he would be willing to go with me & help me load it onto the back of the truck.

so, the plan is to head out this next monday, to go pick the wringer washer up. but this time, i want to head out about 9 or 10 in the morning.

and i did ask the lady if the wringer washer had any oil leaks or any leaks from the drain hose and she said her husband said no there were no leaks.
so it seems like everything is working out.
(fingers crossed).

again, thank you all for your replies.
sorry i didn't respond sooner, i had to go to the dr.'s today and have some blood taken. so, i was fasting all morning long and when i got home, i didn't feel too good and laid down for a while.

will keep you all updated if i hear any other news!!!

thank you all again....

much love,
christina/hippiedoll ;o)
 
 

 

Christina ~

 

Loved your saga about nailing down the purchase. Funny and ironic that the 80 year old woman does NOT use or want her wringer and stores it in the gargle, suddenly wanting it out to make room.

So now you get a TREASURE! The round tub is interesting, never had the pleasure of using one. The Gyrafoam might even be more impressive in the slightly smaller and round tub. And Dollgirl are you ever in for a treat when you a see how fast and powerful the pump is.  Great news that there are no leaky oil droppings. A very good sign.

 

It is also amusing that you have to get this past Momma. Have you ever read Turquoisedude's threads, and the shenanigans he has to go through to get "old wrecks" past his disapproving hubby?  

They're really funny, and we all conspire with him in the cloak  & dagger mischief. Such Fun. 
 
My mom had to sneak laundry past HER mom!

To AVOID using the wringer when we visited "The farm" on summer vacation in Cobleskill N.Y. She'd wait until Grandma was busy in the garden or taking a nap. Then Mom would load up all the laundry and head into town to the Laundromat to use the quarter per load automatic Maytag washers. Then she'd try to sneak the clean laundry past Grandma when we got home. I remember her being caught a couple of times and Grandma would be mad. "We have a perfectly GOOD washer right here in the kitchen! Why would you lug all this to town and PAY to use a washing machine?" I couldn't agree more. A couple of times Grandma would get up early and start the whole was production. The Mom HAD to do our wash at home. Grandma had a Speed Queen wringer from 1948. It's still up there in the barn. It was actually my Mom's first washer and she sold it to her folks when she got her 1st automatic, a 1952 Kenmore with suds return.. You'd think for a couple of weeks a year it wouldn't bother her to use it. If nothing else, for old time's sake. But NO! She HATED all the work involved. I, on the other hand was delighted when Mom got busted and had to wash in the old Speed Queen. Thus began my life long love affair with Wringer Washing machines!
 
mickeyd...

believe me, i've got my fingers crossed that everything is on the "up & up" with this wringer washer and that the lady is being honest about the condition of this wringer washer. but once i get there to pick it up, i can check it out in person for myself. and from what i've read on this or the other thread about the wringer washer that homesteadgal bought for herself, i've learned to check the inside, of the rear left leg, to look for any signs of oil drippings, in that area. and also all the other great information that i've learned from replies to this thread that i started!!

i will definitely have to re-read this thread (probably the night before i go to pick up the wringer washer) and probably take some notes & make a checklist in a notebook, to take with me when we go to pick up this wringer washer.

as for turquoisedude's threads about getting "old wrecks" past his disapproving hubby, yes, i think i have read a couple of them. ha ha ha....
where do you think i've gotten the idea of trying to "sneak" in the wringer washer while mom's not home??!!?? LOL......
she is going to flip when she sees it!!!

i'm thinking i'll roll it out onto the side porch and leave it there and just be sure to get to the laundry first, for the next couple of weeks. so, when she finally does beat me to doing the laundry, and she sees the wringer washer & asks me where it came from, i can say, "what that ol' thing, it's been there for awhile now?". ha ha ha ha.....
we'll see what happens???
LOL.....
 
e2l-arry....

i totally know exactly what you are talking about, your mom sneaking laundry passed your grandma, so she wouldn't have to use the wringer washer. but kinda like on the flip side, is happening here!!!

when the weekend hits, if i am busy on the computer and moms is watching t.v., she will go into her room and start separating loads of laundry and will start washing. when she knows that i like to do the washing, to use my maytag GA208!!!

i even tell her, when she says, "i have to do the laundry and get everything ready for work this next week." i'll tell her, "just relax, it's the weekend. you know i can do the laundry during the week!" but it's like she tries to beat me to it sometimes. it's sort of like a "competition" to see who will get to the laundry first!!!
ha ha ha.......
 
Hubby shouldnt be too upset if the price was low and it was in decent shape. Heck, what would an older lady do to hurt it. Mine is well over 50 years old and does leak a tiny bit of oil out of the wringer leg but slipping an old coffee can under it will solve any little mess on the floor. It still runs flawlessly and is so quiet. All you hear is a slight hum of the motor and the swishing in the tub.
 
wayupnorth.....

i read your reply in homesteadgal's thread about your wringer washer. is it the same kind as the one i am looking at?? i think i remember you saying your's has the red "wringer release" bar and that your's is the round tubbed wringer washer?? so that would make your's the same as this one that i am going to get, right???

if so, would love to see a picture of your's!

:o)
 
Mine looks exactly like the one you posted in the very first posting in this thread. That washer is turned around 180 degrees in the pix as the wringer leg should be on the opposite back side and the round pull knob to start the agitator is on the front. Sorry, I dont have a picture of mine but plan, once I dig it out of the basement and can get in the shed I can get a full pix with my new seasonal washer shed.
 
Tried to do italics, got double copy+ mega space instead;&#

"where do you think i've gotten the idea of trying to "sneak" in the wringer washer while mom's not home??!!?? LOL......"

How funny.  Paul will love this when he sees it.

 
Haha your story of how you will have to sneak your washer in is so funny! I actually bought mine while my husband was at work, had help loading it at the thrift store and then managed to unload in from my car by myself and wheel it into the house. It was sitting in the living room when he got home. He's actually really excited about it though so it's all good. I really hope you're able to get yours. Keep us posted on your progress.
 
thanks....

homesteadgal!
you know you are lucky that you got people around you that are into helping you fix up that wringer washer. that is so cool, that your husband is into the wringer washer too.

as for my mom, she doesn't like anything old or used. she says that like, if you buy an old or used car, "you are just buying someone else's problems". and that "if someone is selling something, than it must be because there is something wrong with it. cuz if there wasn't anything wrong with it, they wouldn't be selling it, they would be keeping it & using it". those are her favorite things to tell me!!
LOL.....

anyway, i will definitel be keeping you all updated when i find something out.

;o)
 
hey stan.....

sorry i didn't answer your question sooner about why the seller was selling the wringer washer or if she offered any history about it. unfortunately, the answer is no. the only thing she told me was, that she was selling it cuz she didn't really use it anymore & she wanted to clear the space it was taking up, in the garage. and that the last time she used it was about a month or so ago. that was all she really said about it.

and when i asked her over the phone, if there were any oil leaks or water leaks in the hoses, she said she didn't think so, then said that her husband said "no, there weren't any leaks".

it's kind of hard to talk to her over the phone. i don't know if it has to do with the phone reception or what? but it's like when i ask her something, it's like she doesn't hear me. even if it's a simple question. but than again, i remind myself that she is 80 years old. and maybe that has something to do with it too.

but, when i finally meet the lady in person, when i go to pick up the wringer washer, then i can ask her questions about it.

i really don't know what to ask her other than, if she is the original owner of the wringer washer? and if so, what year she bought it. or if it was given to her or she bought it off of someone else, i can ask her if she knows anything about it.

BUT....
if there is anything else, that anyone can think of, that i should ask her, please let me know what questions to ask. cuz when it comes to face to face meetings like this, i tend to get kinda nervous and my mind like goes blank.
like for instance, i know i'll be excited to see & get the wringer washer that i might be "star-struck" with the washer and might not know what to say or talk about!!

but so far, i know to plug in the washer & try the agitator, the wringer in both directions & see if the wringer locks into place, and see if the agitator lifts up/off the post & look to make sure that the metal lint screen is under the agitator, if possible, fill the washer with water to make sure there aren't any leaks in the hose and also try the pump to make sure that it's working, when i drain the water out of the washer. check the inside of the back left leg for any oil drippings, and make sure that all 4 legs have wheels and that they all roll properly, and lastly, to make sure to transport the washer standing up. and if i can't have it standing up, than transport it face-down, so that it won't leak any oil. but being that i have a full size truck, i am planning on transport it standing up in the truck bed. and i've already got 2 hand towels for me & my cousin to use, when we are loading it into the truck bed. and also, to lift the washer up by the "skirt".

i am definitely going to have to write all this down cuz i know with all the excitement, i am going to forget something!!!

i will keep you all posted....

;o)
 
AMAZING

Just print a copy of your comprehensive post above if you have a printer, and take it with you. You have EVERYTHING. ;'D

I hear ya: at 80, she's probably a little hard of hearing.
 
mickeyd...

shame to say it but, i don't have a printer
:o/

you know how i say i am not very mechanical, that definitel goes for electrical too!!!
my sister & brother-in-law gave me a printer that they were getting rid of, cuz they were upgrading & getting a new one. but i don't know how to hook it up!! so it is sitting on the floor in my bedroom.
:o(

but i guess i could just copy & paste that message into an email and then go to fed-ex/kinkos and print out that email. that way, i can have it printed out on a sheet.

you know i was wondering/thinking of something....
i hope the lady has had the wringers separated all this time, so that they don't develop any flat spots!!??!!
 
You'll be able to tell Christina . .

Pretty much by what it looks like when you see it. These old ladies generally take pretty good care of them. If the agitator is on, see if you can easily pull it off. You're supposed to remove them when your done washing. Some people that DON'T follow simple directions leave them on for years and they become stuck. And I DO mean STUCK! That can be a real bear to get off. It took me 3 days and I had to destroy it in the process. Look for any oil drips under it. Poke your head under and have a look see. A drop or 2 on an old machine is common. But if there's lots of oil down the left rear leg, it's been leaking water into the power unit for some time. They can run years like that but you have no way of knowing if it has years or days left. Plug it in and test the agitator and wringer. I did that with mine but when I put water in it the night I got it home, I had water running everywhere on my basement floor. If she's been using it I doubt it leaks water. If she'll let you put, say, a bucket in it, that's gold.

I imagine you have an honest little old lady. Not a Mrs. Leash that sold poor Barney Fife his first car back in Mayberry!
 
e2l-arry....

thanks for the encouraging words. i will definitely check that rear left leg for any oil drips. and will definitely see under the washer, where it stands, to see if there is any oil under it. and will see if i can fill it with water, to check for any leaks, to see if the drain pump works, and check the agitation & the wringer workings in both directions. plus if it locks into position too!!

:o)

keep your fingers crossed for me!!!

;o)
 
Think Larry has raised

a good point. Don't expect a pristine condition under the machine. Some oil Is be expected with these old gals. It's not a deal breaker if there's a little oil here and there.
I've had some oil drip out of mine from time to time and she's still going. I'll try to take a pic of the underside of mine
(it's not perfect by any means) so you can get and idea of what you may see.
 
GREAT!!!

thank you so much stan. i'll be looking forward to seeing the picture of the underside of your wringer washer to see what it looks so i know what to expect.

thank you again stan, i greatly appreciate that!!

:o)
 
ok sooooo......

tomorrow is the BIG day. i'm supposed to go pick up the wringer washer tomorrow. i text messaged the lady this evening to make sure that the wringer washer is still available and that she would be home in the morning. and everything looks like it is falling into place.

i have a question though, can i sometimes switch out the agitator from my GA208 into the maytag wringer washer & vice versa???

please get back to me & let me know....

thank you

:o)
 
No switching agitators on the Maytags

My understanding is that although the agitators may look alike some are even identical in appearance, the wringers and automatics have different splines they connect to and they are not compatible with each other.
 
Larry: What a beautiful thing, your machine. I so love the big well-spaced chrome lettering, really gilds the lily.

 

Doesn't' the old vintage wide-necked black agitator with the filter work on both machines; or is just that they made a facsimile of it for the Wringer?   Someone knows. I once did, but forgot. 

 

Christina, I'm so psyched for  you. You'll be so excited, and I'm gonna bet that that old gal will fire right up and you'll be doing a load by suppertime.

 

Jim wringer knows.
 
I

Doubt you can switch, and don't see why you'd need to.
One of the claims to fame with these old gals are the "gyro-foam" action.
You'll see LOL.
 
Was always troubled/confused/discomfited by they narrow little stick stirring up such a torrent beneath the suds.  Thought the wider column was more compatible. Just a personal preference. Would love to have one.  Still think it was the same gyrator used in the early Auto Tags.  Fun to be wrong, though.

 

Don't know if you have the famous thick black filtering Gyrator in your  GA 208, Christina.
 
They're different, the agitators,

Geoff Delp told me that some time ago and I guess he would know. My Mom had a 1965 Maytag automatic that had the same black bakelite, skinny post, non-filtered agitator as the same era wringer's at the time. So I thought they were interchangeable but Geoff told me they had different length splines so they couldn't be switched out.

Thanks for the comment Mickeyd. I do like the chrome M A Y T A G lettering on the front of mine too. I read they used that on late 1959 to end of 1965 models. Maytag had always used decals before and after that. I used Vaseline on them when I painted. That way when the painting was done, I just wiped them off and had the nice chrome letters with no paint or overspray on them..
 

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