Modified Agitator

[the7]

Modified the agitator for an 95/96 Maytag Depandable Care TL.

The original Angel Fins were cut off to form straight fins in on the upper portion.
The original Angel Fins tend to move the laundry away the centre before reaching the bottom.

The modified agitator would reduce the shedding effect on laundry and increase the turn-over by allowing the laundry to move down near the centre.

 

[the7]

Maytay TL

 

[the7]

Huebsch LTZ85

My recently added new toy.

Now I have both worlds TL and FL!

 

[frigilux]

Is 'Huebsch' how they spell Speed Queen in your country, LOL?

Thanks for pix!

 

[appnut]

Deos the front lader have a heater in it? Looks like the ill-fated Amana frontloader introduced back in 1996 or 1997. Naturally, of course. I loved what ya did to the power-fin 12. Must have taken quite a bit of time to cut the angel wings off and also smooth the remaining edge. My mom had the LAT9624 in the DC line from 1995. It sounded sooo "Maytag" except for that dang ol' "swish-swish" the angel wings made with the water. Drove me nuts.

 

[cvillewasherbo]

Changing the agitator, upping the agitation speed and shortening the arc was the WORST thing that Maytag ever did that I can remember. I still wish I had my 1987 pair before these changes were made.

My Mom has the smaller tub of the above and that's all you hear is the swish, swish, swish, swish. UGH

 

[peterh770]

Huebsch is a division of Alliance Laundry Systems. Huebsch used to be known as the primier commercial dryer company, along with Cissell, ADC and IDC. In the merger, they started offering washers and are kinda known as the "budget" line for commercial coin-op owners.

The washer pictured is the 3rd generation of these washers. The first generation was pulled from the market VERY quickly. The second generation was significantly better. The 3rd generation has that funky door pull. This should be a very good machine to own, despite what CR says.

I have been doing a lot of observing on my Maytag coin-ops. They are actually quite good, albiet a bit rough. As these are standard capacity machines, the turn over is quite good and they do hold quite a bit. I won't be clipping their wings though!

 

[brettsomers]

i feel like a video of the washing action is in order, now that the agitator is changed. my brother bought one of those short-stroke maytags when the old avocado model (1974-1995 appox) died. i HATED those fins up the centerpost and the sound they made. i suspect there IS a consumer who believes the machine is working better if there is more splash in the water. pls, make a video. David

 

[Designgeek]

More splash keeps the suds sudsy for longer. Americans tend to like suds, but modern detergents used in proper dosages (i.e. low enough to come out in at most two rinses in a TL or three in a FL) don't make much suds. I'll bet that the psychology of suds had something to do with that agitator design.

So, how does the unit perform with the modifications?

 

[the7]

Some Observations

The construction of original agitator is consisted the upper portion and lower portion.
The lower portion has 4 semi-flexible fins, that work like a vane pump, to drive water from centre towards the side near the bottom, along the side and up to the top.
Then water at the top moves towards centre.
Then water at centre moves from top to bottom to the centre of the fins.
The water moves in a circulation and the laundry in the tub will be circulated as the flow of water.

The upper portion of the fin has 4 Angel wings and 8 small fins (ridges).
The 8 samll fins will rub against the laundry near the centre (a rubbing action to clean the laundry).
The 4 Angel wings would also provide a more powerful rubbing action which may shred/tear the laundry. They also form a pumping action to drive the water/laundry away from the centre. Apparently they interfer the down circulation of the laundry near the centre.

Modified Agitator as shown. The 4 Angel wings were cut to form 4 extra small fins(ridges) for rubbing purpose only. There will be less intrference for down circulation near the centre.
Thus it will reduce the shredding effect and inrcease the turn-over the laundry.
I think it would behave similar to an earlier version (without Angel wings)

Results.
Lesser lint deposited on the lint filter of the dryer.
lesser lint (or light color residue) marks on the dark color laundry.

The attached photo shows a home-made lint filter for the modified agitator. The filter is made of stainless steel screen and will be placed inside the centre pole. Water will enter the holes and down the pole due to pumping action of the 4 bottom fins. It works and collect some shredded lint from the laundry.

 

[appnut]

Your home made lint filter looks extremely similar to the optional lint filter Fisher & Paykel sells for their washers. In fact, it goes down to the bottom of the agitator.

 

[johnb300m]

interesting, why did Maytag remove the center lint filter in the first place?
We have a 1984 almond Maytag washer with the turqoise agitator and fake wood console. It works well and just won't die. The matching dryer however, did die, and we replaced with a 2003 Neptune dryer, which has been working flawlessly for 3 years now. Sensor dry is awesome!

 

[frigilux]

Thanks for all the pics and agitator info, The7. Love your homemade lint filter! But you DO realize you've done the agitator equivalent of de-clawing a cat, don't you, LOL?

 

[the7]

How to post Video?

Had made a video file for washing of Maytag with modified agitator.
How to post this video?

 

[the7]

woodsbronx2rt asked,
"How did you manage to cut and modify the 4 angel winged (vanes)?"

There is one small screw on the center pole near the bottom.
Unscrew this screw and lift up the whole agitator.
Use a hacksaw to cut the angel wings.
Use sand paper to sand and round off the cut edges.
Put the agitator back.
Put back and tighten the screw.
It is all DONE.

 

[Designgeek]

I would suggest that people wishing to try this, use a paper template and mark off the cut-line with pencil, so you get uniform results.

So, does anyone have any idea why Maytag put those wings on the agitator in the first place? Suds? Swishing noise? Something else?

 

[the7]

Present SQ/Huebsch FL of 4th generation?

PeterH770 said my Huebsch LTZ85 is the 3rd generation.

So far I am satisfied with this FL and it reminds me of my first 197X Zannusi FL.
From poor memory, Zannusi FL had a small capacity (5 kg?), a low spin speed (500 rpm?), no electronics. Had a single phase drive motor with special winding construction that would run at spin and tumble speed. One could see the water level above the door opening, unlike most of the present FL

Models 2000-2003?:
Speed Queen LTS85 = Huebsch LTZ85 (with heater)
Speed Queen LTS80 = Huebsch LTZ80 (without heater)

Present Models:
Speed Queen LTS95 (with heater) - No equivalent from Huebsch?
Speed Queen LTS90 = Huebsch LTZ90 (without heater)

Do the present models belong to 4th generation?

 

[cvillewasherbo]

maytag agitators

any reason why an older turquoise maytag agitator wouldn't work on the newer washers like the one that started this thread?
c'villewasherboy

 

[the7]

Video Ready

Maytag TL with modified agitator.

MaytagLowWash shows that the upper portion of the agitator is not used at all for the low water level washing.

MaytagHighWash shows that the laundry tends to move towards the centre and down. The angel wings, if not cut, would move the laundry away and prevent the laundry to move along the centre.

http://www.putfile.com/the_seven