My 1st Maytag Wringer Washer, CL find

[unigirl]

Hi Stan

Dang, just wrote this in depth reply to you and lost it before I could post!!

Do you know where to order stop rings? I do finagle mine and get it to work, but would like to make it stay on right.

Can you maybe guide me to where the vent hole is exactly, will send more pics of underneath. The oil drip has dribbled down to just about nil now, so maybe it was just leakage out of vent hole due to laying on its side.

Yes, I am planning on going to hardware store today and just buying a hose, to get it functioning. Love doing laundry....hehehe But if you notice in pic below, the screw head is missing on hose clamp, that may be a bugger to get off. I am going to replace it with a traditional one, because I have some of them already.

HA HA the water spillage was not from the machine splashing out, it was from me with the filling, hoses leaking, etc... Hopefully have mastered techniques and finesse of manual fill soon!

I make my own laundry soap and it is great, works very well for me and may be less harsh on my clothes and appliances. Might keep your machine looking newer longer. There are lots of recipes out there on the internet.

I am going to keep an eye out for the manuals, would like to get as much knowledge as I can, and maybe more visuals, that works better for me. Labeled pictures would be great.

Thanks for your time and knowledge. Happy washing!

 

[unigirl]

More Pics

Another shot of the underneath, pictures say a thousand words.

 

[unigirl]

Plastic Thing....

Does anyone know what the plastic thing is on the hose side of my washer, review picture in Post# 692341. I am curios!

 

[e2l-arry]

That plastic thng

Is a hook to hold the lid. Mine's an "E" so the lid is attached.

The stop ring is easy to replace. You can order one from Phil. He also has lots of stuff on EBAY. It's only a couple of bucks. The old one is likely hardened and stuck. Try cutting it off. The new one will be rubber and flexible. Just slide it on and into place. A 5 minute operation tops.

From the pictures I'd say your leak did come from laying it down. When I got mine apart it was evident that it had been leaking and spraying oil around the inner skirt for long time meaning water had been leaking into the power unit forcing oil out the vent hole for a long time as well. It clearly needed a rebuild. So you have to estimate how much oil leaked. I can't remember but I think it holds about 12 oz.? A cup and 1/2 seems right. But if the bulk of the oil, even 1/2 is still in the transmission is should lubricate itself just fine. As long as once you're using it regularly the leaking stops. If it continues it means water is still leaking in and you have much more work to do. But from the looks of yours, I don't think you'll have a problem.

You can go to ACE Hardware and they'll cut you a hose to length. That's where I bought my good neck for the drain too. You'll just need to fashion a hook for it. Or if you're a stickler for originality, Phil sells those too. Although that will cost more.

Yours looks like a nice washer and worth the $100.00. I too have a Sears Kenmore front loader. They are cheaply built. Probably in China or somewhere. But since last November, I've used it maybe 3 times so it should last a long time. Not as long as my MAYTAG though. That thing is 49 years old and a work horse. Pretty much all I use. I like the "N" series. Even though that was the BOL for Maytag conventionals, most wringers from my childhood were round. Only the E's and J's were square. There's been a lot of discussion about the tarnished appearance of the aluminum tub from detergents and bleaches. You can restore them to like new appearance with a lot of hard work but lately I've been using bleach and figure so what? The tub looks "seasoned" like you season a good old cast iron skillet. It doesn't look new any more but it sure is functional. And I'm not going to worry about what the tub looks like.

Have fun! I've been using mine continuously sine I finally finished it properly last November. All the hassle was worth it. I bet it will be years before I need to take it apart for anything again. Also, if you HAVE to tip the machine, if you place it down on it's front side, the oil won't leak out the vent.

Larry

 

[unigirl]

To Larry

Hello, Thanks so much for your reply, you are like a god almost...hehehee Your adventure was so cool to read!! I can't believe that is a hook for the lid! Wow I don't think I would've ever figured that one out, dah too simple I guess...lol

How do I find Phil? I do want to get a stop ring for it and will just go with hardware store hose for now.

Thanks so much for your information, I cannot wait to do laundry again, the suspense is killing me...hehehe

Happy Washing!

 

[stan]

Hi Cindy

Here's Phil's contact info
Email [email protected]
Shop 607-869-2263
Cell 315-346-5518

Phil is very nice, and if you tell him what you need, I think he posts what you want on ebay (buy it now) at least that how he use to do it.

Forgot to mention this..
If you don't know already... you need to seperate your wringer rolls when not in use. This is to prevent flat spots. Let us know if you need help, or a users manual that shows how to do this by adjusting your tension lever, and your realese bar.
Also, when finished, to lower the drain hose to a bucket on the floor, so water doesn't sit in the pump.

HTH
Stan

 

[unigirl]

Hi Stan

Thanks again for the information. Yep already knew to release my wringers and to drain my hose into a bucket. I was fortunate to get a users manual with the machine and some sales tags. It was very well taken care of.

Today I went to local hardware store and got a replacement hose, my first expense after purchase price on the old thing....lol. The old hose clamp lost the head of the screw so I had to pry and basically tear it off with a pair of vise grips. Seems like the old clamp was made out of lead or something, it was very soft metal. But job is done, new hose and modern hose clamps and no leaks. I did not get a goose neck for the new hose I just improvised by twist tying it to the one I took off my old hose, basically using it as a guide, silly but it works...lol Washing as I write this post.

I have yet to clean all the oil from under the skirt so it is good and clean again. But can gladly say there is no more oil dripping down the leg.

This is to Larry on a previous post, about laying the machine down. I did lay it down front side down, on the Maytag Logo, (which put the wringer post on the left) but I had it laying on my spare tire so it was not completely flat on the bed of my truck, it was sorta angled up. I wonder if that had something to do with the oil coming out, and I do believe like you, that it came out of the breather during transport. I figured out where the breather hole is, on the cross shaft thing from the wringer post to the, I guess what people are calling the power unit?

Happy Wringing!

 

[e2l-arry]

You're welcome Cindy

I was like you about wringer washers. My grandmother in upstate NY had one and as a kid I was fascinated by it. So interactive and so much fun! So I took the plunge last year myself when I saw one on CL for $25.00. Oh if I only knew how THAT was going to turn out! I really knew nothing about them but had to learn in a hurry. There was a guy on here that REALLY helped me a lot. So here's to Geoff Delp. I never see him in here anymore but but he was so much help to me that now I like to help other wringer folks when I can. Everyone on this site seems willing to help each other. That's one of the things that makes this so cool.

It sounds like you won't heed to remover the power unit (transmission) so you won't need the gulmite wrench. I bought one though if you ever do. And yes, if you ever have to remove them you replace them with a standard 1/2" hex bolt. Phil sells these too with the steel/rubber washer attached. Sometime in the later years of the wringers Maytag switched to these as well.

As for the grease oil stuff. A 90 wt. gear oil goes in the transmission. A thicker grease is used in the wringer post if you were ever to do a rebuild. That's where the horizontal shaft that comes out of the power unit connects to the vertical shaft that drives the wringer head. Just a heave grease you pack around the gears. I seem to remember about 1/2 pound. But you don't need to do that. At least not now.Just though I'd explain the difference between the grease and oil and where they go. Something else I figured out is that whenever the motor is plugged in, all the gears are moving. They're either engaged or disengaged by clutches. Pull out the knob in front and the agitator is engaged. Turn the lever and the wringer is engaged and moves. But whether they're moving or not, behind the scenes, those gears are always moving when the motor is plugged in.

Are you using yours in the basement or kitchen? You can't use one of these without spilling something on the floor! LOL. Grandma's was in the kitchen and part of the ritual was mopping up when the laundry was finished. Mine is in the basement next to a drain so when I'm done, I lower the hose and just let the concrete floor dry by itself. Let's me skip the floor mopping and go straight to the clothes line!

And yes, you found the vent.

 

[unigirl]

To Larry

Thanks again for all your words of wisdom and your post.

As you know my agitator is stuck. Doing a load today and with my laundry in and swishing around there goes the agitator for a float. (I just found Phil and order the silly "stop ring".) While the water and laundry was in the washer as I have done before, fiddled around and put the agitator back on the post and activated and swish, swish she goes. Great, moving right along, laundry finished ready to go to line, but before, want to break down machine to dry and then it happened! Nightmare, agitator would not come off, tapped it, pulled it, tried prying and crack, chipped porcelain. That was very upsetting! I stopped and searched for answers.

Well put a tub of hot water in, swished, pulled, said a few choice words and nothing!! Feels like it has been stuck for decades! Been researching site and have not found anything that would seem to work with what I have on hand. So got an idea because I do not want to chip any more porcelain, I have straps for strapping things down in my truck, so tomorrow going to get those and slide them under the base of agitator and somehow with maybe 2x4's figure out if I can pull it up that way. Wish me luck, hope it works, don't want to have to spend another $50 for a new part, like an agitator when all I needed was a little more Vaseline (makes me sick, knowing that Vaseline could've prevented this predicament).

So, moral of the story, keep your agitator shafts Vaselined up good to prevent this. It breaks my heart this issue, especially seeing what you had to go through with yours Larry.

Yes, I am washing in my kitchen at my sink, so lucky me, get to mop the floor always, but I am getting better, lot less water, it is just a few wipes with a rag now. No more towels under washer....lol

My load of sheets are now dry from being on the line and oh they smell soooo good, outdoor fresh, nothing beats it!!

Happy washing everyone!!

 

[unigirl]

Unstuck Agitator

Happy to announce my agitator is now free, unstuck, ready to float again. See my Post# 693323 , Reply# 7, Post# 693325 , Reply# 8, & Post# 693326 , Reply# 9.

Thanks to everyone for suggestions, comments, and guidance!

In Happy Washing Land Again!
Cindy

 

[unigirl]

About above post.....

You can find them under, "Help! Agitator stuck on wringer washer..." Hope this helps locate them.

Happy Washing for me!!

 

[shankstr]

Welcome to the club

Hi Cindy,
Sounds like you are enjoying your new found pastime. I have a model J and E and like you have learned alot from other members here. So much so that I have re-built the transmissions (which basically means "cleaned out"), lubed, oiled, painted and polished both machines. They are great fun in some sort of "manual labor kinda way". It seems that Larry, Stan and Mark have answered your questions and importantly you found Phil for parts. Phil alot of time includes a CD parts manual when you order. It's very helpful in understanding how the machine work. They are very simple in design which is one of the things about them that's appealing to me. Keeps us updated on how she's running or questions..

I don't check the board as frequently as the other but will for the next couple days.
Swish Swish,
Steve

 

[unigirl]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your welcome. I am truly enjoying my new old find. I love the simplicity of the mechanics of the machine and basically not too hard to keep it going. The agitator was a bit of a scare today, but problem solved, whew!

I am just amazed at the collectors I am seeing on this site, the laundromats people have in their homes is unreal to say the least. I can understand how they get the fever and any normal person could think they are nuts....lol See my first love is vintage and antique sewing machines, I am up to 28 right now, they are easier to house in a rented apartment, but man if I owned my own house, I am thinking this appliance bug could catch on, I am already feeling the itch, but not practical for me. I will just stick to sewing machines at the moment, but I do have my eye on a vintage maytag washer that works on CL for $30. Oh so tempted....lol

Thanks again and Happy Washing, Wringing or whatever appliance floats your boat...HAHAHAHA

Cindy