My Basket is Bouncing once again

[pdub]

Beautiful machine Robert. Thanks for the video.

I'm sure you've spent hours and hours with this machine since you got it. What fun it must be.

Patrick

 

[frigilux]

I love how it can rollover a dry load of clothes. The only top-loader I've ever seen that can do it. The whole "agitation" concept is very interesting.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Here are some pictures of the restoration...

Here is the outer cabinet with the fiberglass wash basket pulled and the main basket bearing removed (the rubber boot is removed as well). The inset on the upper left shows the failed water seal that allowed water to seep down though the main bearing all the way down to the bottom of the drive mechanism taking out two other bearings as well. The inset on the upper right shows the main basket bearing which are pressed onto the basket support shaft. The line points to the cup where the bearing and shaft sits.

The inner side of the cabinet serves as the outer tub to catch the water as its spun out.

The water seal is another standard part that I was able to easily get.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Examining the Main Basket Bearing

The basket support bearing is actually two bearings pressed on the shaft with a ring place between the two of to act as a spacer...

 

[Unimatic1140]

There was no other way for me to remove the bearings than to cut them off one at a time with my Dremel tool. I had to be real careful not to cut into the Basket Support shaft. After all its the only one known to exist...

 

[Unimatic1140]

After cutting off the the first old bearing I was left with this...

 

[Unimatic1140]

Here are the new bearings. The Cone and Cup are separate and have to be ordered separately. I've never seen bearings like this before.

 

[Unimatic1140]

I used my vice as a make-shift bearing press. I put galvanized pipe together to safely press on the cone and then you grease the cup and put it over the cone. Then I pressed on the other one.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Now that the basket bearings were done, I had to pull out the entire Drive Mechanism to change the two lower spin bearings. First here is the basic Drive Mechanism.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Here is the Drive Mechanism pulled and out on the workshop floor. Fred had a good idea to rest the mechanism safely on the Electrolux.

 

[strongenough78]

Those bearings look exactly like front wheel bearings used in brake rotors on a car. I've seen enough of them over the years I've done brake work on my cars lol. I wonder if you ever need to replace them again, if you could find matching ones at an auto parts store if you have trouble finding them else where. Might be less expensive too.

 

[Unimatic1140]

The lower two bearings were more standard like what I'm used to, I pulled them out with my gear puller...

 

[Unimatic1140]

The mechanism is all done, a fresh belt is the topping on the cake.

 

[Unimatic1140]

And here we are all back together, he's quieter and more smooth than ever.

 

[strongenough78]

Wow look at you with power tools and gear pullers. How butch! lol. At least you know how to do this kind of stuff, I'd be totally lost for a bit lol. Cars I'm good with, household appliances on the other hand, I'm a complete virgin lol. Good Job Robert! Keep us posted.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Splashy splashy...

 

[lebron]

So very cool Robert! I'm glad you were able to get everything working again. Sooo... how does it work lol? In your first picture the "shaft" sticking up appears off set, but I can't tell. Or is the large gray cylinder above the wash and spin clutch plates a tranny that makes it work?

 

[pulsator]

That... is... AWESOME!!!! I want one now! lol, think anyone can convince Whirlpool to make a modern version?

 

[mayfan69]

Long may she wash Robert!

Nothing like keeping a dream machine working.

Long may she wash for you Robert!

Leon

 

[swestoyz]

Robert - what fun! The only way to top this would have been to celebrate at Hooters.... ;-)

Love that the two piece bearing was still available. Yes, it does look very similar to a wheel bearing. Thank God the engineers at Apex had the foresight to use standard sized bearings instead of special sizes (like Bendix!). I am curious though - you mentioned that the seal was something that you were able to sub a replacement for easily. May I ask what source you used and how you determined which would work? Thanks!

Ben