My Basket is Bouncing once again

[Unimatic1140]

After doing about 10 loads in the Apex the water seal went and destroyed both spin bearings as well as the main basket bearing assembly. I spent three weeks taking the machine completely apart and giving it a good restore. The Timkin bearings were not only all still available, but they were still the same part numbers nearly 60 years later. I'll post pictures of the restore later on in the week.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Here is a new video of the Hydraulic Clutch shifting from Wash to Spin...

 

[Unimatic1140]

Here is another video that we shot tonight, the Apex in its first rinse, going into spin and starting the 2nd rinse. We got drenched shooting it lol...

 

[mrcleanjeans]

Congrats on finding the bearimgs and restoring The Apex Robert. How well do you think this fun washer washes?

 

[soberleaf]

your basket looks

like it is in fine shape to me! and i love those videos, that washer is amazing, looks like it is possessed! i have never seen anything so unique as far as washers go. it looks like it just vibrates the clothes into a roll over!!

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Fantastic!

Considering what a pill the washer itself was to find, you'd think the parts would be non-existant! Robert, that washer is simply a gem. A piece of machinery that most munufacturers should have learned more from.

RCD

 

[mrcleanjeans]

How clean do the clothes get?

 

[qsd-dan]

Wow, I would not have the balls to tear into something so rare and unique! Great to hear that the Apex is back in action better then before. Gotta love it when designers/engineers use common off the shelf parts!

 

[chestermikeuk]

Wow

Nice one Robert!!!! great work there on the restore...what a fun mechanism, what these designers didnt think off, simple but effective!!!plenty of splashdrama there, love the way it gets straight back into rinse agitation mode from the spin, no messing about there...

enjoy, Mike

 

[toggleswitch2]

The talented Mr. Robert.

Yay to fixing major issues quickly!

 

[turquoisedude]

Wow!

Congratulations Robert - you certainly have a way with washers! Can't wait to see the before and after pix!

 

[jetcone]

I want to see

ALL the dissassembly and reassembly pics, I spent 13 years hearing bout this machines guts and I want to see it all!

BTW is that spray rinse really flying across the penisdome to the other side of the tub?? What a shot! Excuse me!

 

[gyrafoam]

Wow! A miracle that there are any parts left for those things. Were those bearings new ones or were they dusty?
Makes one wonder how many parts stores might have some pieces gathering dust somewhere? Imagine finding a new basket!

 

[tlee618]

Wow Robert, what fun!!! I bet that you were surprised to find the bearings still available. Loved the videos. It seems like the tub started bouncing almost right after the water started filling for the rinse. Seems like it would wait till more water was in the tub. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this exciting adventure with us.

 

[Unimatic1140]

How well do you think this fun washer washes?
So far everything that I've put in it has come out clean.

BTW is that spray rinse really flying across the penisdome to the other side of the tub??
Yes actually it spray rinses between wash and the first rinse, the video was the spin between rinse #1 and rinse #2 so what you are seeing is the fill/brake period.

my god thats a complex mechanism I bet changing a belt is a nightmare!
Well its not as easy to change this belt as in a Norge or Maytag, but its easier than a belt-drive Whirlpool.

A miracle that there are any parts left for those things. Were those bearings new ones or were they dusty?
These are not Apex parts, those are brand new bearings made by Timkin. Timkin made the same bearings 60 years ago, apparently they are/were commonly used in automobiles, my bearing reatiler had them all in stock. I'll touch more on this later but the the main basket bearing comes as two seperate pieces that you grease and press together. The cup is here and The Cone is here. I simply went to my bearing store and they were in stock.

Did you cut back on the water pressure so that you could film it with the lid open!
No I fixed the water valve. The valve is suppose to supply 2.5 gallons of water a minute, but in the original valve the water flow-restrictor was old and ineffective allowing too much water to enter. So I installed a new flow restictor.

Seems like it would wait till more water was in the tub.
No this machine acts like a front loader and can gently turn the clothes without any water in the tub.

 

[westyslantfront]

Hi Robert. Thank you for posting the videos. I enjoy watching them and remembering the bounce-o-matics in the commercial laundry room where I grew up.

Ross

 

[yogitunes]

Hi Robert....wow...never knew a machine like this ever existed....similar action to my calypso...but with different mechanics....thanks for the pics...and also for adding me to the collections

Yogi

 

[rickr]

Glad you have the restoration finished with this one, and you were able to find the parts you needed so quickly! Great job Robert!

 

[dblrinz]

That's one heck of a bouncing basket!

Awesome machine! It looks beautiful!

Just like Jetcone, I would love to see the pictures of the dissassembly and reassembly. You certainly do have the magic touch...I would be intimidated to tear into such a rare machine myself...