My Early Maytag A806 Rework Progress

[qsd-dan]

They are just as difficult to get back in as well.

The pre '75's are easy, just use a vice.

You can still use a vice on the post '74's full length gear but must use a sacrificial socket on the opposite side of the pin. Once the pin is close to flush, use a grade 8 bolt of the same size to push it further into the hole.

You need a beefy vice to accomplish it though. I blew up a 70 year old smaller vice pushing the pin out.

 

[good-shepherd]

pin actually mushroomed from the force

The gear should've first been heated with a propane torch,, thats likely how it was installed at the factory.

Same way piston wrist pins are installed on connecting rods.

 

[d-jones]

Interesting idea, Douglas

I'll bounce that off the machinist when he gets to that point. Right now he has all of the parts and will be machining a new upper agitator shaft bushing/bearing for the upper transmission housing. There was noticeable play there versus the lower one. Once the steel pinion gear was removed and he got the agitator shaft out a fair amount of corrosion was found between its two bearing journals. That corrosion had to be forced past the upper shaft bearing and may very well have done additional damage to it in the process.

 

As a side note, I have a question for anyone with knowledge on the subject. There was no wicking material between the two bearings in the upper housing. Is it worth installing some? If yes, what would be the best material to use? If no, what's the best lube to apply to those bearings upon reassembly to keep it going for another twenty years? I'll need to deal with this issue soon.

[this post was last edited: 9/14/2022-19:42]

 

[combo52]

Wicking between the agitator shaft bearings?

 

I have thought about this since I read your post the other day and can not decide whether it would help or not. On one hand it might keep the upper bearing better lubricated but on the other hand if just a few drops of moisture get past the top bearing and seal it might hold the moisture in that area and harm the shaft and bearing sooner.

 

When you look at the entire design of a MT helical drive transmission it is really amazing they worked as well as they did.

 

Having an oil seal at the bottom of the input shaft where metal dust will cause seal wear is never a good idea, then having no oil delivery to the top agitator shaft bearing and no vent in the transmission so any moisture can evaporate out.

 

While many other washer designs also had significant design problems as well this all really goes to show how low stressed a washers driveline is, you certainly could never design airplanes this crudely and have then stay in the air very long.

 

John L.

 

[qsd-dan]

Maytag installed a wicking pad between both sleeve bearings in the pre '66 washers. I have a couple of them somewhere, I'll see if I can find one and take a picture. I faintly remember their instructions recommending to clean them in solvent and re-lube with Maytag transmission oil during a rebuild.

You can see a picture in the following thread at Reply #21.

https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?22830

 

[qsd-dan]

"Having an oil seal at the bottom of the input shaft where metal dust will cause seal wear is never a good idea"

If there's metal filings circulating through the transmission, a leaking lower o-ring seal will be the least of ones problems.

"Then having no oil delivery to the top agitator shaft bearing"

Have you ever been inside one of these transmissions? There's an oil gallery drilled into the upper housing that lubes the upper sleeve bearing during the spin cycle.

"And no vent in the transmission so any moisture can evaporate out."

AMP models had a vent but they were deleted for the helical models. I don't think one is really needed though. Any water intrusion inside the transmission is from a bad stem/boot/A4298 seal. A vent isn't going to remedy that problem.

 

[d-jones]

Dan and John

Thanks for your comments, though I notice both of you shied away from making a recommendation. The comment about the oil gallery raises a question in my mind. During the spin cycle, wouldn't the oil in the transmission be flung to the outer edges by centrifugal force, away from the agitator shaft and the oil gallery? Is this gallery small enough that capillary pull is drawing the oil up instead? The transmission is at the machine shop at the moment so I can't have a look at it, and I don't recall noticing the gallery before. But the mention of it is intriguing to say the least. If I were to install a wicking pad, what material would be most suited for it? I'm considering a bit of industrial wool felt.

 

[qsd-dan]

I don't recall noticing the gallery before.

Here's a picture of the upper housing from Brian's transmission rebuild thread with the oil gallery at the 12 o'clock position https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?38714

I'm not sure what the proper wicking material is but I recall the one Maytag sourced was very tightly wound and had an almost leather feel to it. I'll see if I can locate it out and reply with dimensions.

 

[d-jones]

I got the upper half of the transmission back from the machine shop this afternoon, so I need to consider which oil to use in it. So far I'm considering the oil made by Maytag for these transmissions. It's still available but getting harder to find. Most likely the stuff I'm finding is new old stock. The other option is 75/90 Royal Purple synthetic gear oil. Dan mentioned using this in another thread and it's readily available. Any thoughts?

Another question - The machine shop used high tensile brass to make the new bearings. Based on the color of the old ones I suspect they're bronze. High tensile brass is frequently used for bushings/bearings, but if the originals are bronze I wonder if brass will hold up.

 

[qsd-dan]

The choice of oil comes down to the temps the machine will be operating at. If it's inside the house, you can use Maytag transmission oil for best overall results. If it will be operating in the garage at your location, you'll want to use a slightly thinner oil for the winter months.

 

[good-shepherd]

which oil to use in it.

I would use the genuine Maytag oil.

If that can't be found use Sta-Lube 85-90w GL-4 gear oil.