Opinion of vintage (late 70's?) Maytag Washer?

[dustin92]

Saw this on a local facebook for sale group and I'm going tomorrow at 3 to look at it. From what I gather it's either an A308 or (hopefully, the standard capacity) A108, and in talking with the seller they bought it from the original owner but couldn't fit it in their basement. Said to work fine. I'm planning on replacing the Kenmore Direct drive upstairs with it, the DD has had balance issues since I got it and is just TOO loud for the location. We're all getting tired of the noise! Not to mention it's holding up to the term "shredmore". Am I assuming correctly that these Maytags are pretty much bulletproof? Anything I should look for when I look at it tomorrow? I know it's not connected to water and I may not be able to plug it in, but for $40? Seems fair enough to me. Do these wash well? We usually have pretty lightly soiled clothes, but occasionally a load of nasties. I understand the 108 and 308 are both single speed machines, but I rarely use the gentle cycle, even on the DD. ave another laundry hookup in the basement and will be keeping a front loader there for large and bulky items so I'd really prefer the standard capacity. How about balance on a (sturdy) wooden floor? I've tried multiple times to get the DD stable on the wood floor, but it insists on shaking and rattling on almost every load. These do have a fabric softener dispenser and lint filter, correct? Will be getting a pic of the inside tomorrow morning sometime.

 

[scoots]

A207

Hi Dustin - I presently have an A207 for my daily driver and before that an A208 going back to the 90s, so it's not an exact match for what you are looking at but pretty close. I've been very satisfied with these machines, mine have been quiet, dependable, and not too prone to walking or vibration once leveled and if loaded properly.

A possible drawback is that they are rather simple machines.

The lint filter is a screen collar inserted into the top of the agitator. Filtration is due to passive water currants drawing hair and lint into the screen, rather than forcing the water through a strainer by means of a pump. That being said, hair and lint control was personally acceptable to me. By the way, check this filter (it simply pulls up). The condition of the filter gives you an idea of how well the machine was treated.

Likewise there is a fabric softener dispenser cup in the top of the agitator that uses centrifugal force to dispense.

The biggest complaint is that the bleach dispenser (if fitted at all) is simply a tube that leads from the filling cup to the outer tub, meaning that the bleach is added much too early, reducing the cleaning power of the detergent. I usually set an egg timer to ring in the last 4 minutes of the wash cycle and add diluted bleach at that point.

An annoying quirk: the Maytag has an "ALL OFF" safety switch ... lift the lid at any time and the entire machine comes to a stop. This includes harmless activities like the tub fill, and things you'd want to monitor like wash agitate to check on loading and roll-over. I find a half clothes pin wedged between the switch and the lid will defeat the switch just fine.

One last thing if you're new to Maytags: be careful of the lid hinges. The lid actually is held in place and pivots on two nylon ball bearings which means the lid is apt to spring loose and you may loose the nylon bearings and they are no longer cheap! Typically this happens while the machine is being moved. The loose ends of the cord and fill hoses are put into the tub and the lid is put down to hold them in place. Any pressure on the lid after that will cause the lid to un-hinge and the balls will fly out.

Good luck with your new machine.

 

[dustin92]

I knew how the lint filters worked on these, but wasn't sure if that low end machine would have one or not. Bleach dispenser, I could care less if there even is one, I don't think I've ever used the one on our current washer, I wait a few minutes into the wash cycle and add bleach as it agitates. Didn't know the lid switch cut the fill as well, but not an issue as you said, the clothes pin should work fine. I knew about the lid balls, but didn't know they'd pop that easily- will likely tape the lid shut if I buy the machine, it will have to lay down for the trip home (less than 20 minutes if I unload it right away) Will laying it down be an issue? I don't want to have it leak out transmission oil or anything! Glad to hear yours has worked well, I'm looking forward to a hopefully much quieter, gentler washer! The DD is just so clunky and loud, it wouldn't be bad in the basement, but the laundry room is between the living room and bedrooms, and the door can't be closed because our cats' litter box is in the laundry room...

 

[maytagbear]

I had the 2 speed 208

It was a great washer! It handled everything I sent its way very well.

Quiet, and solid.

I don't know about loading on its side, sorry.

It is well worth the 40.00

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[dustin92]

It is home and works Great! Sounds good, washes well. I don't think the previous owner knew there was a lint filter! Totally encrusted with hard water deposits. Tub is also stained and crusty, what can I use to clean it? I washed it down with tub and shower cleaner but don't want to strip the porcelain off! The lint filter, however, I first scraped and picked off as much scale as I could, then soaked multiple times with toilet bowl cleaner and scrubbed with a stiff bristle brush. Looks better and water can flow through, but still has some crusties and clogged holes I need to deal with. It is an LA308. I ended up getting it for $30 because the lady I bought it from said her husband lost the lid balls when he moved it this morning.. As we stood outside and talked, she bent down and picked both of them up off the ground. She said I could still have it for $30 though because it wasn't doing them any good. I just washed a load of laundry in it and it seems to work great, although I need to level it because it started shaking pretty badly on the final spin. The lid switch is annoying though, I may end up disabling it whether by just taping the plunger in or wiring around it. Does this washer have an out of balance switch or no? I'll post a picture of the encrusted filter and see if I can get a couple more decent pictures of it to post later.

 

[wayupnorth]

The out of balance switch is connected to the lid switch. I ran a piece of wire around it to keep it on all the time and tied it to the top of the drain hose on my Maytag to keep it running with the lid up. If it goes out of balance, the lid will hit the timer and shut it off. Iron out will work on hard water stains and has never hurt the inside of my tub. You can get those stupid lid balls to go back in if they come out but it aint easy.

 

[jons1077]

LA 308

I had this same washer in off-white. It was purchased approximately 1978. Larger capacity, 4-water levels, 3 wash temps, all cold rinses and single speed motor. Delicate cycle had intermittent agitation. Work horse of a washer and great as a daily driver.

jon

 

[dustin92]

Exactly what I've got! Mine is also the almond color, although I'd have preferred white, I'm happy with it. I need to get some touch up paint for the cabinet, but all in all it's in pretty nice condition. Washed 3 loads and can't find an issue. I got it put in place and ran the front legs all the way in and it's spinning much smoother.

 

[dustin92]

and the cleaned but still needing cleaned filter...

 

[dustin92]

after a quick wipe down...

 

[dustin92]

inside... hard water anybody?

 

[dustin92]

I have found one minor issue, that being the load size buttons: the "Ex. Large load" button really takes some force to select... The first load it would just pop back out, but I really pushed it in and it seems to be working now. I ran through the selections, ans all others (Small, Medium, and Large) all work easily. I have to push quickly and firmly for the Ex Large to work. Maybe it is just sticky. That's the only issue I've found so far, even had the front panel off and it looks relatively clean- Minor rust on the baseplate, but right after running a load, no signs of a leak. No transmission leaks.

 

[wayupnorth]

Yes, Iron Out will get rid of those rust stains. Soak it then scrub it with a nylon scrubbie and it will all come off if not the first, but second time and not hurt the tub, I had them before getting a softner to take the iron out and make my well water able to use.

 

[dustin92]

The funny thing is, we have rock hard water, but have not had an issue with washer tubs turning orange. Toilet bowls, sinks, shower and tub, yes, but the dishwasher and clothes washers seem to be immune. The detergent drawer on front load washers have turned a gorgeous shade of rust, along with a couple of streak marks on the tub ring of the Kenmore DD near where it fills. Tubs look great though. The woman that sold the Maytag to me said the previous owner had used it with well water, and we are on city water.

 

[dustin92]

The people that sold me the washer said the original owners were an older couple, the husband passed away about 20 years ago, and the wife just recently passed away, they had bought it from the original owner's son while he was cleaning out the house. So likely had pretty light use.

 

[wayupnorth]

Dustin, unless you have a water filter and softner and use rust remover salt in the tank or keep using Iron Out regularly, you will get that. I have VERY hard well water and that is the only thing that has worked for me in 20+ years of living here. My outside hose is directly from the well and when I wash my truck, it looks like I poured milk on it when it dries.

 

[askolover]

I'll bet

Lime-away or CLR would work wonders on that filter, not sure about the porcelain tub though.  Nice machine, Mother had one older than that and it survived 16 years of hard use (we two kids both were in cloth diapers).  Only reason she replaced it was the trans started leaking oil.  Her lid balls disintegrated once upon a time and my dad took a piece of wooden dowel pin and smoothed it out round with his bench grinder, stuck them in and they never messed up again!

 

[whirlcool]

When we had a Maytag to clean that lint filter I'd just have to sit down at the table with the lint filter and a toothpick and push the debris through the holes they were blocking. One hole at a time. Tedious, but it worked.

I think the water this washer originally operated in probably had a high iron content. A lot of well water does. In water like that if you wash white towels and use bleach they'll come out day glow orange! In cases like that there are water filter systems that will filter out the iodine.

 

[kenwashesmonday]

Lid switch.

I bypassed the lid switch on my Maytag A606 and found something interesting. If it goes off-balance during spin, and as long as I run it with the lid open, the lid will start to swing and push the timer button in, shutting the machine off.

I find the lint filter pretty effective with short dog and cat hair (and other short hairs), but it doesn't do much for lint or long hairs.

Ken D.