Question on the Roto-Rack

[Unimatic1140]

So now that I have all the leaks and other issues fixed on our new 1965 Lady Kenmore Roto-Rack dishwasher I've been washing dishes in it YAY!

What I have noticed is when the upper rack is empty it spins at quite a good clip, but when it is full it hardly turns if at all. Isn't the upper rack in these machines always suppose to turn?

 

[countryguy]

It is the force of the water that causes the rack to spin does it not?  Therefore I'm thinking that the weight of the dishes in the rack is going to make it spin slower - the heavier the dishes, the slower it will spin? 

 

Gary

 

[norgeway]

Robert...

Im not sure, but I think that the load needs to be somewhat balanced to make it rotate correctly, but yes, it should always rotate with any load, it wont wash correctly if it does not, I love it!! anything that says Lady Kenmore gets my vote!

 

[jeb]

roto rack

We had one when I was growing up and the hundreds of times I opened it to see what was going on inside the rack was always turning at a pretty good speed. My mother was not the kind to take special care in loading so I know she was not careful to balance the load. I do know the rack is adjustable to a lower position I don't remember how she had it adjusted. JEB

 

[tomturbomatic]

You have made sure that all of the holes in the douche nozzle are open? With no filter, things can clog. Other than that, making sure the weight is balanced is a key to having the rack move smoothly. Actually, if it is turning slowly, things up there are probably getting a better scrubbing than if it were flying around. Slow puts the grind in bump and grind and the rub in scrub.

 

[combo52]

ROTO RACK ROTATION

Robert make sure the little ball bearing race is still in place on the spindle that holds the RR. This was one of at least 15 things that broke on our 1966 KM RR DW that we had growing up. The little nylon holder broke and allowed the little SS ball bearings to all let go and they instantly got caught in the drain pump impeller and destroyed it, this was one of the at least 6 times that the pump was repaired or replaced in our pathetic machine. After this happened the RR never rotated as well but I don't think that we kept the DW much longer.

 

[jetaction]

Nothing but trouble....

Those early ones were... you had better trade up for a later one!  LOL!!!  Good to see you last weekend!

 

 

[combo52]

D&M DISHWASHER QUALITY

Actually they got even worse as they moved into the 1970s and 1980s all the way through threw till Electlox changed to the terrible Frigidare tall tub machines they are still selling.

 

By 1968 D & M started attaching the door gasket to the tank with little SS clips that clipped through holes in the tank and this design was always good for lots of leaks. Interestingly KA started doing the same thing with the interduction of the 18 series machines but they never had any real problems with their machines leaking in this area. And by the late 1960s the vent plate in the door changed from a porcelain coated steel plate to a plastisol coated one and it would soon rust and cause leaks around the lower door area.

 

Dishwashers like these and WH, Tappan, Wasteking and of corse plastisol coated GEs quickly made dishwashers the shortest lived major appliance. This led to a booming replacement market and many people wanted something better, this really helped KA, MT, WP and GE in the 1980s sell upper line machines.

 

[lotsosudz]

Robert,
Yes they are supposed to always turn. On the earlier baskets (low rise) it was always crucial to balance the weight of the load evenly, later they went with the higher rise basket, with better bearings that would spin easier. Congrats on getting the unit running. They are strong washing units. I always enjoyed hearing the sound of the basket spinning,as it hummed along while going through all the cycles. Its better than T.V. Might you be thinking about a plexiglas cover? We would all love watching a video of it. Hint Hint. LOL
Hugs,
David

 

[Unimatic1140]

Thanks guys, what I did was to take the wash arm off and place a baking sheet over the arm hub and push the lower rack back in. This allowed me to operate the dishwasher with the door open so I can see how the top rack spray works. The problem was definitely in both balance and not leaving large open areas of the rack. Problem is solved. I also found a brand new pump and motor assembly for the machine which will help keep it going for a long time.

Now to begin the fun work, of moving the detergent dispenser to the side of the machine, adding a huge window, making a window frame and lighting it from the side.

More to come in the coming months on this machine.

 

[autowasherfreak]

A window in the RR, how cool that will be to watch!

 

 

[peteski50]

Roto Rack!

I got one of the first bewitched shows that shows the roto rack with window model at the end of the show.
Enjoy folks,
Peter

 

[henry200]

Thanks Peter

I loved Bewitched but had forgotten some of those early episodes.  That dishwasher shot at the end was a bonus treat!

 

[toggleswitch]

CONGRATS!

By the way, my mother had a 1968 Lady Kenmore, with a fabulous Roto-rack and no visible timer. That thing had so many indicator and neon lights it was a blast!

In the next house we had a more MOL Kenmore of the '73/'74 vintage; it had a visible timer.

Did the drying blower actual suck or blow from the tank/tub. I don't remember.

 

[tomturbomatic]

I don't think it would be smart to suck the humid air out of the tank and send it into the motor area; not that smarts would have much bearing in anything D&M would do in designing a DW. Only if it were cheaper to do would it be done.

 

[1972lkdishwash]

My 1972 Lady Kenmore Dishwasher

Yes, it has to be balanced and the water pressure has to be correct.....be sure nothing is in the jets in the stationary spray arm under the roto rack, this can be a problem...sediment build up or lime deposits...(AND PEAS)>> blocking the sprayer holes....Ours spins rather fast but just right for the spray to clean perfectly..glasses, cups and small dessert plates....The track in the tub top area and the unit that lets it turn was riddled with lime deposit in ours at one time, cleaning with vinegar helped a lot....this was years ago before some of the chemical cleaners today...hard water was common at our home....Yes, many read out lights and no dial...cycles are lit and water temp at normal or sanitary.>>>>>long rect. buttons are lighted from above and cycles advance in read out>>>>12 minute or 26 min dry select switch>>>>This machine cleans so well.....under our tree on Christmas 1972, with a new Double Oven Classic Gas Range>>>.top oven was Infra Red and lower oven was self cleaning and had a "serve" Setting for holding food warm for hours>>>many meals were in this oven on Hold Serve for us when we came in from college night classes..>>>>>>

 

[1972lkdishwash]

Samanthas' Dishwasher in this episode>>>>

I have always wonderd if it was a Kenmore or a Signature Montgomery Ward? Does anyone know for sure? When Endora visits you can somewhat see the Name in Script.....she sits either on it or near it on the counter as she pops IN>>>>Confronting her daughter about the mortal she is about to Marry>>>>

 

[combo52]

D&M DW FORCED AIR DRYING

The small blower motor and fan pulled air out of the tank and discharged the hot humid air under the DW. It doesn't sound like a great idea, but I never saw it cause any problems either. The motor would normally be too hot from running when the DW started its dry cycle for and water to condense on it and harm it. And if you figure that most DWs are only run once per day it probably wont hurt most cabinets that much. The worst thing would be that many DWs are installed on outside walls of houses and in an old poorly insulated house in a cold climate you could easily get a lot of condensation on the wall and maybe some black mold. But few worried about black mold in the 1970s.

 

[aldspinboy]

Hello Guys and members of A.W. ...
I've been away on a road trip with Mike ( Dishwashercrazy ) And what a fantastic Trip !!!
I'll post the trip in increments in various Threads to come ...
Robert & Fred opened their home to Mike and I in the middle of our trip which I'll post later.
Thanks so much guys... I have learned alot from both of you and had the best time of my life !
Since Robert posted this dishwasher serveral weeks ago, I think you guys want to hear it before it goes to the next phase of his project.
Yeah... another pimped out machine D & M style this time, wishing you the best of luck in the process !
Lady K Start wash...

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