Rebuilding an early 90s Direct Drive

[stuftrock1]

Reply 29

Thank you very much! I’ve definitely really enjoyed rebuilding these old machines. Maytag has been my favorite to work on so far, though I have had very limited experience with this. I’d love to learn how to work on a Whirlpool built belt drive, since that’s now the only big name design I haven’t worked on yet (I’ve done a Filter Flo (to an extent), a Maytag, and now a Whirlpool built direct drive). Only problem is I haven’t seen a single belt drive for sale in my area since I’ve started looking.

I’d certainly love to take a trip up there to learn the ropes and see your collection, and I very much appreciate the offer. I’m in college right now and I don’t exactly have the time or money to make a big trip like that, but we’ll see. I’ll definitely reach out to you for any questions about rebuilding these washers. Thank you again!

 

[stuftrock1]

Finished it up!

Got it completed reassembled! Really happy with how this turned out. I also went ahead and added a fabric softener dispenser.

Now just gotta run water through it. Fingers crossed I put the new shaft seals on correctly…

 

[stan]

Good job Sean!

Looks great
I got lost here on the problem with spin speed.. how did you resolve ?

 

[qsd-dan]

all while spending as little as possible on the rebuilding process

This is why I'll NEVER purchase a "rebuilt" or "refurbished" appliance. It's all about turning the biggest profit in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of effort and money. Give me a machine from the scrap pile and I'll tear that bitch down myself and restore it, the right way!

 

[stuftrock1]

…how did you resolve the spin speed?

I was using an extension cord to test it then. I don’t know if that’ll actually cause it since I know some washers like Maytags really don’t like extension cords. I also put fresh turbine oil in the spin bearings. Either of those things could have fixed it.

Heck, maybe I’m just really good at putting things back together better than they were before lol. My A512 had a bad tub break that indexed like crazy. I fully disassembled the machine and rebuilt it, and it worked perfectly when I got it back together. Tub was nice and firm with zero indexing. I never touched the brake assembly, or the transmission for that matter.

 

[circlew]

Extension Cords

They aren't meant to take the place of permanent wiring, of course. However, if they are sized properly, they will not be a problem. Issues arise when a cord of incorrect wire gauge for the length is used, resulting in excessive voltage drop. A quality industrial grade cord of #12 or #10 wire should be sufficient. The cord should be no longer than necessary, and should be fully uncoiled when in use. Also, the plugs and connectors must be in good condition, as must be the receptacle. If a plug doesn't fit securely, the receptacle or cord connector needs to be replaced with a high quality commercial grade device. A decent receptacle can be purchased for around $4.00 each.

 

[blockeight88]

Reply #33

Amen. My thoughts exactly which is why I have nearly stripped down 3 machines now and rebuilt from the bottom up.

 

[stuftrock1]

Replies 33 and 36

I actually completely agree with y’all. If I ever buy a rebuilt/refurbished washer, I’m still tearing it down myself to make sure he or she did a good job.

As for me and the machines I rebuild and sell, I take pride in my work. I replace every part that is broken or badly worn out, and for raw labor like cleaning and disassembling, I do everything that needs to be done. I rebuild every machine as if it was going to someone in my family. I sign my name on every machine I rebuild, and I don’t put my name on things that I half ass. I really hate how a lot of people nowadays, especially in my generation, just don’t take pride in their work. They want to get a job done as quickly as possible with the least amount of effort.

This is why I thoroughly document all my rebuilds and extensively test each machine before selling. I want to make sure anyone who buys from me can see everything that I did. The only things I didn’t do to this washer that I probably should’ve was repaint the cabinet, top panel, and lid, and replace the spin tube assembly. I didn’t repaint because I couldn’t find an exact match of this almond color, and I didn’t replace the spin tube because the old one is still in decent shape and a replacement is too expensive, especially to replace something still in decent shape. The pitting you’ll see on the spin tube in reply 25 picture 4 are just surface marks. They have no depth to them. I’m still thoroughly testing out the machine myself to make sure it doesn’t have any problems, and I will replace it if it does.

 

[blockeight88]

Rebuilding DD's...

I have had 3 different used appliance owners tell me it's not worth their time to clean the machines internally. The same ones also said that when it "spin drains" this is normal and doesn't have any effect on the machine. Now I just laugh...

 

[stuftrock1]

After seeing how disgusting this machine was inside when I first got it, ain’t no way I would have used it to clean my own clothes without cleaning it first. Cheap detergent plus cold washes and neutral drain really does a number on the cleanliness of the machine. This whole process has caused me to really appreciate a spin drain a lot more.

Any appliance refurbisher who says it’s not worth their time to clean it internally is someone you should never buy from.

 

[blockeight88]

Neutral Drain...

I never thought that neutral drain contributes to the gunk inside machines. Those businesses I was referring to did not get my business.

On behalf of the future owner of this machine, I thank you for taking your time to restore it.

 

[ryner1988]

Reply #40

The spin drain v. neutral drain issue has been debated on this board for years and years. Spin drain fans claim that neutral drain leaves a scum around the top of the tub and agitator because there's no spinning action to carry sediment away with the water. People who back the neutral drain system argue that it's superior for removal of lint. The need for a good lint removal system is more prevalent when a dryer is rarely used, which is why washers like those from Speed Queen neutral drain in countries such as Australia where they mostly hang-dry their laundry.

Personally I think it comes down to good washing habits with quality detergent rather than the way the washer drains, but that's just me.

Ryne

 

[Chetlaham]

Reply 41- Regardless of detergent, soil level or water quality I've noticed neutral draining always leaves residue lines behind on the tub and agitator. A washer ought to clean itself. The biggest lint producing washer I ever used was a model T GE which was a neutral drain machine. All the extra lint may have been from the rough wash action, but the neutral drain certainly did not appear to help.