Secrets of Keeping your Automatic Washer Trouble Free

[Unimatic1140]

I just happened to stumble upon this Febuary 1969 issue of Popular Science, scanned into Google Books. Great article and pictures starting on page 131...

ps Google's scanning quality is sub par in my opinion compared to the way I do things lol, but it still is fun non the less!

http://books.google.com/books?id=5i...ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=washer&f=false

 

[ovrphil]

Library

Thanks - added to My Library in Google Books.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

The title page says it all without reading the rest of the article. Explains the secrets of having a trouble free washer and shows a early vintage A806. End result... Own a vintage Maytag A806...

(Yeah, bring it on, John...)

RCD
[this post was last edited: 2/7/2013-22:59]

 

[ovrphil]

Speaking of

A806, and vingtage Maytags... reminds me of the A906, that seem to be elusive finds(?)...

Well Fred must be enjoying his, anyways (Love those pair)

 

[whirlykenmore78]

1976 LK

for the win. Grandparents had a set of 1976 Lady Kenmores that were still working 29 years later when Gramps sold the house. For many years my aunt even used them to wash horse blankets. Only 2 repairs the whole time. Not sure what WP did when making these but they did it well. They seem quite elusive though. Never see them show up anywhere.
WK78

 

[super32]

Look at those 906! Im wet!

 

[rockland1]

Does anybody remember this pair in pink on the Beverly Hillbillies?

 

[combo52]

Keeping Your Washer Trouble Free

Oh yes Andy it is funny that they used a MT A806 for the cover of this article, obviously MTs needed more attention to keep them running, sort of like a Mercedes, You diffidently paid for them more than once,   LOL.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

John, John, John...

You fail to see the obvious! The 806 was to show the epitome of 'trouble free'. Inside the article was the Unimatic that they had to tear apart... LOL!

Uh oh! Here comes "The wrath of Robert"! ZOT!

RCD[this post was last edited: 2/7/2013-22:58]

 

[whirlykenmore78]

I would just like

To mention the one and only final word on troublefree dishwashers/warewashers and that is HOBART!
Sound the sirens, John and Andy are firing laundry warheads between Reno and DC. Will the IOWANEWTON-806POWERFIN or the OHIOCLYDE-IMP70DDSURGILATOR strike the fatal blow? I'm sheltering from radioactive detergent residue and fabric softener fallout here in the flyover zone of MN. Keep on fighting and I'll fire a TROYOHIO-AM-14 High Temp washarm at both of you. With booster heater backup.
WK78

 

[redcarpetdrew]

So... The laundry war would be the main event while the Hobart bats 'clean up'? Speaking of striking the final blow, ever see what a Surgilator does to a sweater?

Incoming!

RCD

 

[combo52]

Power-Fin Agitators

Were the only design that CRs ever reported on that ruined material in just one washing, even Norge, Whirlpool Surgilators, Kenmore's Rotoswirl and GE FF washers did not ruin curtain material when washed at hi-speed like MTs PF agitator. Ever notice that MT discontinued this ell fated design on their own without pressure from anyone but dissatisfied customers.

 

This missile will land in Reno in 15 seconds, response at 10 AM

 

[jetcone]

I actually KNOW

someone in the Mid West who is currently restoring a PF MT deep tub too! And he owns LOTS of sweaters too!

And any way this is all ballyhoo as we all know the tumbler in the Bendix was and is and has been the best performer since 1938!

 

[Unimatic1140]

And any way this is all ballyhoo as we all know the tumbler in the Bendix was and is and has been the best performer since 1938!

Uh huh, so good in fact front loaders aren't even mentioned in the article lol ;-D. Besides we all know the most thorough way to wash clothes is in a top loader with an agitator that has lots of RUBBER on it. Such as rings or wings! The only other acceptable way is bouncing them off of nice soft fiberglass!

 

[gansky1]

now the war escalates

Funny, the only mention of Maytag in the article at all is the ease of service...

 

[gansky1]

The article has a nice diagram of the mechanism in WP/KM machines but darned if I can see it...

LOL

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Washer service and proctology...

That's why a tub bearing and seal job on a MT takes anywhere from 30-45 minutes (with transmission in place i might add) while on a WP/KM it takes a degree in proctology (with about the same mess and finger cramping) and that's IF the center post isn't rusted out. Hmmm, when is the last time I saw a tub rust out on a MT? By the way, you GE guys don't have much to brag about in that department...

Interesting that MT's agitator design lasted forever with out much change while WP/KM had more agitator designs then some people here have shoes, with some changes seemingly more for marketing than anything else.

Was that our Webmaster just now trying to insert a Frigidaire or the like into a ease of service discussion? The pioneers had figured out that nothing made clothing last longer than grinding it up and down a scrubbing board and then Frigidaire figured out how to automate the process. Besides, didn't someone here (who's name escapes me at the moment...) actually have a washer, which wasn't a Maytag by the way, break down and flood the floor on national tv? ;^)

Reno to Beltsville and beyond in three two one...

RCD[this post was last edited: 2/8/2013-10:27]

 

[jetcone]

oo and the

Washer War heats up!!

 

[wireman]

Isn't the reason Maytags lasted forever is that that they barely moved the load? Little movement = little wear = little maintenance = longer life? To be fair, I've only seen a few Maytags in action and they were 30+ years old. Nowhere NEAR the turnover in our 15 + year old WP built heavy duty Kenmores.

Duane

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Shredmores...

When you have a short stroke, hi speed agitation like that then there will be clothes Movement. In the same idea, a blender on higher speed tends to liquefy the contents easier. What I enjoy on those neutral drains is taking a putty knife and scraping off all the hair, lint and soap scum off the underside of the tub cover and upper outer tub to get rid of the smell. I've seen build up so bad, you can hear it scraping against the inner tub as it tries to spin. I'll take a spin drain machine anytime...

RCD

 

[fnelson487]

Indeed

I am enjoying the 906s.  45 years and still going strong as daily drivers.  Where do people get the idea that these are trouble-prone?  I have also had 806s for years and never a problem.

 

[combo52]

Never a Problem?

Be real, Fred you recently posted pictures of the MT repair guy fixing your washer and there is nothing wrong with that, but there has never been any piece of complex man made machinery that has never had a problem.

 

[jetcone]

Nothin' cleaner

than sheets washed and rinsed in a FilterFlo

 

 

 

 

[danemodsandy]

John:

As a fellow Maytag aficionado, what I understood Fred to mean is that Maytags don't give undue trouble if they are cared for. You're absolutely right that the machine doesn't exist that never gives any problem whatsoever. The occasional ordinary repair or bit of maintenance isn't "trouble," in my book - it's just reality.

I'm going over an A806 I recently got. The mechanical needs are: 1) New damper pads 2) New motor glides and 3) New belt.

This isn't too bad for a machine produced in June, 1968, the month after I finished my sophomore year in high school!

 

[redcarpetdrew]

I'm not sure there was really any problem. Was it that same thread where there was more time and pictures posted of the repairman than the 'problem'? Man, I just love those 906's!

Jon, out of respect, I won't go after your GE right now as its still her maiden washing (and one Hell of a snazzy looking machine...) but I do notice it took longer to fix her than a Maytag... LOL!

True, all complex machines have occasional issues or Repairman like John and I would be out of business but some (Maytag's) usually have less complex issues... ;^) I must thank our generous Webmaster for such a fun thread even though I think he had no clue it would turn out this way...

I do hope you all know that this has been in fun and I really DO love all machines. Ok, well maybe some (Maytags) a touch more than others...

RCD

 

[fnelson487]

I Was Referring

To the 806s.  In the 20 years that I owned them, I don't think I every had a repair on them.  The dryer started to squeak a bit so I foolishly replaced them.  In any event, the 906s were entitled to some repairs after 45 years of service and by such a handsome repairman as well which made the experience all the more enjoyable!

 

[ovrphil]

Melting ice

Hope it wasn't me posting a photo of Fred's A906 timeless looking machines that brought out the best in all of you. Not taking sides, even if I do own a modest pair of Maytags myself, no repairs so far, and everything gets very clean and done so quickly. I'm having anxiety, after this thread.

Maytag! Kenmore! GE FF! Bendix! I better find room and save up for three more - can't afford to be left out of the "how clean are your whites?"

You've heard about the fury in a Maytag scorned? Well, that's nothing compared to the fury of a Maytag devotee who possesses and threatens to use booster heater backup.