Speed Queen Set in Chi Town

[phmorrow]

For anyone that may be interested

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/app/5673952184.html

 

[DADoES]

 
TOL set.

 

[brucelucenta]

Is that set after the washers had a reversing motor?

 

[mrb627]

Deja Who?

I feel like I have seen these photos and ad in the past? Anyone else feel they have seen these before?

Malcolm

 

[combo52]

SQ Solid Tub Washer

Hi Bruce, yes this would be a reversing motor machine, No noisy power consuming solenoids, but the reliability was starting to go south for sure, LOL.

 

[alr2903]

Nice. Lights, Solid Tub. Time fill.  Gas dryer.   I hope someone saves these.

 

[brucelucenta]

I thought it probably was. I talked my parents into getting a set that fancy the last year of the solid tub models. The dryer was different than that one, it was the new style one. But the washer was pretty much like that one. Had the larger solid tub and had a metered fill. Worst washer they ever had. Failed right after the year warranty was up. The shifting assembly was a big problem with that washer. It would not fully engage in the wash mode and slip. That wore out the clutch that engaged the agitator. I rebuilt it a couple of times and when they moved and bought a new Maytag set, I took them and used them for a while till I sold them. Sure was a nice looking set that lit all up.[this post was last edited: 7/14/2016-13:36]

 

[yogitunes]

yeah, I believe it was Pumper who posted it about a month ago.....

if only shipping wasn't so much....

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?66038

 

[whirlykenmore78]

"but the reliability was starting to go south for sure&#

It surely was John, and not to return until Alliance took over the brand.
WK78

 

[foraloysius]

"No noisy power consuming solenoids"

I actually like that sound! lol

 

[whirlcool]

Anyone interested in those machines should take precautions when seeing them. That area is in the middle of the hood'!

 

[brucelucenta]

Yep, those solenoid machines were definite work horses. I have seen 24 hour laundromats that were busy busy busy all the time with those machines and they ran constantly for years. They were some of the best machines ever made for durability and long lasting service. No top loader today even comes close in comparison. Speed Queen must have made coin op machines all the way back from the 50's. I did see a laundromat with both old and new machines once in the late 60's and the old machines appeared very antiquated to me in comparison to the newer machines. They had the high fins on the agitators and the much bigger rubber seal or baffle at the top of the tub opening and the tub had a more rounder bowl like shape.[this post was last edited: 7/15/2016-04:00]

 

[combo52]

The interesting thing about SQ ST Washers durability,

 WAS that they could run almost non-stop in laundromats for 10 years but in home use they did not last much longer, back in the mid 70s when I was working as a repair tech it was very rare to see a SQ ST washer from even the mid 60s still working.

 

These washers suffered from old 50s technology too many pot-metal parts that time quickly got the better of, including the inner tub base, the column that held and supported the agitator shaft, the very crappy water pumps that had non-exsistant water seals that if not greased regularly failed after a 1/2 dozen years. Add to a difficult machine to repair especially after water had been spraying everywhere over the mechanism and many users were ready for a better newer bigger washer that did not leave sand and grit behind and smell bad. So they bought a new washer like their neighbors new KM, WP or GE FF washer etc.

 

[brucelucenta]

Yes, I can definitely believe that and it is interesting. I guess a laundromat is pretty much climate controlled and the machines are kept running all the time too. I think some machines don't fair too well when they sit for long and are not used. I agree on the crummy pumps they had for sure, but the ones in laundromats were gravity drain machines. So they did not have that issue. The reversing motor machines had even more issues with the pumps, since they went in both directions and wore out even quicker. The last solid tub machine I had I actually liked fairly well. It held about as much as most washers of the time and did a good job, but the shifting mechanism was always problematic. It was the last of the fully lit up panel they used to make and was a nice looking machine. You're right about the sand and grit too, it's a shame because the solid tub machines did use less water although with the overflow rinses and such it might work out to be the same. I remember a comparison of Maytag and Speed Queen water usage and seems it was about the same. Maytag were the other machines that seemed to last for a long time in laundromats too. Although it seems like I saw more of them out of order than Speed Queen ones. Maytag lasted a long time in home use too. They really were amazing machines for their long lasting durability in home use especially. So many are still around and being used today. I think in home use machines, people tend to replace the machine instead of fixing it in many cases. So that might be why Speed Queen machines didn't last as long in home use too.

 

[philr]

I wish I could find one of the last solenoid machines. I got the electric dryer as I had hope it would attract it's matching washer but it didn't! I also did that with a 1961 Frigidaire Clamshell dryer, still sitting alone!