Speed Queen solid tub tune-up

[yogitunes]

I was gonna say....just loosen the allen screws underneath, and the whole thing lifts out.....

I found it best to use a 'T' handle allen wrench with the long shaft if you can find one...

you will want to lubricate the top of that shaft when you replace it....

 

[akronman]

so

you remove 2 allen head scres way down under the outer tub, the pic is sideways, the screws are slightly right of center in this pic. All of this is for an eary 70's reversing motor SQ, I have no idea how much applies to earlier "banging solenoid" types from 50-60-71-ish.

 

[akronman]

and

here's the agitator post, clean as a whistle. And clean as dirty undies washed in all that great agitatioin and rinsing

 

[akronman]

more

so here's the inside of the outer tub. The two bolts NOT SHOWN, of course, have slight rust but no leaks yet. I will clean them up, leave then in place, and use some red RTV sealant.

Aboth huge hose clamps for the boot came right off, and I've cleaned up crud around the post. But it looks like some difficult maneuver to slide the boot over this big 4 bolt flange. Does it have to come out too?

And the gasket for these 4 bolts is in nice shape but also stuck, I fear removing it would ruin it. Just leave it be and add some RTV as I reassemble? It looks like it has VERY successfully kept all water out of the agitator hole.

From what I read in the other posts, this agitator/block/removal of entire shaft should apply to decades of SQ solid tubs, not just this reversing motor type. I think.

So do I just stretch the boot around that big flange or what?

Thanks to anyone who knows----
Mark

 

[akronman]

washtub

Here's the full assembly of the inner tub, porcelain model, not stainless steel. From what I can gather from less-than-complete literature, they made a stainless and a porcelain full sized tub, matching size, then also a smaller sized porcelain. I believe all other innards are the same, so why 2 sizes? And I still really don't know if mine is large or small, I know it's the one I got. (laughter expected)

 

[akronman]

and........

Hey Martin------the agi shaft looks clean and oiled and great-----does the agi cap and rubber ring form an airdome?

 

[gansky1]

Just stretch that boot right over the tub flange, won't hurt it if it's still soft and pliable.

 

You will want to make sure that when you do put the agitate shaft back in that the thrust collar (with the two allen screws) is as tight as possible against the bottom of the spin bearing housing as possible - have someone hold the agitator shaft down (or use a weight on it).  If there is any play in it vertically, it will knock in agitation. 

 

[yogitunes]

airdome?......yes it does......you should hear that glug glug as it starts to spin and the water is thrown over top, its pulling the water thats trapped under the agitator.....

thats a Speed Queen Solid Tub trait!.....

 

[akronman]

Martin

Yes I have always heard that, just wasn't sure what it was.

I was working that old boot off in the 52 degree basement, so I stole my boyfriend's hairdryer for some direct heat, got it off pretty easy.

Next is cleaning up that post where the top clamp fits, and I think some RTV will be installed along with the new boot.

 

[washman]

When you get it

all back together, can I come over a wash a load of stuff?

 

[akronman]

99% done

My hands were greasy and cold, so I wasn't in a picture taking mood often, but the boot replacement went well. This pic sucks, but I scraped gunk off the shaft, vacuumed up all the crud that fell on the assembly below, screwed the new boot on with the old bands, then used some clear RTV sealant on both the top and bottom of the boot.

On the inside of the cabinet, I scraped and Rustoleum'd the minor rust, and on the back of the cabinet and the worst spots of the base, without major dissasembly. The pump and all 3 belts and inlet hoses and water valve all lookk like they were replaced withing the last six months, so I did nothing to them. I got a few drops of oil into the top of the motor's top bearing, and some on the various sparkling clean agi shaft and various clean and oily assemblies between the tranny and the center shaft. I do not know what the parts are, some fulcrum item that pops the tranny out of agitation?

The exterior has minor surface rust near the base, at the screw holes, and I can't imagine finding the right paint cclor, so I sanded lightly then used Rustoleum Clear Epoxy. I bought the wrong size stainless steel screws, but will buy the right ones tomorrow. I think it will look better than the day it came home, and will be proected better than before.

I bought Perma-Tex Blue epoxy gasket maker for the tub gasket rim, where the outer tub hits the machine top, but so far I've done 3 loads with the rear and front removed for excellent visual inspection, and no leaks. I never opened the blue epoxy. I'll wait maybe 3 more loads of clothes and constantly inspect with a flashlight, from front and back. You can see an amazing amount of the gasket with all that open area. If everything stays dry, I won't do the extra epoxy and just consider myself lucky.

 

[akronman]

more

Here's the front open, to inspect for leaks. I haven't found one yet, 3 loasd of clothes. I did not take the entire base apart, so the new paint is only on the edge rusty areas. The way the sides are used to pull the top down on the tub gasket means you can run it damn well with both the back and front removed, to watch.

 

[akronman]

last

and the rear removed for watching everything. There's no signs anywhere of recent leaks. I believe the pump and inlet valve caused plenty of problems in the past, but not any more. I cleaned all around the outside of the tub so I can see new soapy crud water stains if anything does go wrong. 3 more loads andno leaks means I put the front and rear back on and just have SQ ST fun. It's BOL, one-speed, small tub, and runs wonderfully and washes well and rinses fantastically. It won't do a rug or comforter or even heavy jeans, they slosh water over the rim and gone, but everything else comes out wonderfully rinsed in a quiet humming machine with lots of overflowing action. Very Cool

Thanks Yogi and John L and Malcolm and Gansky! It's leak-free, 98% rust free, 100% fun! This now fulfills my 2 year search and hope for a Speed Queen solid tub! Next is maybe a long slow search for a slant-front Westinghouse? Or even the flat-front Westy's of the 70's?

Mark

 

[akronman]

also

the inside of the outer tub in reply 23 above-------I used clear RTV sealant on all seams(minor rust lines in a few spots) and coated the 4 bolts/washers/gaskets with the same. That should forestall additional rusting for quite a while!

And the 4 hole gasket in the pic, under the wash tub, got some damage from all the boot stretching removal/re-installation, so I coated it with the clear goop and ran some on the mating section of the washtub before I re-installed. IT was just edge damage and the entire gasket did NOT seem to want to come off, so I just gooped away. That's the scientific explanation.

 

[rollermatic]

enjoyed reading

your thread here very much. I have a speed queen very similar to yours, mine has the stainless solid tub instead of porcelain but everything else looks the same.

never have taken mine apart, it runs fine as is, hopefully it will continue to do so. the pump on mine has some bad corrosion on it so I make sure I completely drain the pump and drain hose after each use to help prevent further corrosion.

enjoyed the pic of the inner tub out of yours. didn't know they came in 2 sizes!

again, enjoyed reading and looking at your pics!

 

[gansky1]

Looks and sounds like you're a Speed Queen restoration graduate!  You should have many years of washday fun now.  Enjoy your solid tub Queen!

 

[rollermatic]

i do have a question for

you akronman (or combo52)

that boot that you both refer to and show a pic of, I'm not finding it in any of your pics here.is it on the top of the outer tub or bottom? curious what it does?

I assume my machine has same boot? when you say many parts will be destroyed if it fails it makes me hesitatnt to use mine anymore.

and being in northern ohio did you get that part from modern parts in parma or is there another old parts place in the Cleveland/akron area that may still have old parts for these classic old dishwashers and washers we collect.

thanks1

 

[akronman]

boot

Rollermatic----Thanks for your interest.
This pic shows the original boot in place. It fits inside the outer tub, clamped in place around the outer tub flange and the thick shaft that rises up. It's dirty as hell, and the white ring in this pic is just 40 years of crud/soap scum, etc. Next pic will help too.

 

[akronman]

boot removed

and this pic shows the removed boot just hanging around. Huge hose clamp goes around the bottom attaching it to the outer tub lip. Smaller hose clamp goes around the top, closing it to the shaft, well beneath that 4 hole flange.

Frankly--I may be wrong----but I think I could have removed the clamps, cleaned up all around the mating surfaces with the gasket loosened, then reclamped it and used RTV sealant at the edges where water could get through. The Speed Queen PN is #20129, I believe the same exact boot covered decades of SQ solid tubs.

I bought it at a local Akron place, Akron Home Appliance on North Main. While they may not have as extensive an inventory as Modern Parts, they have been in the same old building since the 60's, so I have been lucky.

 

[akronman]

pump

still available. The bottom thumbscrew lets you move around the ports to fit a variety of machines. I believe, not entirely sure, the same pump with a single pulley was used on SQ Wringers for decades.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SPEED-QUEEN...658?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cdbf62222