The Case of Sympathetic Spin ...OR..A 1956....

[jetcone]

A 1956 GE Filter Flo goes back into service!

 

This excellent example is the machine I grew up with and came to me via Robert via Greg. As you will see in the diagnosis video she has the infamous GE Sympathetic Spin syndrome - considered by SOME as incurable-. She would spin out half her water from the tub on wash- no way to get clothes clean!

Also you will see the condition of the pump another sore spot!

 

 

 

[this post was last edited: 4/2/2013-17:26]

 

[jetcone]

So down to the Lab with

this one!

[this post was last edited: 4/2/2013-13:32]

 

[jetcone]

The first thing is to crack the

Transmission to get at the problem, there is a snubber inside which has wings. One direction it planes on the transmission oil for spin the other direction it dives down to contact the brake spring tang and brake to hold the tub during agitation. Here you can see the bottom removed and you are looking up into the tranny and can see the blonde snubber on the right.

These gears haven't seen the light of day since 1956!

 

[this post was last edited: 4/2/2013-16:50]

 

[jetcone]

The base

plate carries the brake spring and band. You can see the circular wear pattern under the brake tang, where the tub snubber has been pushing the brake lining around and around the center post. This is what generates "sympathetic spin".

[this post was last edited: 4/2/2013-13:33]

 

[jetcone]

The problem with

GE' s of this vintage is the brake band - made of brake material- wears down so that it becomes so thin that the brake spring has nothing left to grip resulting in the machine going into as Larry at MODERN puts it- "Sympathetic Spin"!

Here you can compare the new brake band I had made up to the original and note the thickness.

 

[jetcone]

I found this

wonderful company down in CT who made these for me!

Timothy of

TIMOTHY J. DORAN
ALL FRICTIONS CO., LLC
131 FREESTONE AVE.
PORTLAND, CT 06480-1819
PH.# 860-342-2001
FAX# 860-342-2084
[email protected]
ALLFRICTIONS.COM

I sent him the SM information and the base plate and part, He was able to fabricate perfect fit new brakes!!

 

[jetcone]

Here is the information

from Doctrine:

 

[jetcone]

Now the

1956 & 1957 and I believe maybe the 1959 models had the same tub brake system, but by 1960 GE had made a new system where the brake was moved from the center post to the outside perimeter of the tranny base. So I had not known this before I opened the tranny and got what I thought were the correct brake replacements from Larry. But these bands fit 1959 & 1960 machines and maybe later too I don't have Doctrine after 1957. The band you see in this picture is not for this machine 1956 ; but  for the 1960!

[this post was last edited: 4/2/2013-16:53]

 

[jetcone]

So we have to

remove the old band and install the correct new band!

 

[jetcone]

Next the

spring and tang need to be reinstalled:
AND YES these bands are a special kind designed to sit in an oil bath and work under oil.

 

[jetcone]

To compare

the band on the left is new the one on the right the original, you can see they become oil impregnated

 

[jetcone]

Now to

recharge the tranny with 44 ozs of Royal Purple re-seal and then install back into the machine. As you can see I have also taken the time to paint the rim with 3M Extend to inhibit and block the surface rust from growing. A cure overnite and she is ready for her boot!

[this post was last edited: 4/2/2013-16:54]

 

[jetcone]

Clean the tub

install the boot.

 

[jetcone]

On assembling the machine

One should always clean up as much as possible, these old ladies never got down to cleaning the outside of their tubs so we the restorers have to do that!

inside>>

 

[jetcone]

And outside

that way the machine starts fresh!

 

[jetcone]

On assembling the machine

Cleaned tub installed

 

[jetcone]

On assembling the machine tub gasket

I was able to procure new tub gasket material from McMaster-Carr, it works great but as I was working off of old closed cell foam someone had installed in the past I was working blind and as you will see I missed a gap on the back near the the fliter-flo flume. DONT MISS This spot otherwise you will have water GUSHING out the back of the machine right next to the timer! NOT A GOOD situation!

 

[jetcone]

Here is a close up

of the area I'm talking about. During spin the tub is CCW rotated [ much to Laundromats horror ] and water will mound up around the spinning tub and this gap is right in line with the wave of water!! If your pump is fast or your drain hose short you might get away with this but why would you?? It will release steam in wash to all the electrical parts if even if it doesn't shoot water on spin!

[this post was last edited: 4/2/2013-17:10]

 

[jetcone]

The boot was in fantastic shape

so i was able to reuse that , I had to rebuild the water valve and then adjust the water switch. And of course that old pump HAD to go!

 

 

[this post was last edited: 4/2/2013-17:11]