Tips for a novice looking to buy a wringer washer.

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rocksolid87

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Jan 2, 2024
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15
Location
Missouri
Hello All,

My Mom has decided she would like to replace their new style washer with a wringer washer. We've been searching locally for one in decent shape. My Dad and I are both DIY repair inclined/capable so maintenance and repair isn't much of a concern. I was hoping to get some advice prior to pulling the trigger on one though. Is there anything I should know when looking for one? Anything I should be looking for or at? Anything to avoid? When would you say a machine is too far gone for novice restoration?

I've noticed and read that Maytag washers are the easiest to get parts for as they're either newly manufactured or new old stock. I'm aware of Cottage Craft Works as a source for parts, but are there any other sources? Another brand that seems to pop up around here (southeast Missouri) is Speed Queen. Are parts for those easy to come by?

So far the contender seems to be a Maytag N2L machine. We have a few other leads on machines we're trying to follow up on before making the final decision. My Mom went to check out this particular Maytag and noticed a few things:
-some slight/faint rust spots within the tub
-possible worn drain hose
-slightly damaged agitator
-disintegrating lid gasket/seal
Otherwise the machine looks to be in good cosmetic shape and is complete. She also said the rollers seemed to be "fine for now." My Mom wants me to go check it out as well to see what I think since I'll be the one working on it (along with my Dad I'm sure). Is there anything specific I should be looking for/at? The current owner said the motor needs to be replaced. Should we decide to go with this one I have a few questions:
-I've read to use a porcelain enamel kit to fix scratches and rust spots within the tub. Is there any particular kind or brand that should be used?
-I read that any generic 1/4hp 1740rpm motor is a suitable replacement. Is there a specific size/dimensions of a motor I should be looking for?
-What about re-finishing/painting the exterior of the machine? What kind of paint and/or enamel should be used or is it best to just leave it be if there's no rust?
-Concerning parts such as the drain hose, do I need to buy a replacement from the likes of Cottage Craft or is there a cheaper (no offense) alternative?

Forgive my ignorance. I look forward to learning more about these as we go along.

Thanks in advance!
 
Maytag wringers have the best support in parts, I don't think any other manufacture comes close to that now. Maytag was very conservative about using the same parts for nearly 50 years (used the same gravity drain hose for over 60 years) so there were very little changes. In my opinion, they should have introduced a 2 speed motor by at least the 1950's but that never happened.

Having owned 10 Maytag wringers from 1926-1970's, I would recommend getting a J2L(P). It has a bigger tub and larger wringer rollers than the N2L, is porcelain coated (unlike the E2L), and has a removable cover that makes loading/unloading clothes much easier. It also helps gauge proper loading easier since the tub is completely open. I would also recommend finding the rare lint filter agitator that was available as an option in these which helps filter out hair/lint/whatever else. Get a pump model (the "P" in J2LP) if you're using it near a standpipe or in place of a conventional washer.

There are other wringers available that had larger tubs, 2 speed motors, timers, wringer heads that were a little safer and easier to use, but parts availability is non existent which is a huge problem if something needs to be replaced.

Having used many different wringers, they are fun for occasional use but will drive you mad in the long run, especially if you have more than 2 people in the household. Just a warning. They are extremely reliable, simple, and durable. They will outlast the best machines made today several times over, that's for sure.
 
Trying to find a good wringer washer

My main question is why do you want a ringer washer unless you just like playing in water and having more time than you know what to do with they don’t work better than automatics.

I can understand the desire to have more of an old-school washer you can get the same good washing action And much better water, extraction and economy by getting two older style automatic washers and saving the water from one to the next or you can get one old style automatic washer and continue reusing the water and just pull the clothing out of it and throw it in a newer washing machine to rinse and spin the clothing there’s all kinds of ways I think to achieve what you’re probably trying to do Without the danger and inconvenience of trying to use a wringer washer.

John
 
@combo52 - Like I said, this is what my Mom wants. My wife and I are happy with newer machines. At home it's just my parents and no one else. My Mom is convinced one of the old types would be more reliable, but I think it's also partially nostalgia. Who knows, she may decide after a while that she would rather have a newer machine again, which is fine, but this isn't my decision to make. I'm only helping do what I can to get her what she has her heart set on.

@qsd-dan - Thanks for the great information! It may take a while for a machine that fits the bill to pop up around here (or we may end up having to go out farther). Any opinions or advice on Kenmore (Whirlpool OEM) machines? I may go check one out this Saturday. From the picture I was sent it looks decent enough, but a closer inspection will tell of course. There's very little information about them online and absolutely nothing about this model anywhere (1105702801). I've attached the picture I was sent. The seller says the motor runs when plugged in, but that it needs a belt. I've seen a video on the Pink model Kenmore and that one didn't use a belt at all, but perhaps this one indeed does. The nice thing about that particular video is the guy does some work on one so it gives me an idea of what kind of maintenance could be involved. That being said, I think I'd be capable since they seem fairly simple.

rocksolid87-2024010410080703176_1.jpg
 
We went to check out the Kenmore. It looks nice in person. No rust in the tub and not too bad elsewhere. It seems much of the mech is stuck due to age. The motor runs or at least tries, but the agitator wasn't moving. This machine doesn't use any belts. I'm able to move it by hand easily though. The lower roller on the wringer moves in both directions, but the top roller won't go down enough to make contact with the other roller or be held in place. Otherwise the rollers seemed to be in great shape with no cracks. There's also some oil leakage from the gear box (am I using the correct term?). I'm sure this is due to the old cork gasket wearing away. The water pump seemed to turn by hand, but again with the stuck levers and whatnot it didn't make proper contact with the wheel on the motor shaft.

My novice guess is that with some proper lubrication this thing could work properly. But of course that's just my guess. It would be great if I could get it going. We didn't buy it, yet anyway, but are keeping it in mind.

There's one, possibly a few more that we are going to try to check out locally and weigh our options.
 
Can anyone tell me if the wringers are supposed to function the same across the board for the Visi-Matic wringers? In this video () the top roller is automatically lowered and locked in place when the guy engages the wringer. Are all of the Visi-Matic wringers like this?
 
Nevermind, he pulls a lever to engage the top roller with the bottom. I bet I didn't even notice that yesterday. Anyway, I'm not sure if both pieces on the top sides of the wringer should be popped up like that or not, but it's possible that's normal and if I had tried to engage the roller properly I wonder if it would have worked.
 
If the motor was working but the agitator wasn't turning, are you sure you had the agitator engaged? There is usually some kind of lever on the front or side of the machine to start & stop the agitation. If the motor is stuck its usually just because it hasn't been used in a long time. If its one of the old round GE motors you can get them apart and oil the bearings on either end without too much problem.

Wringer washers are supposed to be stored with the pressure released so as not to cause a flat spot to develop on the rollers. You do this by pressing the safety release and the top roller "pops" apart from the bottom one when you finish washing for the day. If that was the case when you went to look at it that's good news signalling it was stored properly.

The pump and agitator controls on wringer washers are usually just mechanical linkages of some kind. If they've been sitting for a long time they may just need a bit of coaxing &/or lubrication to get them going again.

Often times when you have a wringer washer on its side it will start leaking oil fairly quickly.

I don't have any experience with those Whirlpool made Kenmore wringer washers but it seems they have a good reputation and they definitely have a following.

Good luck!
 
Yes, I'm fairly certain I was unable to engage the agitator. The levers for it and the water pump were both stiff and hard to move. I tried to move the lever by hand (and not the switch on the front), but I don't think I was able to move it all the way. I didn't have a ton of time to look at it, but it seems promising and we may end up with that one.

Yes, the rollers were stored released. As it turns out with this particular style of wringer, the top left pulls out to engage them. I wish I had known that before, but that means there's still hope that it engages fine since I wasn't doing it correctly.

I had read somewhere that you shouldn't store or transport a wringer washer on its side because of oil leakage, but I wasn't sure if that only applied to earlier models or certain kind. While I was there it was only on its side for a brief moment while I inspected it. Considering the mechanism will need to be worked loose, do you think it will be very problematic to have it on its side while working on it? It may be a good idea to make new cork gaskets for it anyway, unless under ideal conditions they shouldn't wear out?
 
Transporting WW on side

That usually is for Maytag wringer washers, but may also apply to others.

If you are dead set on getting a WW my advice echoes others; go with a Maytag.

There are tons of Maytag wringer washers out there in various states from horrid to nearly new.

Maytag wringer washers also have the largest stock of new or otherwise parts out there. Whereas for other wringer washers parts may be hard to come by or totally none existent.

Before Maytag ended production of their famous wringer washers they (IIRC) ramped up production of spares. Thus even today some thirty years later you can almost quite easily find NOS parts. Also there is an Amish concern who purchased molds, tools or whatever from Maytag and produces new parts. Amish love themselves wringer washers and Maytag is their top choice.
 
Maytag

The availability of parts is definitely a plus, but here in rural Southeast Missouri it hasn't been much of a honey hole for possibilities. Since neither I nor my parents have a truck or trailer we don't have much of an option to travel a great distance for one of these. Much of what we have been able to find are rust buckets. Thus far the Kenmore is the best one I've seen. I'm going to check out a Maytag right now, but at the very least I know it needs a new motor, belt, agitator, and we'll see if anything else. Their asking price is $200 for it. If I could get the Kenmore for $50 I'm leaning towards it being worth the gamble. Who knows. I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch, but I really appreciate everyone's input and advice!
 
It looks like the service manual that applies to a 1957 Kenmore Wringer Washer is available on the site as well as a an owners manual for a later machine thats probably similar.

If you have to transport the wringer on its side just try to minimize the time its left that way. WW's usually have a way to add more oil if necessary. For easier transport you can usually lift the wringer head off some way.

There should be lots of threads & information on the site about these Kenmore or the Whirlpool versions of these machines. I believe next to Maytag, these and Speed Queen sold very well at the time and they seem to come up fairly often. Try searching for Visi-matic if you are having trouble locating info.

One thing I do remember hearing about the Kenmore/Whirlpool's is that the open top wringer is safer than some of the others out there. If you need parts however, you'd probably have to either wait for a parts donor to show up, modify a similar part or fabricate something on your own. However, wringer washers are much simpler mechanically than automatics so there is considerably less to go wrong and this one may work just fine for years and years without much attention. John is a Whirlpool expert, he will probably chime in at some point if he has time and provide some better insight on these.[this post was last edited: 1/6/2024-19:49]
 
Thanks for the info. The Kenmore is about 30 minutes away. The Maytag turned out to be a bust. It would need more replaced than it would be worth at the price they wanted. Everything was rusted and seized. On top of that it seems like someone tried to "rig it" a little.
 
It's alive!

After a bit of Seafoam Deep Creep to the switches/levers the agitator engaged without so much as a hiccup! The wringer also engages just fine now that I know how to operate it. The tension is perfect and there doesn't seem to be any issues thus far. The mechanics to position the water pump need to be worked out some more, but I don't see that being hard or taking much longer. So far I don't see any oil leaks, but time will tell. The timer is non-functioning it seems, but I didn't take much time to mess with that. My Mother doesn't plan on using the timer anyway.

Here's some short videos:



rocksolid87-2024011320220005175_1.jpg
 

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