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Ummmm, Maytag Combo anyone????
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hooverwheelaway
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Ooh!
I'll take two!
I'll take two!
Be sure to order a box of parts to go with it! (or them...)
~sudsshane
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Oh Gawd~
GadgetGary is gonna drool when he sees this! What a beautiful and unique machine!
GadgetGary is gonna drool when he sees this! What a beautiful and unique machine!
Oh wow - ! I wish this machine to go to a loving collector - who is ready for a monster! What a fab (and hard-to-find) machine. This time the dream machine will pass.
I really wonder how many of these are still out there? Parts too?
Ben
I really wonder how many of these are still out there? Parts too?
Ben
When John had his first Maytag combo, he used it to wash his work shirts. They had the usual appliance service person's type of soil, largely oil-based. He would spray them with Spray & Wash which had dry cleaning fluid in the aerosol formula; might still, but have not seen it in more than a decade. Then he would put them on to wash with the water heater switched on. The Maytag did not use an immersion element like the Duomatic or the 33" WP/Kenmore combos. It heated with the drying element, like the first GE combo. In the presence of such high heat, the volatile compounds formed a smokey haze at the top of the drum.
The Maytag combo also had a similar type of timer arrangement as the single dial WP combo in that it had a regular wash cycle timer, but behind the pointer for the wash timer there was a dry timer. I seem to remember that the one I played with had a lever with an indentation on the top for a thumb rest when the dry time was set, but some of those memory circuits might need de-fragging. I think that machine might have been the second edition. Maytag did have a good air circulation system with an efficient condenser like in their water dryer, especially when you consider that some combos just sprayed a stream of water down the wall of the outer tub. On other things, they cheaped out. The drum was round and the Bakelite baffles were bolted in instead of being formed in the wall of the drum when the drum was stamped. When a baffle worked loose, like if the threaded area cracked around the screw, there was no easy way to work on it because the screws that held the baffles in place went into the baffle from the outside of the drum. John had to drill two holes through the top of the outer tub to gain access to the the screws holding the loose baffle. The only alternative was pulling the tub.
The Maytag combo also had a similar type of timer arrangement as the single dial WP combo in that it had a regular wash cycle timer, but behind the pointer for the wash timer there was a dry timer. I seem to remember that the one I played with had a lever with an indentation on the top for a thumb rest when the dry time was set, but some of those memory circuits might need de-fragging. I think that machine might have been the second edition. Maytag did have a good air circulation system with an efficient condenser like in their water dryer, especially when you consider that some combos just sprayed a stream of water down the wall of the outer tub. On other things, they cheaped out. The drum was round and the Bakelite baffles were bolted in instead of being formed in the wall of the drum when the drum was stamped. When a baffle worked loose, like if the threaded area cracked around the screw, there was no easy way to work on it because the screws that held the baffles in place went into the baffle from the outside of the drum. John had to drill two holes through the top of the outer tub to gain access to the the screws holding the loose baffle. The only alternative was pulling the tub.
It's funny that another one has survived the recall and the years of storage. This makes five known to exist, Lee Maxwell told me that there is another in Kansas somewhere but not working, of course! I have a yellow model, there is one that was in the Maytag Factory Store in Newton which has been shipped to Whirlpool in Michigan, another in the Jasper County Museum in Newton, IA.
Maytag recalled all of these combos in the early sixties, replacing them with TOL washer & dryer sets for free. I had heard that the recalled machines were shipped back to Newton to be destroyed, a costly endeavor but one that would make sure there would be very few left floating around to sully the Maytag name, things sure did change for Maytag attitudes in the next forty years! The engineering of these machines isn't all that bad, no worse than any other of the ghastly combos from other makers, but what a beast to work on. Even running it only now and then, it's a machine that needs to be babysat - I would never leave the machine running unattended. As with all the combos of the time that didn't have a suspension system, it has trouble balancing the load for spin and the Maytag combo is quite dramatic about it's dissatisfaction with even a slightly unbalanced load. We ran a load in it when Jeff and Fred were here from Chicago once and I thought Fred was going to jump out of his skin when it went into spin. It has a tendency to lurch and jump when the load is unbalanced, there is an unbalance-shut off mechanism that cycles it out of spin and back into tumble for re-distribution, but it doesn't take much to cause it to leap into the air. Severe unbalance like Fred and Jeff witnessed doesn't cause any damage, in fact, the moving drum actually knocks into the door glass and pushes the door open, shutting off the machine.
It took me about a month of working on mine to get it running, the biggest obstacle was the motor coupling that was shot. I searched and searched for parts across the country and the only ones I was able to find still on the shelves were a few motor couplings (long after I needed them, but hey...) and a NOS water valve. The pump is very similar to the Bendix/Philco pumps of the day and there is a good possibility that seals may be interchangeable. The tranny is a silly design that hangs on a clamp-ring mount like a motor bracket at the back of the machine. Trying to silence vibration was their likely goal but it allows the tranny case to shake during operation which is very hard on the oil seals and consequently the oil drips almost constantly from the seals. I finally gave up, unable to find seals and live with the slight drippage that is caught on a maxi-pad stuck to the baseplate under the tranny. The tranny has a pulley on it that runs the blower which works just fine but the largest challenge is finding the blower fan belt which of course is a unique size to this machine. I was finally able to make a belt from a Frigidaire Skinny-Mini work, but it took many tries to get the adjustments right and I would still like to have a belt just a tad larger.
Maytag recalled all of these combos in the early sixties, replacing them with TOL washer & dryer sets for free. I had heard that the recalled machines were shipped back to Newton to be destroyed, a costly endeavor but one that would make sure there would be very few left floating around to sully the Maytag name, things sure did change for Maytag attitudes in the next forty years! The engineering of these machines isn't all that bad, no worse than any other of the ghastly combos from other makers, but what a beast to work on. Even running it only now and then, it's a machine that needs to be babysat - I would never leave the machine running unattended. As with all the combos of the time that didn't have a suspension system, it has trouble balancing the load for spin and the Maytag combo is quite dramatic about it's dissatisfaction with even a slightly unbalanced load. We ran a load in it when Jeff and Fred were here from Chicago once and I thought Fred was going to jump out of his skin when it went into spin. It has a tendency to lurch and jump when the load is unbalanced, there is an unbalance-shut off mechanism that cycles it out of spin and back into tumble for re-distribution, but it doesn't take much to cause it to leap into the air. Severe unbalance like Fred and Jeff witnessed doesn't cause any damage, in fact, the moving drum actually knocks into the door glass and pushes the door open, shutting off the machine.
It took me about a month of working on mine to get it running, the biggest obstacle was the motor coupling that was shot. I searched and searched for parts across the country and the only ones I was able to find still on the shelves were a few motor couplings (long after I needed them, but hey...) and a NOS water valve. The pump is very similar to the Bendix/Philco pumps of the day and there is a good possibility that seals may be interchangeable. The tranny is a silly design that hangs on a clamp-ring mount like a motor bracket at the back of the machine. Trying to silence vibration was their likely goal but it allows the tranny case to shake during operation which is very hard on the oil seals and consequently the oil drips almost constantly from the seals. I finally gave up, unable to find seals and live with the slight drippage that is caught on a maxi-pad stuck to the baseplate under the tranny. The tranny has a pulley on it that runs the blower which works just fine but the largest challenge is finding the blower fan belt which of course is a unique size to this machine. I was finally able to make a belt from a Frigidaire Skinny-Mini work, but it took many tries to get the adjustments right and I would still like to have a belt just a tad larger.
You are so right about the condenser system in this combo, Tom. Rivaled only by the electric Bendix condenser (and that's a toss up because of the water-use, atomizing the water spray in the Maytag uses a lot less) but it does work very well and the circulating air from the blower helps speed up the process. The 340 RPM spin speed of the Maytag still makes it a slower unit negating some of the benefits of using less water & energy but that wasn't a huge concern at the time and it couldn't be avoided by anyone except Bendix/Philco-Bendix with their fistful of patents. The Maytag has a rather large space between the inner and outer drum at the back. The back of the inner drum is perforated which tends to whip up a lot of suds, but makes for some cool water-action for those who like to peek into the door glass.
Brent-Aucoin
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This is Amazing!
Really wonder how many are out there?
I am sure that there were some of the Maytag combos that ran without any troubles, so the owner never called for a repair.
Did you notice that the seller also has a Maytag Dutch oven stove for sale? Nice.
Greg, I just loved watching your Maytag combo in action! It is beautiful!
Brent
Really wonder how many are out there?
I am sure that there were some of the Maytag combos that ran without any troubles, so the owner never called for a repair.
Did you notice that the seller also has a Maytag Dutch oven stove for sale? Nice.
Greg, I just loved watching your Maytag combo in action! It is beautiful!
Brent
sparkymarky1973
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- Dec 4, 2007
- Messages
- 163
Hi Guys
Lovely machine.
Can someone explain the story behind the recall to me? Is that why they were only made for 2 years?
Thanks
Mark
Lovely machine.
Can someone explain the story behind the recall to me? Is that why they were only made for 2 years?
Thanks
Mark
Actually people were not forced to give them up. Bill and Bob, Maytag dealers John had worked with had a customer, a man who lived alone, who opted to keep his and storm troupers did not surround his place during the night and take it away.
Maytag Combo!
It's to bad they didn't enhance the machine and make it better.
Peter
It's to bad they didn't enhance the machine and make it better.
Peter
That must be true, it was then and still is the United States of America. Those units belonged to whomever paid for them, and as their property, Maytag couldn't force anyone to surrender anything. Offering other appliances, credits and or using scare tactics about continued use is another matter.
Even today persons do not always return items on recall lists, however it must be noted once a recall is announced and one has been duly notified personally, then refusing to send back the item/appliance does release the maker from liability.
L.
Even today persons do not always return items on recall lists, however it must be noted once a recall is announced and one has been duly notified personally, then refusing to send back the item/appliance does release the maker from liability.
L.
I remember seeing one about 10 years ago, in a junkyard. I had no idea what it was. It's long gone.
Mine survived because it had been installed in a kitchen in Newton, IA and it likely was impossible to fit a standard washer & dryer in the space of the combo. It clearly had been worked on through the years and obviously was used as only a dryer later in it's life. Of course nobody was forced to give them up, but I would imagine after a few repairs in or out of warranty, most were pretty willing ;-) The Westinghouse combo I had that was found in Spokane, WA had been in a vacation home and later moved to a basement after the property was sold. It seemed to work just fine and was probably working when removed from service but the model/serial tag had been removed so perhaps they opted for a refund from Westinghouse when it was available.
Wow!!....Wot No Bids!!!
Fab machine there and $150 for delivery up to 200 miles I`d say that was a bargain awaiting to be had especially as it wouldnt need to be manhandled out of a basement, could just get him to back the truck up to your garage...simple...
Go on , you know you want it!!!!
Fab machine there and $150 for delivery up to 200 miles I`d say that was a bargain awaiting to be had especially as it wouldnt need to be manhandled out of a basement, could just get him to back the truck up to your garage...simple...
Go on , you know you want it!!!!
dj-gabriele
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- Jun 24, 2007
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Ahh, I'd sure bid on it if I were in the US... shipping trasn-oceanly would be bit too much expensive. I always loved those vintage American combos! They fascinate me in a way that I can't describe!
Oh, I think there's likely a "snipe" or two out there somewhere-----------
That full power spin start was not so good for a machine that did not have a suspension system and was not bolted down. The other combos that used a variable sheave pulley system to increase the speed from tumble to spin had a slow enough acceleration (and spin) that you did not get the sudden lurch, but they would walk. Even the Duomatic did something to minimize the tendency of the mechanism to lurch as it went into the slow speed first stage of the spin. I think Bendix did something like not letting the motor energize the start windings when the added load on the tranny caused the motor's speed to slow. I am not sure if that is right, but I remember reading of something like that.
Greg, you are so right about the difference in noise level between the suspended mechanism in the Bendix and the rest of the combos where every moving part transmitted noise down through the floor.
WP combos tried to control machine movement by using a bar that went from side to side at the back of the machine through which the drive shaft ran with the drum on one side and the pulley on the other. Everything seemed to be frozen in place, but if the drum started spinning with an unbalanced load, the drum shaft pivoted from side to side. Excessive pivoting caused the end of the bar to hit an air-filled bladder switch mounted on the machine frame. This interrupted power to the little wind up motor that pulled the pulley up to the spin position. It unwound and the tub slowed to tumble and redistribute until the air bladder refilled and completed the circuit to the motor which wound the chain for the variable sheave pulley, but as Robert showed in his video, the timer was not delayed by this switch and even once the circuit was closed, it took a while to bring the tub back up to top spin speed so sometimes spins were skipped entirely. In the early machines, this bar was too weak and flexed instead of remaining rigid. Because of that, it would not hit the unbalance switch and the combo would go for a walk, often to the limit of its plumbing and/or power connections and sometimes into a position that blocked a door from opening, like into a laundry room or, less seriously, maybe the back door or the door from the garage into the kitchen. At least with the last two cases, there was another door by which you could gain entry to move the thing back into position. GE and Easy were smart to have the cups that screwed to the floor for the front feet of the machines. The undercounter GE was somewhat better at water extraction than the free standing model because the machine was installed on a base plate that was screwed to the floor, into beams when possible. The combo was then moved into position by sliding its feet into tracks in this plate which helped hold it in place and hold it down. The GE combos had a speed controller in the left front corner of the machine. It was attached to the leveling leg and ticked during the spins, depending on how much the cabinet was moving up and down. If it ticked too much, it dropped the spin back to tumble to redistribute. You could get the freestanding model to spin better by sitting on that corner.
Can you imagine spins so slow that the spin slowed three times to, in the manufacturer's words, allow items that were not against the drum to have a chance to be positioned against the drum for the next spin so that they might have more water spun out of them? The interruptions and redistributions also took advantage of the load being lighter after the first amount of water was extracted so that the fabrics tumbled in a more open pattern making a more even distribution possible. Each item's lighter weight also meant that uneveness in distribution caused less of an unbalanced detriment to spin. It was surprising, even at the slow spin speed, to see how much water gushed out of the drain hose in the initial part of the spin.
Regarding recalls, Hotpoint sure must have had excellent records on who bought their combos because they seem to have successfully pulled every unit sold. Maytag did not want to anger customers (far cry from recent history) when they decided that they did not want to continue support for the combos so they gave customers the choice. A new TOL pair was a very generous exchange.
Greg, you are so right about the difference in noise level between the suspended mechanism in the Bendix and the rest of the combos where every moving part transmitted noise down through the floor.
WP combos tried to control machine movement by using a bar that went from side to side at the back of the machine through which the drive shaft ran with the drum on one side and the pulley on the other. Everything seemed to be frozen in place, but if the drum started spinning with an unbalanced load, the drum shaft pivoted from side to side. Excessive pivoting caused the end of the bar to hit an air-filled bladder switch mounted on the machine frame. This interrupted power to the little wind up motor that pulled the pulley up to the spin position. It unwound and the tub slowed to tumble and redistribute until the air bladder refilled and completed the circuit to the motor which wound the chain for the variable sheave pulley, but as Robert showed in his video, the timer was not delayed by this switch and even once the circuit was closed, it took a while to bring the tub back up to top spin speed so sometimes spins were skipped entirely. In the early machines, this bar was too weak and flexed instead of remaining rigid. Because of that, it would not hit the unbalance switch and the combo would go for a walk, often to the limit of its plumbing and/or power connections and sometimes into a position that blocked a door from opening, like into a laundry room or, less seriously, maybe the back door or the door from the garage into the kitchen. At least with the last two cases, there was another door by which you could gain entry to move the thing back into position. GE and Easy were smart to have the cups that screwed to the floor for the front feet of the machines. The undercounter GE was somewhat better at water extraction than the free standing model because the machine was installed on a base plate that was screwed to the floor, into beams when possible. The combo was then moved into position by sliding its feet into tracks in this plate which helped hold it in place and hold it down. The GE combos had a speed controller in the left front corner of the machine. It was attached to the leveling leg and ticked during the spins, depending on how much the cabinet was moving up and down. If it ticked too much, it dropped the spin back to tumble to redistribute. You could get the freestanding model to spin better by sitting on that corner.
Can you imagine spins so slow that the spin slowed three times to, in the manufacturer's words, allow items that were not against the drum to have a chance to be positioned against the drum for the next spin so that they might have more water spun out of them? The interruptions and redistributions also took advantage of the load being lighter after the first amount of water was extracted so that the fabrics tumbled in a more open pattern making a more even distribution possible. Each item's lighter weight also meant that uneveness in distribution caused less of an unbalanced detriment to spin. It was surprising, even at the slow spin speed, to see how much water gushed out of the drain hose in the initial part of the spin.
Regarding recalls, Hotpoint sure must have had excellent records on who bought their combos because they seem to have successfully pulled every unit sold. Maytag did not want to anger customers (far cry from recent history) when they decided that they did not want to continue support for the combos so they gave customers the choice. A new TOL pair was a very generous exchange.
