Vintage Dishwasher Rack Repair - What Works, What Does Not?

[launderess]

Lower rack of my Mobile Maid is going to need attention sooner than planned. One good full cycle with detergent cleared away crud and stains leaving nice clean racks, but also exposed how much of the coating is exposed in places along with patches of rust.

Some persons swear by those little bottles of paint. Others swear at them because they complain after about a few cycles the rust starts peeking through even two coats of paint.

Another option seems to be silicone self fusing tape: http://www.ebay.com/itm/DISHWASHER-...317?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item257c9d097d

Since you lot have been at this longer am interested in opinions one way or another. Since these MM racks are NLA seems best to tackle the problem before it gets out of hand.

 

[funktionalart]

Quite the timely post, Launderess...

As I was about to scrounge archives looking for info on not only material but colour match as well.
I've a KitchenAid Superba circa 1993 with same issues (as these models ALL apparently suffer to some degree).
The thought of $200-ish for a used one on ebay (when the even appear there) is enough to give me a stroke.

 

[rp2813]

Tundra Blue, Mrs. Haines?

See if you can scare up some Maytag (no relation) rack repair.  Comes in a little bottle with a brush just like good old fashion White-Out.

 

Maytag was the only stuff I could find in a blue shade, and I found it at a packed-to-the-gills appliance parts shop that had a bunch of NOS inventory. 

 

It was darker blue than the racks I was repairing, but better than the modern day gray or white stuff that ACE carries.

 

[funktionalart]

What, no Cerulean Blue??

Thanks, Ralph...I wonder if that can be mixed with a small amount of the white to the point where a close match to the lighter KA blue can be achieved? I'm presuming the chemical compounds would be compatible between two colours?

 

[tomturbomatic]

I have used those tip kits, the vinyl caps that slip down on the fingers of the racks. What I do is mix up two part epoxy and dab it on the tip of the finger then push the vinyl cap down on it. Epoxy does not need air to cure so you have the strong epoxy under the protective vinyl cap to protect the rack.

I found some longer ones and used them where I had rack coating failing on horizontal sections. I cut the tip off and made a slit along one side. Again, I applied the epoxy mixture to the section then slipped the vinyl tube over it. It has held up very well for more than a decade.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Have you seen this ad on eBay?

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[launderess]

*LOL*

Yes, that was the link posted in my OP! Ha-ha! Shows great minds think a like!

That auction is just someone selling off lengths from a larger roll of silicone tape. If the stuff works for our purposes can easily purchase an entire roll ourselves and cut out the middleman.