Well, Greg...

[bajaespuma]

To answer your question posted weeks ago, I was able, using my patented boiling turban of terror(and a small crowbar), to remove the agitator and then the spline from the 502 drive post:

 

[bajaespuma]

the problem is, now that everything has been scraped, burred, sanded, cleaned and oiled, I can't seem to get the spline back in the agitator. I'm inserting it in the same direction it was originally, but can't seem to get that pesky last inch all the way in(Toggle, I hope you're not reading this)...

 

[bajaespuma]

I even put the spline in the freezer for a couple of hours and poured boiling water into the agitator before hammering in the spline.

 

[bajaespuma]

Is there a trick to this that I'm missing? I really don't want to hammer the thing in too hard (oh, Lord)and damage the agitator. Any suggestions and/or experience will be appreciated

As it happens, this 1964 black gyrafoam is my favorite Maytag agitator that I own. As you said months ago, this thing is a powerhouse. Like a boat propeller, those low-slung, up-sloping paddles and that interior baffle really whip up a tub 'o' suds, better than the power-fin. Pity there aren't as many black fabric softener cups around as turquoise:

 

[toggleswitch2]

*LOL* Eyes roll.

uhm, were the black agitators on all models for a span of certain years or used in BOL machines only?

Mother Toggle's A206 was purchased in 1965/66 and I want to say the agitator was turquise. But the memory is starting to fade.................

 

[pulsator]

I believe that this particular Maytag agi is actually bakelite which is what all Maytags had at one point. I have this agi NOS with matching NOS chrome filter, I'm missing the softener dispenser though, the one that I have in there is black but in bad shape.

 

[bajaespuma]

Steve, you're right, all Tag 'tators were black from the late fifties to the mid sixties. When the "Washpower Automatics" were introduced in 1966, the BOL 'tators were black polypropylene with turquoise tops. Your Mom's A206 would have had that combo with the blue tub(still looking for one BTW).

 

[toggleswitch2]

Thanks Eugene. Makes sense. I do sorta remember the turquoise softener cup.

I can't believe I allowed (and encouraged as well YIKES) the A206 to meet Mr. Curb. It had not been used for a few years beacuse her new house came with a 70's NORGE with a 20 lb. (9kg) capacity tub. Much larger than the 12 lb. (Approximately 5.5kg) Maytag.

I'm guessing the tranny oil in the washer had gelled and/or the belt had stretched. The wash action was mighty slow and then eventually sped up as the wash progressed.

Was there a DG306?

The maternal unit's dryer was gas (Wit a standing (ie,e constant) pilot-light. It had three timed cycles, but I don't recall it being a 206.

1- Air-Fluff- no heat.
2- Wasn-n-Wear- 10 min cool-down, high heat.
3- Regular Fabrics- 5 min cool-down, high heat.

I believe there was a 60 minute (max) timer.
IIRC the larger loads needed just a bit more time in the dryer. Using the larger capacity washer with a (relatively) small capacity Halo-of-heat dryer was not so good for creases and wrinkles, but who knew any better at the time? ......

 

[gansky1]

There was a special tool for compressing the rubber on the agitator spline and squeezing it back into the agitator. I'm not sure you'll be able to do it without the tool though, perhaps someone else has tried it and can offer suggestions. I remember reading that it was so easy to break the bakelite agitators which is why re-splining was quickly dropped once the plastic agitators for wringers and automatics were cheaply available. If you can't find a replacement bakelite agitator right away, you can use the black power-fin that you posted in another thread.

 

[alr2903]

We had a Maytag washpower auto with a bakelite agitator the middle portion of the bakelite around the spline is separate from the agitator, i once washed a big quilt years ago and caused the agitator to twist "up" on the center bakelite around the spline, my dad pounded it back down with a rubber mallet. Is the spline and surrounding bakelite protruding from the bottom of the agitator? alr2903

 

[bajaespuma]

Just the spline is protruding, the bakelite hasn't moved.

Greg, thanks, your response makes sense given the difficulty I've had. You've given me another idea that requires large amounts of dynamite, an "ACME Implosion Device", a coyote and a road runner.

Wish me luck!