I had the chance to get this 57 Westinghouse Laundromat and almost-perfect-matched 58 Canadian Westinghouse dryer set twice already, so when a third chance came up this spring I jumped on it.
I've posted a bit about the washer - I knew it needed a bearing job and it seemed to take me forever to get the damned wash basket out of the rear tub. However, I got it out, got the new bearings installed, and even better, managed to fabricate a decent tub gasket as the one on this machine was the textbook definition of 'shot to hell'...
The tub didn't leak so I started to put it all back together - I just seemed to run into one snag or another at every step. Now here's where I am at and what's snagging me this time around...
I got the motor pulleys back on; first test in wash mode was fine, but the first spin was a disaster. It was immediately obvious (even to me...) that the high-speed sheave was not sitting on the tub shaft correctly. It seems as if the tub shaft doesn't extend out far enough for the rectangular slot to seat properly.
As always, I've tried to figure out what went wrong here... First thought is that because of all the heating and pounding I did on the tub shaft I managed to squash that rectangular end of the wash tub shaft. The reason why I am thinking this is because when I tried to slide the clutch spring hub onto the rectangular part of the shaft, it wouldn't go. I had to file down the edges of the rectangular post to get it to fit. I don't know if I could somehow extend that rectagular shaft...and would it be solid enough to propel the tub.
Second thought is that I haven't fully seated the wash tub into the new seal and bearings in the rear of the tub. I admit it took some persuasion, but it 'looked' right. I don't relish the idea of taking the machine apart again - would it be possible to push the tub in while still installed? I'd need to call on my local handyman, who can crush cars with his bare hands, to help with that 'cause I'm such a weakling now...
Is there something else I may be overlooking here?
And while I'm kvetching about it... The pump shaft seems to be binding since I reinstalled it. Could that just be because the spring drive shaft has slipped? If worst comes to worst, I do have a spare aftermarket replacement pump.
I've posted a bit about the washer - I knew it needed a bearing job and it seemed to take me forever to get the damned wash basket out of the rear tub. However, I got it out, got the new bearings installed, and even better, managed to fabricate a decent tub gasket as the one on this machine was the textbook definition of 'shot to hell'...
The tub didn't leak so I started to put it all back together - I just seemed to run into one snag or another at every step. Now here's where I am at and what's snagging me this time around...
I got the motor pulleys back on; first test in wash mode was fine, but the first spin was a disaster. It was immediately obvious (even to me...) that the high-speed sheave was not sitting on the tub shaft correctly. It seems as if the tub shaft doesn't extend out far enough for the rectangular slot to seat properly.
As always, I've tried to figure out what went wrong here... First thought is that because of all the heating and pounding I did on the tub shaft I managed to squash that rectangular end of the wash tub shaft. The reason why I am thinking this is because when I tried to slide the clutch spring hub onto the rectangular part of the shaft, it wouldn't go. I had to file down the edges of the rectangular post to get it to fit. I don't know if I could somehow extend that rectagular shaft...and would it be solid enough to propel the tub.
Second thought is that I haven't fully seated the wash tub into the new seal and bearings in the rear of the tub. I admit it took some persuasion, but it 'looked' right. I don't relish the idea of taking the machine apart again - would it be possible to push the tub in while still installed? I'd need to call on my local handyman, who can crush cars with his bare hands, to help with that 'cause I'm such a weakling now...
Is there something else I may be overlooking here?
And while I'm kvetching about it... The pump shaft seems to be binding since I reinstalled it. Could that just be because the spring drive shaft has slipped? If worst comes to worst, I do have a spare aftermarket replacement pump.
