Hi folks, I have an A207 bought new in 1973. It has been mostly flawless but it now seems to have a problem. There were some greasey looking stains on the bed sheets after washing and I suspect the seal on the agitator shaft. I got the exploded view from another thread but I can't get the agitator off. If I break the agitator trying to get it off, are they still available? I read somewhere that the seal is available. Any additional words of wisdom? Thanks, John, Simpsonville, SC

I have an A107 and can't get mine off either, but I do know they are available, according to Repairclinc.com.

Try:

www.partstore.com or www.appliancepartsworldwide.com both are great. Is your agitator one of the older bakelite solid black ones, or is it the aqua one with the flex fins?

mine is aqua flex fin

I think the aqua flex fin and seal are available with a little searching.

I've got a Maytag store around the corner of my house. The guy does a lot of repairs and has a "junk" pile of old machines.

I'll bet he has an aqua agitator.

Dan

Hey! You have a great machince... BTW, my mom lives in Gray Court SC, so i have been to simpsonville many times

There is a fun thing called an AgiTamer that is a rubber-like circular cuff (with a small section missing) that you tug and pull under the agitator skirt. Some water and liquid detergent help, although you then have to wear good, grippy gloves to pull the Agitamer as far around the agitator as possible and tuck up under the skirt. Then you screw the little attached hose to the water faucet and SLOWLY turn on the tap, WITH THE WASHER LID HELD CLOSED. The agitator might come up just a little, in which case you turn off the water and release the pressure in the cuff so that it can be tugged further around and under the skirt. Then you start over. The agitator will either fly up or the cuff will explode. In either case, you want the lid as closed as possible. Old Bakelite Gyrators will sometimes separate from the metal spline, leaving it on the agitate shaft when the Gyrator pops loose.

Before you start with the process, you will need to heat enough water to boiling to pour into the center of the agitator onto the hub so that the hub at the bottom of the agitator barrel is under water. This is going to take the capacity of all of your large pans and you should strive to have the whole hub surrounded by water pretty fast, otherwise the heat from the water is going to escape and just heat the tubs. If you cannot come up with that much boiling water, you can try pushing a heavy but flexible bag down into the agitator so that you can pour boiling water into the bag in the agitator barrel and the plastic bag will relax enough to cover the top and sides of the hub to transmit heat into it. If you use the plastic bag, put a blanket or something similar over and around the agitator to help hold in the heat. Then close the lid and let the heat work for 15 minutes to half an hour. Drain the water and then try tugging. Put soft towels or something similar in the agitator and have the soft, thick fabric hanging out around the top because you are going to have to have your face close to the top to be able to try to lift from near the bottom. If it suddenly lets loose, you won't have injuries on your face. If possible, try to lift by the barrel and not by the skirt. It is more efficient and safer. If this is a PowerFin, you can get your fingers under the openings where it joins the skirt. If tugging does not do it, then use the Agitamer.

When you replace the agitator, use lubrication on the agitate shaft and you won't have this problem again.

I have an Aqua agitator from the last load of stuff I purchased from the appliance store by me. It has a 1977 date code if anyone is interested.

BTW, I made a strap with hooks that attaches to the center part of the agitator, the strap goes around a padded 2X4 that is set on the top of the machine, then I pull up on one side of the 2X4 and off pops the stubborn agitator! I pulled a few that way with no damage.

AgiTamer is the way to go. Maybe a local service store will let you borrow one.

Well, I've tried and tried using straps and 4x4's and thought I was gonna pull the drum right up through the hole in the top but the sob wouldn't come out. Plus, the seal kit costs $55 (I don't know what all is in there but it's more than just a seal). So it looks like after nearly 34 years the old A207 is probably heading for the appliance bone yard.

I've looked at the threads in the new machine forums and there doesn't seem to be a concensus about a good new machine. I'm not spending a grand on a Bosch, I just need a basic machine, hmmmm, like the A207. Any opinions before I plunk down some $$$ on a new machine. John

Did you try the hot water? When I asked about pulling the agitator on my old Maytag last year, it was explained to me that the agitator is held on by a rubber o-ring. I'm guessing that the o-ring gets hard with age and doesn't want to release the agitator too easily, but perhaps it's also a spline issue. The hot water will soften it so that you might be able to pull the agitator with the board and hooks technique.