Thread Number: 47856
GE Filter-Flo Daily Driver? |
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Post# 694516   8/5/2013 at 21:20 (3,887 days old) by DigAPony ()   |   | |
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How would a mid 80's GE Filter-Flo washer be for a daily driver? I know they wash well but seem crude in some respects and not very easy to service? |
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Post# 694592 , Reply# 2   8/6/2013 at 08:46 (3,887 days old) by akronman (Akron/Cleveland Ohio)   |   | |
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I have 2 late 70's Filter-Flo's that work perfectly, aren't crude at all, easily serviced, wash everything from dirty rags and blue jeans to delicate/gentle knits. Any brand that age should have a good tune-up before being put into daily use, but I have found GE Filter-Flo's to be well worth it. Washing turnover is great, excellent rinsing, lots of options, relatively quiet machines. Try to find a MOL to high-end, 2 speeds for sure, and most have lots of cycles to choose from. I have a variety of machines I enjoy and never want to part with, but if I was forced into strictly one washer, I'd keep my Filter-Flo for sure. |
Post# 694683 , Reply# 3   8/6/2013 at 14:24 (3,886 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)   |   | |
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Post# 694847 , Reply# 4   8/7/2013 at 09:07 (3,886 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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as others have already said.....finding one in good shape....and jsut the same do a good going over to place in daily se....
pick one, again, medium to high end, and you will have a versatile machine to handle any load any way you choose..... if there is one machine I had to keep out of my collection, it would be the filterflo....the variations of cycles, speeds and options is endless.... also a matter of how vintage you want in a machine....I like the 1985 versions best |
Post# 694848 , Reply# 5   8/7/2013 at 09:08 (3,886 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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Post# 694863 , Reply# 6   8/7/2013 at 10:14 (3,885 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)   |   | |
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As everyone on this site knows, I'm a Filter-Flo fan. I don't use them as daily drivers because, frankly, nothing I've ever experienced in this country washes and extracts as well as my LG front-loader. The capacity is huge, I've washed 24 lbs. of towels in it without a problem, and it rinses well while being ridiculously stingy with water. Lint isn't an issue, I don't have pets though, so that might be a consideration. Also, if I had lots of small loads, the mini-basket is a very nice thing to have. We've had this discussion before--I wouldn't be surprised if FF's created more lint than they filter out.
My Parents' last automatic washer was one of the GE's pictured above. Installed on a solid concrete basement floor, the machine was relatively quiet and vibration-free. It washed and rinsed their clothes very well for a top-loader of that era. I think it did a better job than a contemporary Maytag that I owned at the time. |
Post# 694866 , Reply# 7   8/7/2013 at 10:21 (3,885 days old) by turquoisedude (.)   |   | |
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Post# 694898 , Reply# 10   8/7/2013 at 14:40 (3,885 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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what do you consider pricey Doug?......
also need a closeup of that panel.....3 knobs....water level, water temp, the 3rd could be extra rinse or SpotScrubber option.....a rare one if it is!..... then again......you could get a matched set like these...... CLICK HERE TO GO TO Yogitunes's LINK on Annapolis Craigslist |
Post# 694900 , Reply# 11   8/7/2013 at 14:44 (3,885 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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another mix/matched set in your area Doug......almond washer...white big door/capacity dryer......kinda steep, 250.00 for the set....
CLICK HERE TO GO TO Yogitunes's LINK on Newjersey Craigslist |
Post# 694907 , Reply# 12   8/7/2013 at 14:56 (3,885 days old) by akronman (Akron/Cleveland Ohio)   |   | |
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Martin------the temps and speeds are normally in the toggle switches or pushbuttons, though GE certainly had many designs. Maybe too many knobs means a Suds Saver model, like mine? Seems like second only to Kenmore, GE has a wide range of options, meaning lots of different toggles, buttons, dials, etc, through the years on very similar dashboards, too hard to decipher unless you get a great close-up shot.
Too pricey? Keep looking if it's out of your budget. GE sold well and lasted a long time, at least one FF comes up monthly in Ohio. Craigslist seems best around here. As much as I like them, 2 GE's is enough for my basement. I also gotta have Kenmore space, Whirlpool space, Maytag, Norge, GM Frigidaire, etc....
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Post# 694919 , Reply# 13   8/7/2013 at 15:21 (3,885 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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see Mark....we got you hooked!......
space limited????.....time to think stacking....something like this....circa 1985 newton tranny and chrome strips.....a traditional Maytag beauty CLICK HERE TO GO TO Yogitunes's LINK on Cnj Craigslist |
Post# 694921 , Reply# 14   8/7/2013 at 15:25 (3,885 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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non digital....mechanical timers.....circa 1990/2000's......I mean, come on, a true Maytag for $50.00....you can't go wrong!....keep in mind, this one is an orbital tranny....what are you waiting for?
CLICK HERE TO GO TO Yogitunes's LINK on Annapolis Craigslist |
Post# 694930 , Reply# 15   8/7/2013 at 15:47 (3,885 days old) by akronman (Akron/Cleveland Ohio)   |   | |
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you are an instigator! for one thing, my basement ceiling would likely not fit stacked sets. Also, I have a variety of machines awaiting repair--Norge, 1-18, Blackstone, 1950 Kenmore.........I ain't done collecting, but am sort of "on hold" for a bit while I get those all working again. But as far as Filter-Flo's go, I'd have to say they are the machine that has risen the very most in my estimation from when I first found this group. I used them in apartment and laundromat laundry rooms for years, no filters or fabric dispensers, locked lids, etc. I thought of them as cheap commercial units. Then I got one here at home through this groups advice and Yogitune's repair advice/fine-tuning ideas. Such wash action! Rinsing deluxe. Lint filtering. Soap dispenser. Fabic softener dispenser. Multiple cycles. Options! dependability. Turnover! Large loads. Small delicates. But I am preaching to the choir......then I found another one for $25 that is a Suds Saver!!!! I could go on and on or just stop typing |
Post# 694942 , Reply# 16   8/7/2013 at 16:23 (3,885 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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yeah...you got me there...an instigator!....
but is there any more joy to be had than opening one's eyes to the wonders of collecting, and especially machines you normally would not have given a second thought to...and now, can't live without!....it's contagious!.... something about "Mark's", I got you hooked....next on my list is Mark/Williams637....fair warning of a Jeep pulling up with a flatbed of machines!....I am on a mission....lol believe me, I know.....I hated my mothers GE V12....and now look at me....then again, if her's had all these options, that may have been a different story.... one nice things about these Maytags.....you would not have a problem getting thim into your basement compared to most stacked units.....these come apart, and re-assembled on site!... just how tall is your ceiling?.....run run run....go measure! |
Post# 694957 , Reply# 17   8/7/2013 at 16:56 (3,885 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))   |   | |
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Post# 695093 , Reply# 18   8/8/2013 at 08:04 (3,885 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)   |   | |
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Could work well and are actually one of the easiest machines to repair from this time period. They are very CRUDE machines, they guzzle water, they are noisy, they bang their inner baskets against against the outer tub immediately chipping off the porcelain enamel sometimes on the machines very first load of clothing and the rust begins.
The 2 speed machines have a clutch that SLIPS Constantly if you dare to use the low speed setting [ it is like keeping your manual transmission car from rolling backwards on a hill by keeping it in gear with your foot on the clutch and letting it slip away ] not recommended in the owners manual, LOL.
FF washers also love to eat small items by throwing them into the outer tub when trying to pump out the wash or rinse water and spinning at the same time all the while turning your load of clean clothing into a giant lint filter as the draining water is forced through the clothing over and over again as it tries to go down the drain.
GE FF washers are also by far the most likely washers ever to have serious oil leaking problems and it either goes on the floor or worse yet into your laundry.
All that considered they can be fun machines and I have several in our museum that I would not part with however I have never kept one in my personal laundry for very long, but I do have the advantage of being able to repair any brand of machine, however the easy repair-ability and the plentiful # of GE FFs may make them worthwhile for many other collectors |
Post# 695101 , Reply# 19   8/8/2013 at 09:41 (3,885 days old) by akronman (Akron/Cleveland Ohio)   |   | |
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Post# 794803 , Reply# 20   11/18/2014 at 21:28 (3,417 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)   |   | |
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I had one when my parents were married. It would sound very sudsy on normal, small, cold and regular cycle |