Can I get parts for my PINK Westinghouse Spacemate Washer??

Hi Ralph and others all the WH washers used a two belt drive with a SEALED IN STEEL gear box or speed changer till the mid 1950s. Then around 1955 the three belt drive system was brought out on the new 25" compact washer it was also being phased in on the larger 30" slant front models and all 1957-8 slant fronts also had the 3B drive. The 3BD was redesigned somewhat in 1959 just for the full sized slant front 30" models. They had a horizontal tub with just two plastic baffles that were not evenly spaced and this is where the famous potato pulley was added the allowed the speed of the wash basket to vary with every revolution. These washers also added two HD hydraulic automotive type shocks to better control vibration during spin [ Bendix had already been using H shocks on there combos and non bolt down FL washers ]. The 25" SM drive system continued with no real changes till 1963 when they went to 27" and the large SF 30" were changed down to the same 27" machine. At this point all WH FL washers were the same, they did make both stackable and rear control versions. These smaller machines did loose the much better hydraulic shocks and went back to the noisy troublesome friction snubbers. The 3BWs continued till mid 1988 with little change, they did loose the better cast iron counter balance weight in the early 1970s and when to five blocks of cement instead.

The 27" machine was redesigned and reintroduced in 1989 after a 6 month period when we couldn't get any WWH FLers at all. The new machine looked almost like the old 3B machine and it was built in the same US plant. But as White Industries had been purchased by Electrlox of Sweden the new machine was very different inside. They scraped the drive system, water pump and timer. They used a DC brush type motor with a single belt, the new motor, electric drain pump, timer, friction shocks and speed control board were all made in Italy [ some of the main motors were also German ]. These new machines performed well at first even getting a top recommendation from Consumer Reports for good efficiently. But the machines were a disaster I could go on and on about the problems, Electroxs hi bread machine combined the worst of WH and European technology. CRs rescinded thier recommendation within two years because of all the repair problems. These single belt machines were made well into 1993 and then there was another lapse in availability of FL washers of almost one year till they brought out the all new Frigidare FLer in late 1995.

None of the WH FL washers ever had great water extraction till the 1995 models, you were lucky if they extracted as well as a WP BD washer. All WH FL washers had 1/3 HP, 1725 RPM motors till the mid 1960s [ including all 25" models ] when they went to 1/2 HP during the HP race of the 1960s [ none ever had a 1800 RPM motor]. The pump speed on all WH FL washers was around 2000 RPMs [ not 220 ]till they they went to a separate electric pump in 1989.


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Post# 514250 4/27/2011 at 20:53 (4,740 days old) by daveelias (Cape Coral Florida)
Checkrate/Likes I purchased a set of pink space-mates from the 1950s.... I plugged it in and it started working....however when it got to the spin cycle something blew...I also need a new gasket....Can anyone please help me with some suggestions?

Post# 514258 , Reply# 1 4/27/2011 at 21:16 (4,740 days old) by turquoisedude (.)
Checkrate/Likes Hmmm... What exactly happened when the spin cycle started? Did the machine suddenly stop or did it blow the house fuse when the spin cycle engaged?? My 1950 L5's 'cause of death' was a bad spin solenoid - it had shorted and caused the machine to stop as it engaged into the spin. The good news is that I did manage to find a NOS replacement at Modern Parts in Ohio. I guess you mean the door seal gasket - not sure what the exact part number is but there are LOTS of Westinghouse parts that will be available soon at an appliance repair shop in Queensbury NY (Hansen's) and I do believe there were some door boots there...

Post# 514353 , Reply# 2 4/28/2011 at 09:30 (4,739 days old) by 3beltwesty ()
Checkrate/Likes When the unit goes into the spin cycle the power required out of the 1/2 HP AC motor goes from say 200/300 watts in run to about 1300 watts in spin for several seconds while the unit brings the drum up top speed. Once up to speed the power backs way off. If the slinky type clutch spring (one way clutch) is dry the unit can labor way longer and the unit may not get up to speed and AC motors internal overload switch can fire and the motor is then off until it cools down. In wash mode the drum is driven by the Oval/potato pulley. When in spin mode the BIG solenoid is engaged and the split sleeve clamps the high speed belt; this drives the Large round pulley coaxial with the drum. This pulley directly connects to the drums shaft. In spin mode the potato pulley still freewheels/revolves; the slinky spring clutch is now slipping on the hub. This is why the spring hub needs to be greased with a good boundary layer grease. They use to use a lead based Sinclair auto grease. A modern grease for wheel bearings works too. With the cord unplugged and the two belts that connect to the tub slipped off; one can sense if the clutch is working or needs re-greaseing. The round pulley directly drives the drum. The oval potato pulley should only turn the drum if revolved one way; it should slip when turned the other way.

Post# 514355 , Reply# 3 4/28/2011 at 09:42 (4,739 days old) by 3beltwesty ()
Checkrate/Likes In wash & rinse mode the 1800 rpm AC motor drives an idler pulley. This pulley then drives the oval potato pulley. This double speed reduction makes the drum revolve at the say 53 to 57 rpm; the variation is due to the potato pulley. In spin mode the AC 1800 rpm motor drives the drum via the large round high speed pulley. The drum gets up to the 550 + rpm range. Again during the spin mode the slower potato pulley system has to slip. The one way L G S overrunning or oneway clutch slips. This is the spring that looks like a slinky spring that is on the potato pulley's hub feature. CLICK HERE TO GO TO 3beltwesty's LINK

Post# 514474 , Reply# 4 4/28/2011 at 19:09 (4,739 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *1960 WH SPACE MATES* Hi dave you can Email me your phone # and I will try to help you figure out what is going wrong John. 3BW very little of what you wrote is correct, all the wattage's, RPMs, and HP of the motor are incorrect you have probably never seen one of the 25" machines let alone repaired one. And their is no potato pulley on these machines.

Post# 514625 , Reply# 5 4/29/2011 at 15:30 (4,738 days old) by mixfinder ()
Checkrate/Likes *No Potatoes Here* I can't begin to tell you how many times I have offered advice speaking to the generalities of models and functions to learn I wasn't correct. I just did so recently with the Kitchenaid dishwasher on Imperial Forum and Steve corrected me which is a benefit to us all. My advice shouldn't lead someone to make a decision based on my incorrect input. Having Combo here to be the last word and provide the rest of the story is a value beyond compare. I also know Combo doesn't enjoy typing so he just tells it as it is and hits send. I doubt many of us here enjoy Westinghouse front loaders more than 3-Belt and who do we know that's washed in a Westinghouse front loader for the last 62 years? We're a village.

Post# 515072 , Reply# 6 5/2/2011 at 00:21 (4,736 days old) by 3beltwesty ()
Checkrate/Likes *Lack of education is why I once got a free 25" machine.* Combo52; RE: "3BW very little of what you wrote is correct, all the wattage's, RPMs, and HP of the motor are incorrect you have probably never seen one of the 25" machines let alone repaired one. And their is no potato pulley on these machines. " I owned a 25 " machine for a few years before 2000. I got it from neighbor since the local caustic expert declared it was not fixable. I fixed it up and sold it. Since few understand older machines often the clueless declare that they are not fixable. The spin and run wattage on that 25" machine was in the range of the 27" potato pulley machines I have owned. The Westinghouse service manual for 27" potato pulley machines lists the following values with a 9Lb load at 115 volts: A. Wash cycle wattage should not exceed 450 watts. B. Spin impact wattage should not exceed 1000 watts. C. Spin acceleration should not exceed 1600 watts. D. Spin maximum wattage 750 watts. E Spin speed RPM 500 plus. F. Pump speed should be 220 RPM minimum. My OWN MEASUREMENTS I MENTIONED were : (1) "When the unit goes into the spin cycle the power required out of the 1/2 HP AC motor goes from say 200/300 watts in run to about 1300 watts in spin for several seconds while the unit brings the drum up top speed. Once up to speed the power backs way off." (2) "In spin mode the AC 1800 rpm motor drives the drum via the large round high speed pulley. The drum gets up to the 550 + rpm range. " *What the Westinghouse service manual quotes for a 27" 3 belt are often MAXIMUMS; ie that is what "not to exceed" means. The RUN/WASH data I mentioned in (1) and (2) are actual wattages; that is why 200 to 300 watts is OK and 450 watts is deemed BAD. All Westinghouse washers from 1941 to 1993 use the same two ball bearings and seal. ALL THE Laundromat, 27" belt and spacesaver/mate 25" units I have measured the wattage on have been less than 450 watts that have the bearings still working. On 3 belt machines have to labor to accelerate the drum up to full spin rpm, thus the power is radically higher. Westinghouse's own manual quotes 1600 watts max during the spin acceleration; and I quoted I have measured 1300 watts. It is higher on every 3 belt machine that I have measured; it varies by the load size and water level too. *IF your wattage data differs than westinghouse's manuals and others actual measurements ; then mention some actual numbers, instead of saying: 3BW very little of what you wrote is correct, all the wattage's, RPMs, and HP of the motor are incorrect you have probably never seen one of the 25" machines let alone repaired one. I wonder too if you have worked on a 3 belt unit; since you comment differs than actual data and service manuals too and never mentioned any numbers at all. The actual motor on the 25" spacesaver I owned was a 1800 rpm 1/2 HP labeled motor Q-1586 , the 27" 3 belt machines I have used have 1800 rpm 1/2 HP labeled AC motor too; many are Q-174461. So what are you implying; your 25" machine has a 1/4,1/3, 1/2 or 3/4 HP motor with a different rpm of 3600 ? The clothes during wash have to be turned at an rpm slow enough that they do not stick to the top of the drum. To get the 2 belt reduction reasonable a 1800 rpm 4 pole AC motor is used. Service manuals give wattage data to try to help service folks understand what is out of bounds. I got a free 25" machine eons ago because the local expert did not understand how the clutch slinky spring's greasing is important, and how the high speed solenoid has to be adjusted so the high speed sliding section works. Sadly the expert was just caustic, it sells new washers! If you actually have measured any data; then post actual numbers. If your spacesaver/mate's AC motor was not 1/2 HP 1800rpm then mention the actual nameplate data, if you have any.

Post# 515371 , Reply# 7 5/3/2011 at 03:38 (4,735 days old) by alr2903 (TN)
Checkrate/Likes I think the spacemates Laundromat had the door centered with the tub, there was none of that "water lower than the door" business like the later 1970's design. Is this correct? Disclaimer: A 44 year old recollection of a 7 year old future AW.org member :-) My late mother used dash or 1/2 a tab of salvo plus some "Snowey bleach" for the whites. alr2903

Post# 515372 , Reply# 8 5/3/2011 at 04:19 (4,735 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)
Checkrate/Likes *OK, I'll Bite* I had a basket case of a 1950-ish Laundromat that I used for a while when I lived in a rental with laundry hook-ups in the garage. Good thing, because the tub leaked. I sold it a few years ago when I admitted to myself that I'd never restore it. I really love the old Westy Laundromats because they're fun to watch and cute to look at. Now I have yet another reason to love them: they employ something called a potato pulley (unless this agricultural reference applies only to later models). Regardless, would anyone care (or considering the exchanges above, dare) to do the 'splainin on the relationship between spuds and suds?

Post# 515392 , Reply# 9 5/3/2011 at 08:12 (4,735 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes *WH FL WASHERS* Hi Ralph and others all the WH washers used a two belt drive with a SEALED IN STEEL gear box or speed changer till the mid 1950s. Then around 1955 the three belt drive system was brought out on the new 25" compact washer it was also being phased in on the larger 30" slant front models and all 1957-8 slant fronts also had the 3B drive. The 3BD was redesigned somewhat in 1959 just for the full sized slant front 30" models. They had a horizontal tub with just two plastic baffles that were not evenly spaced and this is where the famous potato pulley was added the allowed the speed of the wash basket to vary with every revolution. These washers also added two HD hydraulic automotive type shocks to better control vibration during spin [ Bendix had already been using H shocks on there combos and non bolt down FL washers ]. The 25" SM drive system continued with no real changes till 1963 when they went to 27" and the large SF 30" were changed down to the same 27" machine. At this point all WH FL washers were the same, they did make both stackable and rear control versions. These smaller machines did loose the much better hydraulic shocks and went back to the noisy troublesome friction snubbers. The 3BWs continued till mid 1988 with little change, they did loose the better cast iron counter balance weight in the early 1970s and when to five blocks of cement instead. The 27" machine was redesigned and reintroduced in 1989 after a 6 month period when we couldn't get any WWH FLers at all. The new machine looked almost like the old 3B machine and it was built in the same US plant. But as White Industries had been purchased by Electrlox of Sweden the new machine was very different inside. They scraped the drive system, water pump and timer. They used a DC brush type motor with a single belt, the new motor, electric drain pump, timer, friction shocks and speed control board were all made in Italy [ some of the main motors were also German ]. These new machines performed well at first even getting a top recommendation from Consumer Reports for good efficiently. But the machines were a disaster I could go on and on about the problems, Electroxs hi bread machine combined the worst of WH and European technology. CRs rescinded thier recommendation within two years because of all the repair problems. These single belt machines were made well into 1993 and then there was another lapse in availability of FL washers of almost one year till they brought out the all new Frigidare FLer in late 1995. None of the WH FL washers ever had great water extraction till the 1995 models, you were lucky if they extracted as well as a WP BD washer. All WH FL washers had 1/3 HP, 1725 RPM motors till the mid 1960s [ including all 25" models ] when they went to 1/2 HP during the HP race of the 1960s [ none ever had a 1800 RPM motor]. The pump speed on all WH FL washers was around 2000 RPMs [ not 220 ]till they they went to a separate electric pump in 1989.