Thread Number: 61905  /  Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
Maytag LAT9700AAL (1992) - swap almond cabinet around white A612 or A712? 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 845433   10/12/2015 at 11:15 (3,118 days old) by ken-n-nancy (Bedford, NH)        

Hello,

This is our first posting to AW, although we've been reading for a while now. We don't see ourselves becoming washer collectors, but we would definitely like to keep our vintage washer & dryer operating for regular household use!

We have a 1992 Maytag Washer / Dryer pair that we bought new. The washer is an LAT9700AAL. It has worked great for us for over two decades, but lately has started leaking water. Opening up the front panel and looking around inside, it was immediately apparent what the problem is -- the outer tub has rusted through in the upper back right corner, leaking water out on larger loads. If there were just the one rusty spot, it wouldn't be so bad, but there are about three other spots that are rusting significantly, but just haven't broken through yet. Our outer tub definitely needs to be replaced. The rest of the washer, however, is working well.

Our first thought was just to buy a new washer. However, we've researched new ones quite a bit and decided that if one wants a reliable, dependable washer that gets clothes clean and from which one can expect more than a decade of trouble-free service, buying a new high-efficiency washer isn't the way to go. Furthermore, our "almond" washer and dryer are in our first floor bathroom, which is the one used by guests to our house, so the color of the washer and dryer is important as a part of the decor. Our washer/dryer (and bathroom) color scheme works well with an almond washer, but not so with a white one. We are planning to renovate much of that bathroom, but we were hoping to keep the almond appliances so as not have to replace the toilet and tile floor (which currently match well with the bisque washer but aren't as good with white.)

Having ruled out the possibility of getting a new washer, our first thought to repair our 1992 Maytag was to simply buy a new outer tub and install it. However, we haven't been able to find any supplier who has a new outer tub for our washer.

Our next thought was to buy a washer just like ours on craigslist and swap the tub in to our washer. However, even if we do find a replacement outer tub, the task doesn't seem like a cakewalk, as we don't currently have the needed tool to remove the inner tub. If we find an identical washer on craigslist, it might be easier to just use the "new" one, rather than swap the tub into ours.

Alas, we still haven't found an LAT9700AAL for sale, but have seen quite a few older A412 - A712 washers for sale. Most of these, though, seem to be white, rather than almond. However, we've also noticed that the cabinet seems to be very similar (identical?) between our washer and the older A412 - A712 washers. It occurred to us that if we find an A412 - A712 washer in good condition, but with a white cabinet, it might not be too difficult to swap out the white cabinet for our almond one.

Anybody know if it is likely that all the various screw holes, etc., line up for us to just pull the cabinet off of an A412 - A712 and swap in the cabinet from an LAT9700AAL?

Thanks!
Ken and Nancy

PS: As an interim solution to solving the immediate need for a working washing machine, this weekend we got a free 1997 Maytag washer (white) on Craigslist. It wasn't as clean as a new washer when we got it, but with some elbow grease it cleaned up real nice. Plus, it works and doesn't leak! So, at least this other washer is working for us as a temporary fix until we come up with a more permanent (almond-colored) solution!




Post# 845467 , Reply# 1   10/12/2015 at 16:55 (3,118 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)        

goatfarmer's profile picture

I'm "thinking" the cabinets are similar. If all the screws come out, it's a pretty straight forward job.

Concerning the outer tub, a chisel and hammer will deal with the tub nut.
Post# 845561 , Reply# 2   10/13/2015 at 02:27 (3,117 days old) by beekeyknee (Columbia, MO)        

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Yeah, you're right, Kenny. But won't they need the spanner tool to tighten the new one down?
Post# 845576 , Reply# 3   10/13/2015 at 07:12 (3,117 days old) by ken-n-nancy (Bedford, NH)        

Thanks for letting us know that it may be possible to get the tub nut off with a chisel and hammer. Might end up ordering the spanner tool, though, just to be gentler on the tub nut -- wouldn't want to damage it when taking it off.

I still haven't seen an A412 - A712 in person to see where all of the screws are that attach the cabinet to the base to see if they're in the same place as on our LAT9700. I'll try to get some pics of the locations on our LAT9700 so that maybe an A412 - A712 owner can compare the placement for us.

PS: Yesterday was "laundry day" to catch up on the backlog of laundry that developed while we had no working washer. The free craigslist washer is doing great - no leaks and clean clothes!

Post# 845663 , Reply# 4   10/13/2015 at 18:34 (3,117 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)        

goatfarmer's profile picture

The spanner wrench make installation much easier. But I've used a hammer, and a flat punch before.
Post# 845691 , Reply# 5   10/13/2015 at 19:20 (3,117 days old) by ken-n-nancy (Bedford, NH)        

Still browsing Craigslist ads for a "new" old almond washer. Starting to think maybe we should go for an antique set as a conversation piece, since everybody would get to see them in our main first floor bathroom.

Alas, the only nice set I've been able to find for sale has a natural gas dryer! We don't have natural gas on our street. Too bad, as the pictured pair is only $100 and not far away from us, in Fitchburg, MA.

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Post# 845698 , Reply# 6   10/13/2015 at 19:38 (3,117 days old) by Stricklybojack (South Hams Devon UK)        

stricklybojack's profile picture
.
Take the curtain!
I mean get the set nearby. Can one convert gas to electric on these?
If you find another Maytag electric dryer perhaps you switch cabinets?


Post# 845701 , Reply# 7   10/13/2015 at 19:52 (3,117 days old) by neptunebob (Pittsburgh, PA)        

neptunebob's profile picture
Or would it be possible to convert the gas dryer to propane and get a propane tank? Do dryers have a conversion kit like gas ranges do?

Even so, I would still get the pair for 100 dollars, that would be a good price for the washer alone.

Post# 845827 , Reply# 8   10/14/2015 at 14:12 (3,116 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)        

goatfarmer's profile picture

They can be converted from Natural gas to Propane pretty easily. A little more involved if you want an electric dryer.
Post# 845885 , Reply# 9   10/14/2015 at 22:30 (3,115 days old) by ken-n-nancy (Bedford, NH)        

Well, I've inquired about the yellow pair, but haven't heard anything back yet...

Post# 846551 , Reply# 10   10/19/2015 at 07:38 (3,111 days old) by ken-n-nancy (Bedford, NH)        

In the five days since our prior post, our search for a solution to our "rusted out tub" problem has resulted in a few different decisions:

* We really like the idea of getting a center-dial matched pair. Our "dream set" would be an A806 and matching dryer. Our favorite colors are turquoise or almond. The chances of us ever actually finding one of those would appear to be about zero, however. The only ones we've ever seen pictured anywhere are on this forum!

* We really want a washer that has the extra-large tub, 2-speeds, a warm rinse, and the center-dial look. Hippiedoll has helped us learn that for those options, we probably need an A608 or A806. (It's not clear to us if an A606 also meets those requirements?) The light-up control panel is a nice bonus, but would limit us to an A806.

* Since we need to be patient to have any hope of acquiring an A806 and matching dryer, we need an interim solution that isn't our current mis-matched white 1997 washer and our almond 1992 dryer. We have a good lead on a matched pair of almond machines which have control panels in the same style as our 1992 set. Nancy will be looking at them tomorrow - hopefully that will give us a matched set we can continue using while we patiently keep searching for a center-dial set that does what we need. Below is a photo of the set we're considering.

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