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Thread Number: 92795
/ Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
What could be causing my Maytag A806 to do this? |
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Post# 1173612 3/3/2023 at 23:26 (427 days old) by Marky_mark  (From Liverpool. Now living in Palm Springs and Dublin) |
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 Hi guys
I recently got this machine and I am wondering how to fix it. With no load, or with a very balanced load, it will spin quietly with no vibration. But over half the time, the spinning ends up being like it is in my video. I replaced the damper pads (the old ones didn't even seem to be present anymore) but it had no effect at all. I may not have done the repair correctly. So I am wondering how best to proceed.
Thank you Mark
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Post# 1173613 , Reply# 1 3/3/2023 at 23:29 (427 days old) by Marky_mark (From Liverpool. Now living in Palm Springs and Dublin) |
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When I replaced the pads, I used black silicone adhesive, which may not have been the right type. I used all the lube supplied with the pads but did not add any extra.
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| Post# 1173640 , Reply# 2 3/4/2023 at 06:22 (427 days old) by qsd-dan (West) | ||
 Lots going on here...
The black adhesive won't last long, the pads may already be slipping around.
Looks like the tub springs are adjusted way too loose.
You mention the pads were essential gone which means the aluminum damper was probably damaged. Just the tiniest nick in the damper dome requires a new/good replacement, the springs can never be "tuned" correctly....believe me, I've tried. The underside of the damper dome needs to be a mirror smooth finish, no exceptions!
The tub bearing sounds like it's on its way out but incorrectly adjusted tub springs, non-centered tub, or a wildly out of balance load will cause that noise.
The inner tub does not look properly centered, actually it appears to be way off. This can been seen at the beginning of the 0:32 mark by the way it shudders.
If you make a clip of the machine naturally going from wash into the spin cycle, I can tell you if the stop lug is adjusted correctly. | ||
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Post# 1173645 , Reply# 3 3/4/2023 at 07:11 (427 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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Maytag washer, damper problems, etc.
Dan is right on the money there are several things to check as he mentioned.
It’s such a shame that Maytag never invested the money in improving this awful damper design it would’ve helped this model because it was built in the 70s But there was no reason to continue building a machine like this through the 80s and 90s etc., they could’ve gotten rid of the stupid off-balance switch as well. They could’ve borrowed the design from the Norge washer or built it like Speed Queen neither one of those companies ever had trouble with dampers, and it was a lot less expensive to build as well. Good news is this is fixable you just have to take it all apart again and replace anything that’s not perfect, if you need a new damper dome, I have some of them. John. | ||
| Post# 1173694 , Reply# 4 3/4/2023 at 14:59 (426 days old) by qsd-dan (West) | ||
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There's nothing wrong with the suspension/damper design in these, just lubricate the pads every 20 years when operated under normal conditions. Keep them lubricated and the pads will never wear out. A 20 year run is longer than what most machines were lasting even back in the good old days, MUCH longer than what's out there currently.
I love my "stupid" out of balance switch for awkward loads such as throw rugs so the machine doesn't beat itself to death like a GE FF, DD Whirlpool/Kenmore, GM Frigidaire, ect when out of balance during the spin cycle.
The weird hung suspension in the belt drive WP/KM machines and their cheesy under designed snubber was weak as hell which is why they'd easily go out of balance even with a neutral drain. Speed Queen and their ghetto ass gangster leaning tub during agitation is just laughable. They do spin pretty well balanced though, so at least they got that part right. This post was last edited 03/04/2023 at 15:43 | ||
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Post# 1173706 , Reply# 5 3/4/2023 at 16:32 (426 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions) |
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Dan.... | ||
| Post# 1173709 , Reply# 6 3/4/2023 at 16:50 (426 days old) by qsd-dan (West) | ||
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Tell us how ya really feel!tongue-out | ||
| Post# 1173714 , Reply# 7 3/4/2023 at 17:10 (426 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
“The weird hung suspension in the belt drive WP/KM machines and their cheesy under designed snubber was weak as hell which is why they’d easily go out of balance even with a neutral drain. Speed Queen and their ghetto ass gangster leaning tub during agitation is just laughable. They do spin pretty well balanced though,so at least they got that part right”.
I can concur, since there there were at least 3 or 4 times where I’d come back to the laundry room and find my ‘63 Whirlpool crooked or would catch it in time when I heard ca-bunk ca-bunk ca-bunk if I happened to be in the kitchen when it happened. I will say the Whirlpool belt drive design does work well for people who have a house with a raised foundation such as most homes on the east coast vs most homes out west that have a solid concrete floor. | ||
| Post# 1173730 , Reply# 8 3/4/2023 at 19:23 (426 days old) by qsd-dan (West) | ||
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I don't want to crap on other peoples favorite machines but remarks by certain individuals are just hilarious. There's no perfect design but some are better than others. What I love about Maytags suspension design from 66+ is their adjustability. Most manufactures don't have that option and the tubs will never properly center themselves, even shifting around during agitation. Belt drive WP/KM are very prone to this. All of the non adjustable suspensions I have fooled around with seem to be tuned on the light side, making them more prone to out of balanced situations. It's also near impossible to keep the tubs centered and easily become uncentered over time, usually due to crappy/weak springs. Look how far we have de-evolved with todays rod suspensions in top loaders. They're a crap design and need frequent replacement. How many vintage washers in the past required frequent suspension parts replacements in 10 years or less?
I'd say the only downside to Maytags suspension is the knowledge and time required to properly tension and center everything up. You don't just pop springs off/on and keep moving like most designs. However, once they are tuned, you're good for at least 2 decades for a family of 4. | ||
| Post# 1173731 , Reply# 9 3/4/2023 at 19:31 (426 days old) by qsd-dan (West) | ||
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would catch it in time when I heard ca-bunk ca-bunk ca-bunk | ||
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Post# 1173733 , Reply# 10 3/4/2023 at 19:38 (426 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.) |
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| Post# 1173737 , Reply# 11 3/4/2023 at 19:51 (426 days old) by qsd-dan (West) | ||
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| Post# 1173744 , Reply# 12 3/4/2023 at 20:40 (426 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
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Reply #11
Kenmore was a high end brand that was available to anyone back in the day. Whirlpools in their own way were higher end than Kenmore and were a little more exclusive but didn’t sell as many compared to Kenmore since they were more expensive and were sold by independent dealers. Whirlpool in a way is like a Cadillac DeVille while Kenmore was a Buick Electra 225 with just about every option available.
If you compare all the features my Whirlpool has compared to a Lady Kenmore from 1963, my Whirlpool has more features such as the Super Wash, Super Wash N Wear, automatic bleach and fabric softener dispensers along with the Magic Mix lint filter which also doubles as a detergent dispenser which works with either powered or liquid detergent. A Lady Kenmore from 1963 doesn’t have the Super Wash cycle or Super Wash N Wear cycle, doesn’t have a manual lint filter but features a self cleaning lint filter I believe. As for my Whirlpool dryer vs a Lady Kenmore dryer from 1963, the Kenmore has the Soft Heat feature while my Whirlpool does not. However, my Whirlpool has the normal and super speed drying temperatures which basically runs the blower at 2000 rpms on the normal drying temp at a lower wattage while the super speed drying temperature runs the blower at 3000 rpms and runs at the full 5600 watt output. I usually would use the normal speed drying temperatures at times in the evening since those older Whirlpool dryers sound like a fairly loud fan in operation. | ||
| Post# 1173746 , Reply# 13 3/4/2023 at 20:49 (426 days old) by qsd-dan (West) | ||
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| Post# 1173751 , Reply# 14 3/4/2023 at 21:33 (426 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
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Reply #13
Yeah, it can be a bit of a mental work out but I usually like to point out the differences in options in my 1963 RCA Whirlpool Imperial Mark XII vs the Lady Kenmore equivalent.
Btw, here’s what the back of the drum and bulkhead looks like on my ‘63 Whirlpool Imperial dryer, the blower is behind the drum. No way lint can accumulate in this blower housing 😎
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| Post# 1173753 , Reply# 15 3/4/2023 at 21:44 (426 days old) by qsd-dan (West) | ||
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Incoming air on the left, outgoing air on the right....like the post '65 models? This post was last edited 03/05/2023 at 00:12 | ||
| Post# 1173756 , Reply# 16 3/4/2023 at 22:06 (426 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
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Reply #15
All Whirlpool dryers from the very beginning had this set up where the incoming air entered from the left, and the exhaust outlet on the right. Reason why Whirlpool stuck with this setup is they dried a load from a belt drive that spun at 525 rpm fairly quickly since the drum rotates counter clockwise which causes the laundry to be pushed up towards the exhaust outlet and at the same time, the exhaust outlet pulls stuff up and it will sort of block the exhaust outlet but will force the heated air through the tumbling clothes in front of the exhaust outlet. The Whirlpool 29” dryers do will with smaller to moderately sized loads of laundry but tend to struggle with larger loads such as bedding and jeans. Never had issues with my ‘63 Whirlpool Imperial dryer since the matching washer only has a capacity of 8 pounds of laundry on a full water level.
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Post# 1173757 , Reply# 17 3/4/2023 at 22:07 (426 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.) |
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There was at least one Lady Kenmore model (earlier than '63) that had a Super Wash cycle. Later Lady Kenmore and some 800 models had a detergent dispenser for the automatic Enzyme Soak which had a full drain and spin before proceeding into the Normal cycle vs Whirlpool's Super Wash which wasn't a full-deal soak. Stand-alone Enzyme Soak was on some 70 series and possibly some 60 series had it. Kenmore also had a 2nd rinse on many models for years when Whirlpool never did until the first electronic control model. More Kenmore models had timed bleach and softener dispensers when WP limited it to the top Imperial Mark XII and some possibly some Imperial 80 and/or Imperial 70 models. Kenmore continued pushbutton-locking timers on the LK into the mid 1970s when Whirlpool ended them in the mid 1960s. This post was last edited 03/04/2023 at 22:23 | ||
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Post# 1173758 , Reply# 18 3/4/2023 at 22:08 (426 days old) by ryner1988 (Indianapolis) |
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"so the machine doesn't beat itself to death like a GE FF, DD Whirlpool/Kenmore, GM Frigidaire, etc"
I notice my DD Whirlpool doesn't beat itself to death nearly as frequently since I got the gearcase replaced, therefore fixing the neutral drain issue it had for months. When it was spin-draining it would go out of balance about one in five loads or so. If not out of balance, the spin was very shaky much of the time. Now I get smooth spins nearly every load. I think Dan mentioned something about this when I first got the washer but I don't remember why it would make a difference. | ||
| Post# 1173761 , Reply# 19 3/4/2023 at 22:47 (426 days old) by qsd-dan (West) | ||
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but tend to struggle with larger loads such as bedding and jeans
Oh, I certainly remember those days! Endless cycles of turning my comforter inside out and rotating it 180 degrees in my '81 Kenmore dryer. This would go on for 2.5+ hours using the maximum allowed time on the sensor cycle. For shits and giggles, I stuffed that comforter fresh from the laundromat dried at 500 RPM's in a Speed Queen front loading washer in my then newly acquired DE750 HOH dryer (first vintage appliance) expecting 3+ hours and possibly a fire due to its small drum with the fabric tightly jammed against the incoming hot air grates. Damn thing was dried in 1h:20m and did not require turning it inside out or rotating it once. It took a long, long time for the shock factor to wear off, let me tell you...
I never did dry large blankets, comforters, or pillows in anything but an electronically controlled HOH dryer after that glorious experience.
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| Post# 1173764 , Reply# 20 3/4/2023 at 22:53 (426 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806) | ||
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Reply #19 | ||
| Post# 1173765 , Reply# 21 3/4/2023 at 23:02 (426 days old) by Good-Shepherd (New Jersey) | ||
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I used black silicone adhesive, I wouldn't trust silicone RTV on damper pads, I've found it to be a poor bonding adhesive on some materials. | ||
| Post# 1173766 , Reply# 22 3/4/2023 at 23:09 (426 days old) by Good-Shepherd (New Jersey) | ||
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This is better for damper pads CLICK HERE TO GO TO Good-Shepherd's LINK on eBay | ||
| Post# 1173767 , Reply# 23 3/4/2023 at 23:18 (426 days old) by qsd-dan (West) | ||
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Isn't this the replacement for Maytags 055980 high temp adhesive? https://www.ebay.com/itm/185523794143QUE...
Or just get the real deal https://www.ebay.com/itm/301535524747QUE...
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Post# 1173815 , Reply# 24 3/5/2023 at 14:56 (425 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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Most durable top load washer, suspension systems
The belt drive whirlpool washers had the best suspension of any popular top loading automatic.
The standard capacity models never walked or generally had unbalance problems. Whirlpool did have some vibration problems with their super capacity washers in the 70s. It’s one of the reasons they reduce the capacity in 1982 somewhat. Nothing ever went wrong with the suspension and a belt drive whirlpool washer, other than possibly a worn snubber which took absolutely no tools to replace in about 30 seconds to lift the top and flip a new pad in place. Whirlpool never used an unbalanced switch in their belt drive machines Sears used an unbalanced switch in their fancier models 1/3 to 1/2 of their models did not have one, this was a feature that the salesman could try to upsell people with trying to convince them that they needed this useless gadget on the machine. Over the course of my career, I muster disconnected 300 to 500 on balance switches on Kenmore machines because people are annoyed that machine would cut off. Maytag never had a very good suspension and had to use an on balance switch to control the machine vibration. This was compounded because of the spin drain of course and also the narrow cabinet width. When Maytag came out with the helical Drive washer. It had a very weak spring system and the damper was aluminum and cork material inside. They beefed it up about 1960 a little bit but it wasn’t until the 06 models in 1966 that it got to work performed a lot better, John | ||
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Post# 1173824 , Reply# 25 3/5/2023 at 15:25 (425 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.) |
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Post# 1173871 , Reply# 26 3/5/2023 at 23:15 (425 days old) by Marky_mark (From Liverpool. Now living in Palm Springs and Dublin) |
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Thanks so much for all the interesting replies and the links to the adhesive and damper pads. Sounds like I'll have to redo the damper pad repair. John: I'll check the condition of the damper and may well take you up on that. I've never taken out a washing machine tub/basket/drum before, but this machine might well be my first attempt.
Dan: I don't have a video of the spin from the start but I will record one when I next get the machine out. This morning I needed to do lots of laundry, so I decided to take out my Whirlpool belt drive, with its weird hung suspension LOL. I used my Whirlpool (KA) 29" dryer for everything today but it keeps on balling up bedding. So you inspired me to try drying a kingsize duvet cover in my halo of heat dryer this morning. Wow yes it did actually dry it completely evenly and did not ball up once. And thanks again for all the advice.
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Post# 1173876 , Reply# 27 3/5/2023 at 23:49 (425 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay) |
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