Old Maytag hard to turn

[ba_50]

We have an old one that won't turn the tub with the belt but will using a pipe wrench. It sat in the sop for two years. Can it be loosened up or is the transmission shot? Thanks.

[Dan O.]

Model number?

Old Maytag hard to turn

Maytag washer I assume?

I'm afraid that is not enough information to identify the appliance in question. What is needed is its exact model number. If you post it we can at least look it up to see what appliance design you're dealing with.

Forum Notice LINK > Please include Make and Model # in post

won't turn the tub with the belt but will using a pipe wrench. It sat in the sop for two years. Can it be loosened up or is the transmission shot?

The transmission on a washer is responsible for the agitation motion, not spinning the tub. The only things that might hamper that movement while manually turning the pulley is something jamming the tub or a problem with the tub bearing and/or tub seal the transmission goes through to enter the tub.

JFYI


Dan O.
Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[Nestor]

I'm going to gamble that this is a top loading Maytag washer.

Open the lid and slip your fingers between the top of the spin basket and the underside of the tub cover. Make sure there's about a 3/8 inch gap between the top of the spin basket and the underside of the tub cover all the way around.

If you've taken the tub cover off the machine, a common error is to not leave a space between the top of the spin basket and the tub cover. The result will be that the top of the spin basket rubs against the underside of the tub cover when you turn the drive pulley or otherwise try to get the machine to spin. And if the spin basket and tub cover are rubbing against each other, you won't be able to turn the drive pully WITHOUT a pipe wrench.

Also, as Dan O. mentioned, something could be jamming the tub. Raise the top of the machine (it's hinged at the back) and take the tub cover off. Shine a flashlight down between the spin basket and the drain tub and see if there's something stuck between the two, like an old sock or something.

[ba_50]

It is an old Maytag top loading washer, and what you suggested is easy enough to check. I'll get back to you on that.

[ba_50]

The tub wasn't rubbing on the sides or top. It turns more freely but the belt will only move it slowly even with pressure applied to the motor. It is an LA710. There is one black wire where the clip end broke so it may not be making good enought contact. Still looking for one.

[Nestor]

Well, I've had one Maytag top loading washer that had an intermittently seizing transmission in it. It was the washing machine in my main floor laundry room. Occasionally the transmission would just seize up and the motor would simply burn out a belt on the drive pulley and fill my laundry room with the smoke and smell of burnt rubber.

I got an overhauled Maytag long (IIRC) transmission from Dasa Manufacturing in Toronto, put it in the machine and that washer hasn't seized up since.

I would push the motor forward and slip the pump belt off first and then remove the belt to the drive pully. Check that the motor pully turns smoothly and that the pump pulley turns. Now, turn the drive pully so that it screws it's way up the helical drive shaft and keep turning to see if the spin tube turns as you turn the drive pully. When a Maytag top loading washer is in spin mode, nothing inside the transmission is moving. Instead, the whole transmission turns with the drive pulley. If that drive pulley is hard to turn when it's at the top of that helical shaft, then you know the friction isn't coming from a siezed transmission (cuz nothing inside the transmission would be moving at that time, the whole transmission housing would be turning with the pulley).

If you still have excessive friction then, you'd pretty well need to call a Maytag service tech to find out where the problem is. I just don't know enough about these machines to be able to test them to see where that friction could be coming from. Perhaps Dan O. does, but I don't.

[ba_50]

I didn't understand the helical part but kept turning the tub and it never got easier. It loosened up one day but hard the next. I think it is a candidate for the junk yard. Sure curious about it though.

[Nestor]

Well, unless Dan O. can think of something else, it might be worth the $40 service fee to find out what's causing the problem. That's provided the tech can determine what the problem is relatively quickly. A two year sit normally won't cause a problem bad enough that you have to scrap the washing machine.

[ba_50]

Well, my Dad won't give up on it. He wants to know if it could be a bad bearing in the bottom and below the basket. I can't get the basket out. Had to use a 2x6 and sledge hammer to break one out of a different washer to see what it looked like. Thanks.

[Nestor]

Well, here's the instructions a friend of mine (Jeff) wrote up for replacing the mounting stem (aka: underwater seal kit) and the tub bearing on a Maytag top loading washer: (Jeff is also an appliance repair tech like Dan O.)

Washer Tub Seal Replacement | Appliance Aid

In order to take out both the spin tub and the outer drain tub, you'll need a special tool from Maytag called their #38313 spanner wrench:

http://www.american-appliance.com/images/image_data/maytagspannerwrench_small1.jpg

Both the clamping nut that holds the spin basket in place and the mounting stem have LEFT hand threads in them, so you need to turn them COUNTERCLOCKWISE to remove them. And, you'll also need a mallet to hit the 38313 spanner wrench with to remove the clamping nut and the mounting stem.