Maytag Washer

[nbpt100]

I have a 23 yr old Maytag washing machine. It has served me well. It gets used about once a week. A few years ago it started to squeak a bit while in the agitation mode. It has gottne worse over time. Is there something I can lubricate or grease? I have not had any time to even look at it. Any thoughts as to what is causing this noise and is it worth worrying about?

 

[pelletman]

Google the model number and squeak, I am sure you will get your answer

 

[carlaisle]

Is this a top loader? Does it also squeak when spinning? It could be the belt. Take a look at it and see if it looks shiny and/or the fabric covering is worn through anywhere. If so, that's very likely the culprit. If the belt is okay it could be the suspension. There is probably a way to lube whatever is squeaking if you open it up. I know of one that has been doing that for well over 20 years with no apparent degradation in service. The owner just closes the laundry room door after starting the load. Nothing you can buy today is near the quality or will have the longevity of that real Maytag.

 

[kbs2244]

if it is a 2 belt washer be sure to replace both
the wear adj expects them to be equal

I had to replace the tub shaft seal
it would squeal when in the spin dry cycle

that is a major take apart job that needs a special wrench to get to the seal
but it was worth it

the washer was over 20 years old at the time
it was still going strong 10 years later when we sold the house

I still have the wrench

 

[StillTooManyHobbies]

Also check the damper pads as they can go dry and get moved out of position. You could also post or search on automaticwashet.org.

 

[nbpt100]

I finally tipped the washer and did notice grease migrating down on to the belts and pulley. They looked in remarkably good condition. I did clean them with a degreaser. I also put some anti sieze on the spring ends. The squeeking was gone on the next load of laundry. A few days later oin the second load it came back. Not sure what to think. I will have to tip it and see if the belts are greasy again. I get the sense the noise is coming from the agitation unit. Not sure if I can open it up and add some lube to it. Obviously the grease I see down below it is coming from that unit. Should I assume it needs some attention? It appears it is intended to be lubed for life and requires no service. But we know how that goes.

 

[kbs2244]

I opened my gearbox to replace the seal
I used 90 wt rear gear oil to fill it
pay attention to how the gears mesh
I was off by one tooth and had a knock that we lived with for 6 years

 

[luvtheheat]

On my 15 year old Maytag washer, new Brake Pad kit solved the squeak during agitation phase. Also get the silicone grease the kit requires.

 

[carlaisle]

If you have grease escaping the transmission you have a failing seal. The part is not expensive. Replacing it is kind of a pain. If the seal is leaking the brake is likely worn, too. You should replace both while you're at it. Don't ignore that seal. It will leak very slowly for a long time and then fail catastrophically without warning.

 

[428PI]

We got an Maytag washer when Maytag was doing research in my Brother In Law's town where Maytag gave them all the new Neptune washers. We got the old one. Only thing we have done over 30 years is replace the control switch, tub seal, belts, and upper tub cover I believe. The machine was making noise when stopping etc. Replacing the belts solved that issue. I bet there are non of the original Neptunes running in that town anymore.

 

[nbpt100]

I opened my gearbox to replace the seal
I used 90 wt rear gear oil to fill it
pay attention to how the gears mesh
I was off by one tooth and had a knock that we lived with for 6 years

I have to research this some more and try to understand how best to get at all of this. Are there timing marks on the gears?

 

[kbs2244]

I do not recall timing marks
(it has been 30 plus years)
but knowing Maytag I would expect so

I had the factory service book and it had a photo of what it should look like
I remember putting it back together I thought I was giving it extra clearance
it turned out the other end was now too close to the case and touched it

this resulted in a knock when in the wash cycle
it wasn't a hard sounding knock and fixing it would have mean a complete taking apart of the machine again
so, as the machine was 10 plus years old at that point, we decided to live with it and buy new if it failed

we sold the house, with the machine installed and still knocking, 6 years later
the machine was installed on the 2nd floor where the bedrooms were and
my wife told the new lady she liked the knock because it told her what cycle the machine was in
( a true making lemomaid put of lemons moment)

the house has gone through 4 owners since then
(2 were flippers)
and the machine was replaced by one of them because by then it was over 40 years old
the last I heard it was still washing stuff at a car detailing shop
and still knocking

I am amazed I remember that machine so well
but it was my first complete rebuild,
with factory books and tools,
and I learned a lot

 

[BrandonV]

Repair if possible. I had a unit that was probably used 3x a day for 20+ years... rust was the only reason it went away.

 

[nbpt100]

Repair if possible. I had a unit that was probably used 3x a day for 20+ years... rust was the only reason it went away.

Yes, I want to repair it. Right now I just moved and the house needs so many other things. It may be a year before I can get to it. I have noticed the noise is not present on small loads. On medium loads it is sometimes. Yes on large loads and the noise seems to be proportional to the size. I no longer do over sized loads.
It would be nice to have a factory manual or a you tube for the exact model. I looked on You tube and did not find one. If someone comes across anything relevant to my model please post it. Thanks for all of your help.

Maytag top loader.
Model LAT3500AAE

 

[Dakotadadv8]

OP may be time to buy a new one. Had a GE for 10 years tossed it bought a new Maytag. Install it yourself the free installation may be frustrating.