Opening A Failed Maytag Commercial Transmission MVWP575GW

Busting open a failed Maytag Commercial transmission to do some investigative work. This machine began making a grinding noise from the transmission after 2 years of constant daily use.
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[@gabrielnogueira7796]

Omg! It's the same Brastemp fragile transmission without disc and break belt. This is worst transmition in Brazil currently

[@paulmellick]

My grandfather who worked in the RandD dept in Newon with the dependable care line would be furious with this "new" design.

[@jeromedavis8575]

I am livid! What's so commercial about it?

[@jeromedavis8575]

Maytag "commercial" is a lie!

[@65bug519]

Gearbox oil contains sulfur and it stinks, I am not overly impressed with how cheap and non repairable it is.

[@mikesecor6074]

thank you. My Maytag top loader's transmission went at 2 years. Then everything else started to go. Thank God for the 5-year warranty 1 paid for. same machine.

[@dukecraig2402]

I'd lay odds that inside of that plastic drum where the shaft goes through it is a thing called a spragg gear, or clutch bearing or sometimes called a Torrington bearing by some people probably because Torrington made a lot of them and people got used to seeing the name associated with them. They're one direction bearings and can be found in the planetary drums in automatic car transmissions, they allow a shaft to spin freely in one direction but if the shaft reverses direction then it'll drive the drum, or the drum will drive the shaft depending on how the design works. When they go bad and slip they'll make a grinding noise, that's probably where the sound was coming from.

[@arthursilva3712]

Here in Brazil that transmission is the same as Brastemp and Consul (The whirlpool brand) and in the past the gearbox have 4 four gears just like this Maytag, but today they reduced to 3 gear to cut cost, and the transmission with use get more loose and the water come in the gearbox and leak the grind noise must be that, the water mixing with oil and not getting lubrificate.

[@LlyleHunter]

I’m have a current commercial Whirlpool in one of my apartment buildings and I’m not wild about and don’t expect it to last many years though it’s only a year old. I think that the vertical modular designs came out around 2011 and I’m anticipating a redesign in a few years and hoping for improvements in a few areas because the diminishment in performance and quality from the previous generation direct drives needs to be not just restored but should be theoretically surpassed. One thing that I don’t like is that the gearbox rotates a full 360 degrees with each stroke in both normal and gentle cycle programs and it is harsh and damaging on many fabrics that ought to be washable. Hoping for improvements with the next designs.

[@ACoustaDC]

it's interesting to me, that it looks like the inside of an agitator where the agitator dogs go. They obviously know the dogs wear out, so this trans should be the same, and it should be serviceable. This is why we need to fight for "right to repair".

[@williambregon7914]

Thank you for the video. I have a Whirlpool that makes a loud noisy noise during rinse cycle. A new transmission runs around $200 on Amazon, so I've decided to live with the noise until if completely crashes then I'll by a new washer. But I was curious what inside the transmission looked like, so I found this video very valuable. Thank you!

[@mikimiki195]

Great video 👍🏻

[@steves7896]

A little more light, less shadow, in your filming. Very interesting. Maybe the oil stunk because water was starting to get in there? I hate the use of plastic in everything these days. Maybe if the parts that made up that gearbox were made of an appropriate metal it would last much longer.

[@sodiebergh]

Chewie weighs in @ 4:46 🤣Great video!

[@webeducation]

Your dog knows exactly what the problem is. He just can't talk.

[@mimelio]

GREAT VIDEO !!! I own that machine and everyone else I know that owns one swears by it....The only complaints I have heard about it is it doesn't have a lot of wash options. I love mine its cleans good and cycles faster than a lot of new ones

[@patcola7335]

I've got the whirlpool commercial version of this and almost a year later it's been a great washer. It has all the basic cycles and short wash times. Which Whirlpool would make their whole lineup of these type of washers like their commercial versions.

[@chineeboy18]

It's surprising how simple that transmission is built. Nothing really complex about it. That looked like something you found in your remote controlled toy cars as a kid. Now I'm really curious about the residential version of their new washers. It's probably just smaller gears. Or it could be the same gear system for both washers and the commercial version has a bigger motor that gives the machine more torque. As you said Eugene, it's not a transmission, it's more of a gearbox. Wow. 🧐

[@jeromedavis8575]

What's the difference between a transmission and a gearbox?

[@chineeboy18]

​@@jeromedavis8575A transmission is what allows the power to be transferred from the engine to the drive shaft which then sends that power to the washtub, or the wheels if it were a car. As a part of the transmission, a gearbox houses the gears that determine how much power is transferred to the drive shaft via revolutions or 'revs'.

[@jeromedavis8575]

@@chineeboy18 What determines oscillations in the case of the washer?

[@chineeboy18]

@@jeromedavis8575 unlike older washers that actually had a transmission that was responsible for oscillation, in these new washers it's a two-way motor that does the work using a belt and pulley. The actuator shifts the tub from agitation to spin cycle.

[@jeromedavis8575]

@@chineeboy18 Who used the most complex transmission in their washers?

[@firealarmtechguy4444]

I took apart a Failed gearbox out of a WTW4616FW1. It's exactly the same inside. The shaft is just taller.

[@rwdplz1]

I would bet it was designed to be serviceable, before the bean counters demanded cost savings be implemented to bring it down to a cost target. A machinist could easily replace those crappy plastic parts with some nice aluminum ones. You could even add drain and fill plugs for oil changes.

[@WasherDryerMoney]

Interesting video. I made a video on opening this transmission about a year ago. Definitely not serviceable. The common oil leak comes from the small shaft seal, that you can dig out. GE uses grease instead of oil and does not have the common oil leaking problem. I’m assuming it’s because the grease is a little thicker and does not get by when the seal fails.

[@ACoustaDC]

Where the heck have you been!!!!

[@WasherDryerMoney]

@@ACoustaDC lol I got into some real estate deals and was overwhelmed with doing that for a while. I’m done now, so I’ll probably be making a lot more videos soon.

[@ACoustaDC]

@@WasherDryerMoney well I'm looking forward to that!

[@jeromedavis8575]

What are the gears made of?

[@jeromedavis8575]

@@WasherDryerMoney What grease does GE use? What are their gears made of both in commercial and residential laundry?

[@joeb.5564]

Thanks for the video. Our washer is 1.5 years in our home from new July 2022. Since then we had the basket replaced under warranty then late 2023 a crazy loud grinding, the basket spins one speed generally slow while the agitator is spins fast causing the noise. Scares the kids. I'm going to see if Maytag will at least cover the junk parts they use. Never had a wash machine so horrible. Guess we got the lemon.

[@patcola7335]

What happened with the basket? Did the plastic separate from the stainless steel?

[@joeb.5564]

@@patcola7335 The original basket was separating at the seam, so it was replaced by warranty. Then after the warranty ran out we had noise issues grinding and other. Ended up being transmission, Maytag covered the cost as a courtesy thing, noise again a week later, second transmission. So far so good. Only thing we paid was original inspection of the first transmission. Oh and time off work, so technically we paid for another washer essentially with 2 work days off. Guess we got the lemon model. Hopefully now it lasts.

[@patcola7335]

@@joeb.5564 I have the successor model MVWP586GW and to be quite honest I am not crazy about these tubs. The seam looks like it could easily separate. I also have a VMW Whirlpool commercial model that has the older 1 piece porcelain coated tub. I have to say thank God for the 5-year parts and labor warranty. I just got the machine the day after Thanksgiving 3 months ago. I would say that this washer has the best wash action today in a top loader. It really moves BIG loads around very well. The Whirlpool commercial also has great wash action.

[@capnvideocapnvideo2216]

I've narrowed my problem down to the gear box. I replaced the actuator and also pulled out the agitator and put on a new plastic top gear thing. Still won't agitate.

[@RichardKinch]

As an engineer, I appreciate this teardown, demonstration, and failure analysis. Every residential machine now is based on this flimsy (stamped spot-welded sheet metal and plastic gears) type of planetary gear reducer (not a transmission) with an electronic VFD inverter-controller driving a motor which is digitally controlled into agitation and spin motions. That's a sound, advanced, and efficient technology, but the big problems are (1) cost reduction results in the flimsy reducer mechanism, and (2) the electronics and motor will never last as long or be as reliable as the switched single-speed motors of olden days. The government mandates of HE and Energy Star force this retrograde drive-train technology into being the universally adopted standard design. We have one last man standing in the Speed Queen TC5, the continued availability of which puzzles me: how are they able to provide this classic which the mandates prohibit?

[@heathwirt8919]

This cheap throw away design is driven by profit margins more than government mandates, engineers will design, assemblers and suppliers will build to the quality level management accepts. In this case it's the bare minimum.

[@paulstanley3265]

Because they have the eco setting on the machine for the mandate

[@patcola7335]

The government should stay out of the free market.

[@jeromedavis8575]

@@heathwirt8919 So much for commercial grade.

[@jeromedavis8575]

@@patcola7335 I wish they would, but they won't.

[@a89proof]

I suspect you'll find the difference between the 'commercial' and standard models to be the brand name bearings and nothing beyond that. A different model uses a cast metal lower gear housing, but it may not be a VMW application.

[@jeromedavis8575]

Which one does the GE commercial use?

[@EDT278]

Like a transistor 📻.

[@JJAlwin]

seeing this makes me think twice of buying another transmission for my old maytag centennial washer. I change the cam kit, belt and shift actuator. still having issues of that sudden grinding sound in the middle of the cycle. Plus now i have water leak underneath. Im not sure if doing DIY is worth instead of just buying a new one.

[@jamesg9936]

My GE was two years old when mine went, it was awful. Such a piece of garbage, the company that did the repairs under extended warranty didnt completely hook up some balance sensor or I am not sure it was called a radar and then it had no errors it just wouldnt fill or do anything. The extended warranty was offered at the last second again about a year and a half in I was lucky I bought it. The repair was 300 some dollars and the repair outdid the cost of the machine but apparently they can total machines now and just send you 60 bucks towards a new machine. Ridiculous

[@josephleister9198]

Good video, thank you for sharing here....the product is 3rd rate and very disappointing to see this is there idea of commercial quality....thanks again.

[@ridhwaanarries983]

What safety boots are you wearing?They look nice and tough.

[@jddeefo1022]

Great video, I think I need a new one, my noise is in the rinse/spin cycle, and gets louder as the unit coasts down to a stop. What do you think? If the noise was just a bearing it does look like you could change it.

[@cajun864]

Top bearing is known to fail because of water intrusion

[@MrIMCP]

Yeah I'm going Speed Queen after my Maytag gives up.

[@DylBuilder1]

people say "well SQ is more reliable" Well no it isn't always. IMO a shifter working with a gearbox works pretty well. Now if only on these machines they could make the shifter arm out of metal for the commercial grade ones at least..

[@billwest9934]

Maytag has commer ial grade tub assembly and thats it.The supports and everything else is subpar.

[@homeguestunton]

What failed in it? Bearings?

[@guirolain2319]

Casi todas las lavadoras de hoy día, en su gran mayoría traen este tipo de transmisión o reductora y donde la agitación es controlada electronicamente. Las mejores son las transmisiones de Samsung y LG que usan piñones metálicos, pero en general son basura, se dañan y muchas veces no se pueden reparar, es mas económico comprar el conjunto completo nuevamente.

[@brianperkins6121]

Its a sun gear step down transmission ,, the motor "either" drives the center sun gear which then drives the 4 gears planet carrier (Attached to the agitator or agitator plate) "But" it will also drive the outside ring gear that's attached to the drum in the opposite direction , "But" when the washers mode shiftier servo is engaged for spin mode , it locks the "splutch" to the splines on the bottom of the plastic case bypassing the inner works of the transmission and Driving the Drum only for spin mode.. Look at the transmission for a whirlpool VMW same thing. . going to guess the inner shaft bearing in the Tub drive tube is worn , a bad splutch "there name not mine" will also make a grinding noise when it slips instead of locking . when it shifts modes. for normal duty use have had very little problems with even the basic version,,

[@jamesg9936]

Do you want another gearbox? They left the broken one here.

[@Thissandthat]

Doesn’t seem super impressive. Wouldn’t a machine like a whirlpool Cabrio be more reliable since it’s direct drive? My parents have run more than a thousand loads of laundry in their Cabrio washer, waiting for it to break down any time now lol 😂

[@dianabradley8349]

This is a total shot in the dark but that oil doesn't look like it has much viscosity and if it smells that bad maybe something contaminated and broke down the oil and that's why you hear the noise like I said just a shot in the dark LOL

[@jeromedavis8575]

How much oil is in this transmission?

[@spicky2966]

2-3 oz late but

[@jeromedavis8575]

What are the gears made of?@@spicky2966

[@jeromedavis8575]

@@spicky2966 Speed Queen Classics have huge transmissions compared to these Maytags.

[@Dabodizafa]

My money is on a worn seal allowing detergent to enter the transmission. That should be a serviceable part. Criminal that it is not.

[@trixie9867]

ohhhh

[@ScantPear]

I have taken a few of those apart before

[@coolrobuxgaming]

So that’s what’s inside a VMW Transmission

[@briandoyle4298]

Looks like the homeless shelter bought it cause of the name Maytag, that used to be good.

[@juniormint3136]

You just stated what the real problem was at the beginning, the fact that it was used by a bunch of homeless people, probably overloading it with heavy coats and jeans and blankets. That would kill even a speedqueen. Don't blame whirlpool for the abuse to the gearcase

[@jeromedavis8575]

That's no excuse! Why do laundromats handle that type of abuse? Hmm?

[@jacobjames1171]

@@jeromedavis8575 Have you ever compared an apple to an orange? Hmm

[@jeromedavis8575]

@@jacobjames1171Duh!

[@heathwirt8919]

Designed as a cheaply built replaceable but non-repairable assembly, not very impressive.

[@DylBuilder1]

and SQ transmissions are one time thing only as well.

[@heathwirt8919]

@@DylBuilder1 They are completely different, one is a solid reliable design the other a POS.

[@DylBuilder1]

@@heathwirt8919 Yes you are right the SQ is garbage and the Maytag is more reliable. The company is better all around

[@heathwirt8919]

@@DylBuilder1 The old Maytag Dependable Care Washers were excellent, reliable and well built, the recent machines are cheaply built and the cheap throwaway transmission is a perfect example of the build quality. Compare the transmission from a Dependable Care Maytag model to one of these new washers. Speed Queen is the only well build commercial grade machine available for home use.

[@Channel-cm7yc]

@@DylBuilder1 compared to the MaGraw Edison era of SQ I’d agree. In its basic form the current transmission drives of SQ were of the Raytheon era after 1980. Simply put its not the same. MaGraw Edison SQ transmissions were completely rebuildable , but it only agitated and it did not spin the tub like today’s and more recent helical transmissions did!

[@jeanlucdrion1152]

What a piece of junk. Awful what they are producing today.

[@theodoretepaske8755]

I have to say that is pretty cheaply made. I think they can do better for all that money.