Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

[RocketMan]

Hi Guys,

I know it sounds hard to believe but I’m a twin tub virgin 😯 😯 😯

I remember seeing my mum use them and remember playing with ours that always seemed to be broken because my brothers and I had the job of using the back up wringer…being boys we of course used to see how far we could get our finger in between the rollers… Why, I don’t know but I can still remember the pain now.

Anyway back on track – Never reapired one and got a 9404W. Problem is with the spinner – lovely old lady says it doesn’t work or make any noise when she tries to use it’t and so it doesn’t get rid of the water. I’ve seen a great post from Martin which as ever sounds great.
http://tinyurl.com/6a2tg44

Anyone got a diagramme so I can familarise my self with it? Also any other tips, even obvious ones I might miss. Got this job on a recommend so really would like to get it right first time…

[Martin]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

Then you’ll need to remove the spin can and check all is well with the phosphur bronze top bearing. That the brake cable releases when the lid is shut, that the clutch shoes are in good shape and the drive belts are OK?

To do that: –

Tip m/c onto the washtub side using the filter tray as a support. Open the lid and remove the white spin cover. Remove belts, undo the cast iron counterweight bolt and carefully extract the little lock pin on the shaft, pull off the clutch/drive pulley, the spacer and then the cast iron brake drum, carefully extract the second little lock pin from the shaft. Then pull the entire spin can and shaft out of the top. Reassemble in reverse order having put a good helping of high speed grease on the shaft first. (Relocate carefully so as not to damage the carbon-faced bellows seal)…..

[funkyboogy]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

remember to score the clutch shoes with hack saw etc b4 you put them back on …

god this brings back memories .. never seen one of these for atleast 10 years ..

ally

[suedehead1]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

RocketMan wrote:
old lady says it doesn’t work or make any noise when she tries to use it’t and so it doesn’t get rid of the water. …

i think you are off on the wrong track,
if it isnt making any noise then i would suggest the rocker switch for the spinner lid is faulty or needing adjusted ,
back panel off, look for a white rocker switch with 2 wires going to it. check the switch operation or bypass it temporarily to try it,
even if the spin can was seized it would still empty the water away.

[Allsorts]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

funkyboogy wrote:remember to score the clutch shoes with hack saw etc b4 you put them back on …

god this brings back memories .. never seen one of these for atleast 10 years ..

ally

:offtopic:
Sold one of these a few days ago 🙂 all done up like a dogs dinner…

I charge £75 for them when I have them but I could still get £100+ if I wanted to.

George

[RocketMan]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

wow, thanks for the replies and advice guys. I’ll let you know how I get on when I lose my “virginity.” I’m there in the morning, so let’s hope it all goes well. I like a challenge and some some thing “new”

[RocketMan]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

I did manage to get out to this in the end yesterday. The fault was not at all what the lady described.

On the spin side: when the lid is lowered in to position you get a loud humm. I initally thought seized or a capacitor problem.

You can rotate the spin motor, and basket freely by hand. All the mechanism appears to work as it should. I looked for a capacitor on the spin notor circuit but couldn’t find it. Three wires from the motor to neutral and two up to a relay. Relay relay tests ok. Where’s the capacitor for the motor? Is it hidden in some obsucure place??

I took the opportunity to to have look and check a few things to see how it all works. The belts are ok and the brake works and disengages correctly. The clutch seems to be ok as you rotate in by hand (when on it’s side) you hear each cluch move. I disasembled the clutch and the clutch pads appear to move freely and should engage. Albiet a bit shiny, I’ll have to roughen them up. It all seems at first as they would have been lovely to work on or are there hidden horrors in them?

DC84 – is that Dec 92??

[Martin]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

RocketMan wrote:Relay relay tests ok. Where’s the capacitor for the motor? Is it hidden in some obsucure place??

No capacitor on this baby just a relay to each motor. Please note that relays need to be vertical to operate so only fire them up with the m/c upright!

[iadom]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

Have a close look at the motor start windings, the very fine inner coils.

Any signs of burning here could mean the motor has failed due to the relay sticking intermittantly, very common.

You can see the windings better if you take the fan off the top of the motor.

Date code is about right, first produced in April 1988.

[Martin]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

Question for Jim: On Partfinder it lists a Capacitor 12MFD C00197320 as N/I (Not illustrated)…very odd.. I swear I’ve never seen one on this model! :hmm:

[iadom]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

The capacitor run motors were introduced in Jan 1996, and in fact supplied as a kit for many years to replace the old relay start motors.

[Martin]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

Hey Jim….!!

Remember those long hot sunny days when we used to drag those twin tubs out of the kitchen/scully/coalshed and into the back garden to replace the gearbox or spin spigot? Dare I mention the HL2468 spin units we fitted on 1400’s????? Soaking up the rays, tall glass of lemonade……….aaaahhh…HAPPY DAYS.. 😛

[iadom]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

What about part numbers 071120 and 084715.. 😉

Didn’t do many of those but I still have my special issue box spanner the size of a drainpipe in the garage somewhere.

Young Jim.

[leavemetogetonwithit]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

Martin wrote: Please note that relays need to be vertical to operate so only fire them up with the m/c upright!

That warning came about twenty three years too late for me 😳 .
One motor on fire instantly. Bit of a tense moment, it was. 😆
Mike.

[RocketMan]

Re: Twin Tub Virgin – 9404W

Thanks to all for advice, it was a motor fault. I still spent a bit of time looking at the machine in general. So light and I presume they were easy to work on? Access is great and just turn it on it’s side to access the bottom. (Martin noted your comment about not activating the relay whilst on it’s side…) where did we go wrong with modern machines? I think we might of moved a bit backwards. I didn’t realise they were so economical to use. Not so good it you’ve not got the time to use one but I can see why people are keen to keep hold of them.

Regards

Steve

[Author]

Posts