Modifying Old Maytag Top Loaders with drop coin mechs.

[SudsMan]

Does anyone have any experience in changing from a coin chute to an electronic drop coin mechanism on the older Maytag top loaders? I'm at $1.25 and would like to go to $1.50 so my 5 up chute is maxed out. I bought a Set-O-Matic, even after their engineer told me it wouldn't fit, and gues what? He was right!!! Imagine that! But, I don't give up easily. I can see where some steel would have to be cut out to allow the coin to drop into the collection drawer. Anybody tried this mod?

I also looked into using an 8 up chute. But that too has a problem with having to cut steel out of the way to allow the coins to drop.

Any suggestions are greatfully accepted. TNX.

[Rondo]

If you don't have a Computertrac Maytag then you can't use a coindrops. The timers on the old Maytags are mechanical. Your best bet is to buy a vertical 8s and use a cutoff saw to cut out the area under the coin slide. One tip buy extra blades.

[SudsMan]

Hi Rondo, thanks for the input, especially the extra blades advice! The folks at Set-O-Matic say that the drop coin will work with the manual timer since it, some how, advances the motor of the timer. The installation calls for breaking into the motor leads of the timer so maybe it can be done.

But what I'm concerned about is the "body work" that has to be done. I think the vertical 8 would be easier to do.

Have you done this conversion?

[JeffLange]

You are spending alot of money on 15 + year old machines. Maybe you should consider buying some new ones. It may also increase business.

[SudsMan]

Yes, the machines are old but they are in very good operational and appearence shape. We've kept them up to snuff all these years. I have a hard time justifying $7-800 for new machines when these are doing well with no complaints from our customers. Hence the desire to change the coin chute. We are averaging 5-6 TPD on these units. I do plan on investing in additional 30# and 50# front loaders. We only have 6 30# now. Need more.

[Rondo]

Sudsman, I have converted over 20 of them, some are different then others, some require more cutting then others. You'll need a hammer and chisell and a good pair of channel locks also. You'll have to cut and chisell the metal then bend it back and forth to remove it. If I remember right you'll have to buy some 2 or 3 " bolts to mount up the new slides. But that will depend on which brand of slides you get.

[MrsNewMat]

I know I should dump my Maytag top loaders but they are in good working condition and I can't justify dumping them. Few of my elder customers specifically come to the Mat for them.

I have only two left at $1.25 and I want to change it to $2.00. Messing around with a good Coin slide to force it in is not my cup of tea.

Does anyone make/sell 8 coin slide for this?

[DaveLevenson]

I have a dozen Maytag Top-Loaders with Greenwald Vertical-8 slides. I don't know if they were originally built that way, but I don't see evidence of "body work" in the cabinetry around the slides. Mine are set to vend for $1.75. My beef with these slides, however, is that they are very lax about accepting anything remotely similar to a quarter. I get lots of Chinese 5-Fen pieces which are worth about $0.00625 if you can find anybody who wants them. I wish I could replace them with drops, but they are mechanically linked to the timers, and there doesn't appear to be any provision for an electric start-signal.

[Monarch]

We have page on this on our website under technical notes. Basically any Maytag 1988 or before needs what some of you have called "body work" to accept anything larger than a V5. If the opening into which the chute goes has curved sides, then the corners must be squared out with a rasp, but no wider than the extreme parts of the curve. You will also need new mounting bolts when you get your replacements chutes, the old ones have #12 thread, all new ones are 1/4-20 thread. Then what can be the tricky part. There is a grid over some of the funnels. That has to go away. Some of them snap on, others are a part of the funnel, and that when you need the sawsall to cul along the front. You will also want to make a slit down the leading edge of the funnel and spread the sides to that the slot on the V8 at the outer sides will be able to fall into the funnel. It can be done, but is isn't fun.
This applies no matte which V8 you want to use. It will extend the life of the machine a bit more.
Norman for Monarch