Tornado PS Spotter 98220 Plain Washer .171 in. ID 19914

The Tornado PS Spotter 98220 Plain Washer .171 in. ID (part# 19914) is the genuine OEM washer used on the recovery tank float assembly of the PS Series professional spotter. Tornado’s dealer catalog lists it as “Washer Plain .171 ID (Nick)” — a plain flat washer with a .171 inch inside diameter in a nickel finish.

Compatible Models for the Plain Washer .171 in. ID

• Tornado PS Spotter 98220 — PS Series professional spotter, 115V, on the recovery tank float assembly

Tornado’s factory cross-reference returns this washer for the 98220 only. It is one of the small items the manufacturer began itemising separately on the 2024 tank drawing, which is why it has its own part number instead of arriving inside a hardware kit. If you are working on another machine, call us at 763-535-0770 with the model and serial number and we will identify the correct washer for it.

What the washer does here

A plain washer spreads the load of a fastener over a wider area than the screw head alone. In the float assembly that is doing real work: the parts it bears against are thin and the fastener is small, so without the washer the head bites into the material and the joint loses its clamp as the material deforms.

It also sets the spacing the float assembly needs. The float has to be free to rise and fall on the stack, and a washer missing from the stack-up changes how the parts sit relative to each other. That is why a washer is not an optional extra on reassembly — it is a dimension, not just a packing piece.

The .171 inch inside diameter is sized to the #8 hardware Tornado uses throughout this tank area. A washer with a looser bore lets the fastener move off-centre; a tighter one will not pass over the thread at all.

When to replace it

Replace the washer if it is dished or cupped rather than flat — a washer that has bent has already given up the bearing area it was fitted for. Replace it if it is burred around the bore, if the surface is corroded, or if the finish has worn through and rust is forming, since a rusting washer stains the parts around it and seizes against the fastener.

In practice the most common reason to buy one is that it has gone missing. Small washers disappear into a tank during service and are routinely left out on reassembly, and a float assembly rebuilt without its washers develops play that looks like a worn float.

Fitting notes

Note the order of the parts before you take a float assembly apart — washers, floats and flappers go back in a specific sequence and photographing the stack-up before disassembly takes a few seconds and saves a second trip. Keep the washer flat as the fastener comes up and do not over-tighten: a #8 fastener into thin material will strip or distort long before the washer is at risk. Twin City Vacuum has been selling and servicing Tornado equipment since 1956 and stocks spotter tank hardware in Crystal, Minnesota.

You can browse every assembly for this machine on our Tornado PS Spotter 98220 parts page, and the manufacturer’s specifications are published at tornadovac.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size is the Plain Washer 19914?

It has a .171 inch inside diameter and a nickel finish, sized for the #8 hardware Tornado uses in the spotter’s tank area.

What does the Plain Washer do on the Tornado PS Spotter 98220?

It spreads the fastener’s clamp load over a wider area so the head does not bite into thin material, and it sets part of the spacing the float assembly needs to move freely on the vacuum stack.

Can I leave the washer out when reassembling the float?

No. Leaving it out changes how the parts sit in the stack-up and lets the joint lose its clamp as the material deforms, which shows up as play in the float assembly that is easily mistaken for a worn float.

How do I order the Plain Washer (part# 19914) or get help?

You can add the Plain Washer (part# 19914) directly to your cart on this page, or call us at 763-535-0770. Our staff at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428 has been servicing Tornado equipment since 1956 and can help confirm the right part for your machine.

Questions? Call us at 763-535-0770 or visit us at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428.