Should I get my old Kenmore direct drive washer fixed?

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Zoey

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I have a used 2003 Kenmore 110.26652500 that produced a strong burning smell last time I used it. It had gradually gotten louder and there was an oily leak underneath for a couple of years so the transmission may be dry.

This is the 2nd used direct drive I've had in the last 10 years. They've worked great and I love that they're cheap to buy and fix. Unfortunately, I'm no longer physically able to work on them myself. I'm wondering if I hire someone to fix it, will it be affordable to keep it going since I'll have to pay someone else to do it.
Also, how long will parts be available?

There's a guy on Craigslist who fixes direct drives and sells "reconditioned" ones.

I don't like the new top loaders with their plastic parts, control boards and fancy cycles. Plus, it sounds like I'll be lucky to get 5 years out of one. I don't know if front loaders are any more reliable but they don't interest me and Speed Queen is out of my price range.
 
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I should've said, is it worth it if I have to start paying someone else to fix it? Say, for example, it needs an expensive repair like a new transmission. Would that be prohibitively expensive to pay for since I can't rebuild it myself?
 
It does sound like you may have a transmission problem. Best to talk to the repair guy you know and see what they think but I would not put several hundred dollars into the machine.

There’s still a lot of good used ones out there and a new whirlpool built top loader will easily last you a decade or more, like how many loads are you doing a week?

And don’t be afraid of a front loading washer, you’ll be amazed at how much nicer your clothing look coming out of one cleaner and better rinsed almost all the serious washer users today. Agree with this

We’re selling quite a few of the whirlpool full-size front loaders in the $750 range. They’re great machines you won’t be able to believe how easily you can wash even big blankets and comforters and how nice your clothing looks. Depending on your utility rates the machine may pay for itself long before it’s worn out.

John L
 
I can comment that while these are good washers, you get to a point where you just need to let it go. I have an 07 DD and was changing the neutral drain on the transmission. I didn't realize that the tooth slipped out when I was draining the oil and after assembling all of it the connecting gear broke. So now I am out a transmission $200 ish. I replaced the upper and lower seals as they were leaking and the top one went within a year. I have been told that the bearings are probably shot that caused the premature wear. Just recently I replaced the seals on the transmission, another $40 there and when I put everything back together, the washer is moving around like crazy. It could be the bearings but not 100% sure as it just started after the reinstall.

I also have a rusted/rotting inner tub which is another $150. And this is just the cost of parts. It keeps adding up to keep these things going.

I'm calling in the towel on the unit. I am probably going to get the Maytag commercial grade 586 or an LG front loader. Yes both of these won't last 10 years but at least I can replace the parts (as long as the board doesn't go since they cost $300+)

For someone that is no longer able to repair these it is not cost effective to keep fixing them up.

Just my 2 cents on this.
 
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For my DD, the parts are available, it just keeps adding, $40 for the transmission seals, $30 for the neutral drain which are wasted now that the transmission is done for. $150 for the tub, $40-50 for the two seals, $80 for the bearings. And that is if nothing else is failing.
 
npolite said:
I can comment that while these are good washers, you get to a point where you just need to let it go. I have an 07 DD and was changing the neutral drain on the transmission. I didn't realize that the tooth slipped out when I was draining the oil and after assembling all of it the connecting gear broke. So now I am out a transmission $200 ish. I replaced the upper and lower seals as they were leaking and the top one went within a year. I have been told that the bearing are probably shot that caused the premature wear. Just recently I replaced the seals on the transmission, another $40 there and when I put everything back together, the washer is moving around like crazy. It could be the bearings but not 100% sure as it just started after the reinstall.

I also have a rusted/rotting inner tub which is another $150. And this is just the cost of parts. It keeps adding up to keep these things going.

I'm calling in the towel on the unit. I am probably going to get the Maytag commercial grade 586 or an LG front loader. Yes both of these won't last 10 years but at least I can replace the parts (as long as the board doesn't go since they cost $300+)

For someone that is no longer able to repair these it is not cost effective to keep fixing them up.

Just my 2 cents on this.
Click to expand...
Direct drives can have issues with the transmission, there’s more pieces inside which can fail. Belt drives on the other hand, have few parts inside and since everything is made of cast iron, will last for a long, long time. Only things that can fail inside a belt drive transmission is the shifter fork spring(s), shifter fork assembly but that’s about it. There can be issues with the cam bar assembly along with the control magnet assembly but those are external to the transmission.
 
combo52 said:
It does sound like you may have a transmission problem. Best to talk to the repair guy you know and see what they think but I would not put several hundred dollars into the machine.

There’s still a lot of good used ones out there and a new whirlpool built top loader will easily last you a decade or more, like how many loads are you doing a week?

And don’t be afraid of a front loading washer, you’ll be amazed at how much nicer your clothing look coming out of one cleaner and better rinsed almost all the serious washer users today. Agree with this

We’re selling quite a few of the whirlpool full-size front loaders in the $750 range. They’re great machines you won’t be able to believe how easily you can wash even big blankets and comforters and how nice your clothing looks. Depending on your utility rates the machine may pay for itself long before it’s worn out.

John L
Click to expand...
Thanks. I do about 2 loads a week.
 
npolite said:
For my DD, the parts are available, it just keeps adding, $40 for the transmission seals, $30 for the neutral drain which are wasted now that the transmission is done for. $150 for the tub, $40-50 for the two seals, $80 for the bearings. And that is if nothing else is failing.
Click to expand...
Thanks. That's what I'm afraid of. But the new top loaders don't sound like they're built to last. Even the LG front loaders have many negative reviews.
 
maytag85 said:
Direct drives can have issues with the transmission, there’s more pieces inside which can fail. Belt drives on the other hand, have few parts inside and since everything is made of cast iron, will last for a long, long time. Only things that can fail inside a belt drive transmission is the shifter fork spring(s), shifter fork assembly but that’s about it. There can be issues with the cam bar assembly along with the control magnet assembly but those are external to the transmission.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that's interesting. Are you referring to top load belt drives?
 
Like anything else you are going to have negative reviews on everything. People just don't want to take the time to care for their stuff. I've seen posts of the ringtub being cracked on direct drives. Like how on earth does someone crack the ringtub?

Will these last as long as the older units, no way. I do watch LAAppliance guy and a lot of the stuff he gets are drain issues and tub bearings. The spider gears will eventually go on a top loader but that is hopefully in 10 years.
 
npolite said:
Like anything else you are going to have negative reviews on everything. People just don't want to take the time to care for their stuff. I've seen posts of the ringtub being cracked on direct drives. Like how on earth does someone crack the ringtub?

Will these last as long as the older units, no way. I do watch LAAppliance guy and a lot of the stuff he gets are drain issues and tub bearings. The spider gears will eventually go on a top loader but that is hopefully in 10 years.
Click to expand...
I get the impression it's more like 5 years if you're lucky, based on the voluminous number of negative reviews on the new top loaders. Then there are the Whirlpool brands with the defective control boards and extended waits for replacement.

I thought about getting an extended warranty but Home Depot and Lowes are only 5 years and it sounds like a challenge getting service under them. Not sure what I'm going to do.
 
It's going to get very expensive quickly if you can't do the work yourself.....probably into new machine price territory. At 2 loads a week, you're unlikely to wear out an LG front loader in less than 15 years. This is coming from a hardcore vintage top loader enthusiast.
 
qsd-dan said:
It's going to get very expensive quickly if you can't do the work yourself.....probably into new machine price territory. At 2 loads a week, you're unlikely to wear out an LG front loader in less than 15 years. This is coming from a hardcore vintage top loader enthusiast.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I wash all my clothes in cold water and hang them to dry and they last forever. I got the impression that front loaders don't do so well with cold water. Is that true?
 
Zoey said:
Thanks. I wash all my clothes in cold water and hang them to dry and they last forever. I got the impression that front loaders don't do so well with cold water. Is that true?
Click to expand...
Neither top load nor front load washers jive well with constant cold water washes. Top loaders are just more forgiving....for awhile. If you run a cleaning cycle on the front loader twice a month, you'll probably have a cleaner outer drum than the DD....which is very notorious for buildup at the very top (thanks to the neutral drain) and bottom of the outer plastic tub, especially with cold washes.

I have clothes I've been washing in a Maytag top loader (and drying) for 32 years (same slim figure the entire duration). They are not worn out yet and that includes 120F warm washes, spray rinses, and deep rinses. A front loader will be significantly gentler on your clothes compared to a DD.
 

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