1968 Kenmore has stopped spinning at all

[tallboyyyy]

My 1968 Kenmore 110.6814700 washer has recently stopped spinning. The last few times I used it the spin would start off very slow and I'd grab the basket and give it a shove and it would pick up speed until it was spinning normally. This would be for the first spin. It spun up fine on the final spin. Now it doesn't spin at all although it sounds like spin is engaging. I've tried spinning the basket by hand but no dice. It seems like nothing is even trying to spin the basket. A few times in the past after not using it for a month or so the basket wouldn't spin when spin engaged but it seemed like the basket was stuck and I'd give it a push and it would immediately catch and spin up fine and be OK for multiple loads after that. There are very few videos of belt drive Kenmore/Whirlpool repair on YouTube and none dealing with spin issues so I have no idea what to look at or even where to begin. The only repair I've ever done is replace the belt several years ago and repair some rust holes in the outer tub within the last year. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[maytag85]

I’ll let the other experts chime in, but sounds like it could be an issue with the spin clutch (not super common on these belt dives, but I’m sure it’s happened over the years), or the retainer for the clutch yoke.

 

[maytag85]

I think it may possibly be ready for a rebuild at this point. In the one video that was uploaded to YouTube, there was a rust hole in the center post and various other pinholes on the outer tub.

Since I’ve dealt with issues on my Whirlpool (been there, done that), it’s best to go through everything while you have everything all apart. Been through that machine at least 20 times in the 5 years I’ve owned it, possibly 30 at this point fixing things here and there.

 

[kenmoreman]

Tighten the belt or replace it if it’s one

 

[kenmoreman]

Worn! Let me know what you find

 

[combo52]

Non-spinning 1968 Kenmore Belt Dr. washer

You likely have tight center post bearings, but more likely a worn out clutch, clutches were not very durable in the late 60s in whirlpool and Ken wear washers. They tended not to have a lot of grabbing power and when things got old they didn’t spin very well and needed a major repair.

Problem is today to tear apart of machine this old repair or replaced the clutch you’ve got a big job on your hand to do it right.

John L

 

[maytag85]

I imagine the bearings are tight, if you skip to the 2:12 mark, you’ll see a pinhole through the center post. I tried to politely explain that you might as well go through everything while it’s out of service, but got a response with “There’s the expensive way that will work, there’s the cheap way that will work, sometimes the cheap way works”. Even suggested welding up the rust holes in the outer tub, but someone else mentioned about using JB Water Weld.

Since I’ve been through my Whirlpool who knows how many times, you are better off doing things the correct way even if it might cost more than cutting corners and having to disassemble the machine once a year and risk introducing other issues that may pop up in the future.