Affinity Pedestal Question

[rp2813]

Hey guys, I'm having an issue with the pedestal drawer on my Affinity washer. It won't catch and stay closed. It used to be that it would sometimes slide open during spin when it had a heavy load.

Last week my partner came home with two 100 oz. bottles of Tide. Between the weight from those and the existing full gallon of bleach in the drawer, the drawer seems to be weighed down so much that it won't latch at all. If I lift on it, I can feel it trying to catch. I'm using the well-behaved drawer under the dryer as my "control" specimen.

So my question is, can I fix this myself? The machines are less than a year old so I presume I can call for a tech visit--if the pedestals are covered--but if it's not a huge project I'll take care of it on my own.

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks,

Ralph

 

[sudsmaster]

Wish I could help you with that one, Ralph.

I'd probably pull the entire pedestal out from under the washer to inspect it and the latching mechanism. It might be something as simple as bending some flimsy sheet metal into better position.

Can the drawer be pulled all the way out, as in removed? If so, then it might be possible to figure out where the latch is and how to make it work better.

Barring that, there's always duct tape, magnets, or velcro...

 

[revvinkevin]

So my question is, can I fix this myself?

Yes you can! Take both of those 100 oz bottles out fo the drawer!

(Ducks & runs!..........)

Sorry I couldn't resist!

Obviously it'a a matter of too much weight in the drawer. Try looking at the latch assembly and see if there in any adjustability built in, maybe you can adjust it enough to compensate for the added weight?

 

[rp2813]

Yeah Kevin, I am hoping I can adjust the latch. Unfortunately, this isn't covered in the owner's manual so I don't know where the latching mechanism is located. Logic would seem to indicate it's up top and not down below, but I don't see anything obvious.

No question that without those two Tides in there the situation isn't as bad, but the drawer would still sometimes slide open during spin even without anything in it at all.

Since the manufacturers always nail you on the cost of pedestals no matter how big a discount you may have gotten on the machines themselves, I want to be able to use the storage drawer as intended.

I've got a big load of towels in the washer right now, and of course the drawer is wide open as a result. Arrrrrrgggghhhh!

 

[rp2813]

P.S. Kevin

How about that "throwdown" between Bobby Flay and Pink's? He won! What's that about?

Ralph

 

[rp2813]

Rich, I haven't investigated much on how the drawer may be removed. One would think it would simply need to be lifted over some sort of bump in the rail mechanism but these don't seem to be your average drawer. I do think you're correct about bending something in the latching arrangement.

Velcro isn't a bad idea either. I don't know if I'll have the same type of luck with this issue as I did with the KA icemaker.

Ralph

 

[sudsmaster]

If the door or its frame are steel, then maybe you could run a 1/2" wide length of magnetic strip around it. It's available at most hardware stores. About 1/16" thick, peel and stick adhesive on one side. Kind of like what keeps a fridge door closed.

 

[rp2813]

Yeah Rich, I'll need to strike a balance between ease of pulling the drawer open and the need to keep it secured enough for a spin cycle full of towels. Meanwhile, the throw rug in front of the machines is keeping the drawer from rolling all the way open and blocking the path to the adjacent bathroom.

Ralph

 

[frigilux]

Use 1002: Duct tape!!