Direct Drive Whirlpool Wash Machine Question

[forever_maytag]

Hello Everyone!

I've heard the direct drive top loader Whirlpools are made the same today as they were back in the mid 1980s when they came out. I looked at a modern one recently and it had plastic gears and a plastic outer tub. Did they have that back then or is that something more recent to cheapen them up? Thanks!

 

[norfolksouthern]

They've always had the plastic outer tub, and so far none of the ones I found have leaked. And yes, a 20 year old transmission is going to have the same nylon gear that the new ones do. If it ain't broke, why fix it?

NorfolkSouthern

 

[lebron]

nylon gear

are we referring to the coupler? or are there actually nylon gears inside the tranny? seems unlikely

 

[qsd-dan]

or are there actually nylon gears inside the tranny?

Maybe not nylon, but some sort of material that resembles plastic gears.

Maytag used plastic gears in the orbital trans, which began in July of 1986.

 

[norfolksouthern]

The drive couplers available today are considerably better than the older design. The plastic splines that go into the rubber drive grommet are beefier, for one, and the black rubber grommet feels a little harder. Also, I changed the coupler on an older machine and it had a white grommet (instead of black) which had a flimsy plastic feel.

About the only compromise with Whirlpool's most recent direct-drive top loaders is the automatic temperature control. It doesn't get the water as hot as a standard mixer valve, and this compromises performance according to some people. I rarely use hot water, and my cloths seem to come out just fine. So, I probably wouldn't notice much of a difference. I also use strait detergent, with no bleach and again, I've never had a problem.

NorfolkSouthern

 

[toploader1984]

i just changed the pinion gear inside my dd estate machine, (the plastic gear inside gearcase) it was not going into spin, and making a terrible banging noise, so i took the gearcase apart and sure enough, all the teeth were shaved off the plastic gear inside the tranny, direct drive machines can NOT handle heavy loads. the bfs brother overloaded it, thank god i have my filter flo, the direct drive machine was the bfs b4 we bought our house together, it was sitting on his back porch broken, only a year old, i told him i would fix it. there is NO way i was going to use the shredmore on my clothes. i used a direct drive machine for years at the apartment laundry and hated it, although, the machine i hate MOST is the newer GE machines, the basic top loading models, i had one in my other apt, that had a one piece agitator that literally ripped EVERYTHING i put in there, i hate short face agitation strokes! that machine had almost no rollover even half full of clothes and on the highest water level!

 

[maytagmightyjj]

Shreadmore?

I've never understood how people have so many problems with the dual action (Corkscrew) agitators-- my mother has had a Whirpool for the last 20 years and no clothes were ever torn, ripped or worn from it-- Yes- it does agitate pretty quickly and with a short stroke until it drops down to the slower speed. I have a Maytag I bought last year (Whirltag is a better word) and I have not had any problems with pre-mature wear on my clothes but I do use plenty of water and never overload the machine. I think Whirlpool designed these so clothes would get clean when people cram them full. I never realized there were so many people that just threw their clothes into a washer, dumped in detergent, and never check on them again until the cycle has finished.-- I think the key to any washer is not to overload it and take care of it, and if its a decent machine to start with, it will last.

 

[autowasherfreak]

I wonder if my old Kenmore DD is still running from 1992/93? It was a great machine, I had no problems with ripping or tearing. I gave back to my mother when I had to move into an apartment. After a year or so I told her to sell the set.

 

[kenmore81]

I wonder if my old Kenmore DD is still running from 1992/93

I bet it is still running Jim. If the one I bought new for my cousin in 1997 is still going with only 1 repiar then yours could still be running. I say that because her and her sis are kinda like the type to set it n forget it, and cram the house into it. One sister more than the other, but the one that really crams sitll lives there and her 2 kids and there 2 kids so that poor shreddmore has been thru alot the poor thing lol.

 

[norfolksouthern]

I just fixed a 1993 Kenmore 70, and it runs as good as new. So chances are, your mother's old machine may still be going, as long as the new owner doesn't get an inkling for a new front loader.

I have been using these direct drives for years, and never had a problem with wear and tear on clothing. Of course, I don't overload them and use enough water to insure good rollover. I may sound nutty, but I actually prefer the shredmores and shredpools over the GE filter Flos for regular use. They clean great, parts are easy to get and cheap, and they also prolong the life of the more highly collectible stuff.

NorfolkSouthern

 

[revvinkevin]

Shreadmore? In my experience, yes!

I used to have one of the early Kenmore DD washers. It was a 1984 - 24" wide, std. capacity machine, not quite BOL, but close and did not have a DA agitator.

One time I did a load of darks, which consisted of mostly shirts and was NOT overloaded. After the load finished I noticed one of my shirts actually WAS damaged. The liner sewn into the lapel and collar was now pulled loose, torn and tangled in knots. The shirt was about a year old, in good condition and had only been worn only occationally.