GE Front loader help needed
- Thread starter 58limited
- Start date
BROKEN SPIDERS
David congratulations on your purchase of a new SQ FL washer and thanks for going to the trouble of dissembling your old GE and documenting it for everyone to see.
The problem is that you should not have had a heavy build-up on the spider and in the seal area in the first place and if the new SQ is used in the same manner it may not fare much better. The only good thing about the SQ is if it has seal and bearing failure it is much cheaper and easier to repair.
But you truly need to use some combination of hotter water, softner water, more detergent or better detergent [ It is almost impossable to harm a washer in this manner buy using too much detergent and doing so will NEVER cause this type of build-up and damage ]. It interesting to note that in my long experance of working on residential and commerical washers [ which are the same machines in design and construction ] We NEVER see ANY build-up and damage in the commerical machines like yours experienced. We have seen Cheap Frigidarie FL washers used Commercially for many years and the spiders never fail even doing 10 loads per day for more than 8 years. Be especially careful to avoid using too cool wash water with liquid detergents and liquid fabric softener and using Cheap powered detergents like Arm and Hammer , Am-Way and the Sears detergents as these are the ones that we constantly see problems with unless you have perfectly soft water, liquid chlorine bleach used properly will also extent the life of any washer.
Good Luck with your new washer.
David congratulations on your purchase of a new SQ FL washer and thanks for going to the trouble of dissembling your old GE and documenting it for everyone to see.
The problem is that you should not have had a heavy build-up on the spider and in the seal area in the first place and if the new SQ is used in the same manner it may not fare much better. The only good thing about the SQ is if it has seal and bearing failure it is much cheaper and easier to repair.
But you truly need to use some combination of hotter water, softner water, more detergent or better detergent [ It is almost impossable to harm a washer in this manner buy using too much detergent and doing so will NEVER cause this type of build-up and damage ]. It interesting to note that in my long experance of working on residential and commerical washers [ which are the same machines in design and construction ] We NEVER see ANY build-up and damage in the commerical machines like yours experienced. We have seen Cheap Frigidarie FL washers used Commercially for many years and the spiders never fail even doing 10 loads per day for more than 8 years. Be especially careful to avoid using too cool wash water with liquid detergents and liquid fabric softener and using Cheap powered detergents like Arm and Hammer , Am-Way and the Sears detergents as these are the ones that we constantly see problems with unless you have perfectly soft water, liquid chlorine bleach used properly will also extent the life of any washer.
Good Luck with your new washer.
To 58limited and to Combo52
I know it may be a little bit belated, but Congratulations on your purchase.
I honestly hope this machine gives you many many years of trouble free service and that you don't find that the vibration is too bad.
After you receive the machine, please let us all know how you find it. I'm kind of curious to know how it performs in your environment.
I'm absolutely stymied as to what causes spider failure like what you experienced, this seems to be an extreme example of what happens, usually I've always just seen pictures of the spider cracked, instead of downright deterioration.
I'm trying my best to discourage my wife from washing in cold water, unless absolutely necessary. (ie. The labeling on the clothing calls for it.) We do tend to use cheaper detergent, but I'm planning on switching over to using HE Tide instead as I really like the smell. I find that just using standard liquid Tide does a great job if I use half the amount, but it does foam up a lot. (No sudslock though.)
If we had enough parts lying around, I personally would like to see a standard GE/Whirlpool/WCI/etc spider and a SQ spider soaked in non-diluted bleach for 12 hours. Then removed, cleaned, scrubbed, etc .. and see what they look like afterwards.
I've seen bleach dissolve aluminum (After cleaning something in a way I should not have, live and learn.) so this is the most extreme example I can think of.
If anything, this is more something out of curiosity more than anything else. At first, I thought this was galvanic corrosion, but after reading a good thread on here, apparently it's not.
There is a really good video from Alliance where they show them running a corrosive "Slime" through their machines for months on end. It makes me wonder what the components look like after all of this.
I know it may be a little bit belated, but Congratulations on your purchase.
I honestly hope this machine gives you many many years of trouble free service and that you don't find that the vibration is too bad.
After you receive the machine, please let us all know how you find it. I'm kind of curious to know how it performs in your environment.
I'm absolutely stymied as to what causes spider failure like what you experienced, this seems to be an extreme example of what happens, usually I've always just seen pictures of the spider cracked, instead of downright deterioration.
I'm trying my best to discourage my wife from washing in cold water, unless absolutely necessary. (ie. The labeling on the clothing calls for it.) We do tend to use cheaper detergent, but I'm planning on switching over to using HE Tide instead as I really like the smell. I find that just using standard liquid Tide does a great job if I use half the amount, but it does foam up a lot. (No sudslock though.)
If we had enough parts lying around, I personally would like to see a standard GE/Whirlpool/WCI/etc spider and a SQ spider soaked in non-diluted bleach for 12 hours. Then removed, cleaned, scrubbed, etc .. and see what they look like afterwards.
I've seen bleach dissolve aluminum (After cleaning something in a way I should not have, live and learn.) so this is the most extreme example I can think of.
If anything, this is more something out of curiosity more than anything else. At first, I thought this was galvanic corrosion, but after reading a good thread on here, apparently it's not.
There is a really good video from Alliance where they show them running a corrosive "Slime" through their machines for months on end. It makes me wonder what the components look like after all of this.
58limited
Well-known member
John, I always used either warm or hot cycles. When doing whites such as socks I used the sanitize feature. I used bleach with the whites too. I usually use Sauvital softener. I was using cheap bulk powdered detergent and not much at that. I always left the door open after a load was run.
The water here isn't too hard. It can take years to see any kind on mineral deposit form on my faucets and shower heads, very little if any mineral residue in the shower stall. I haven't had the water tested so I don't know its actual softness or hardness.
The part of the spider that corroded was the part that wouldn't be under water while running a cycle, but would probably get splashed. Or water would run down it towards the center as the drum rotated. So now I'm wondering if residues would splash or run onto this area , not be fully rinsed off, and cause corrosion. The center shaft is steel so there could have been a galvanic process going on too.
Again, if the manufacturers would simply powder coat these, problem solved (except for the possibility of stress cracking).
Bud, I looked at a a diagram of the SQ and it looks to have the same suspension/shock absorber set up that my GE had, so hopefully the vibration will be no worse.
The water here isn't too hard. It can take years to see any kind on mineral deposit form on my faucets and shower heads, very little if any mineral residue in the shower stall. I haven't had the water tested so I don't know its actual softness or hardness.
The part of the spider that corroded was the part that wouldn't be under water while running a cycle, but would probably get splashed. Or water would run down it towards the center as the drum rotated. So now I'm wondering if residues would splash or run onto this area , not be fully rinsed off, and cause corrosion. The center shaft is steel so there could have been a galvanic process going on too.
Again, if the manufacturers would simply powder coat these, problem solved (except for the possibility of stress cracking).
Bud, I looked at a a diagram of the SQ and it looks to have the same suspension/shock absorber set up that my GE had, so hopefully the vibration will be no worse.
whirlcool
Well-known member
Will AJ Madison install your machine, or just drop it off on your driveway?
58limited
Well-known member
They will if you pay more. I'm just having it delivered to the door. I'll do the rest.
58limited
Well-known member
The Speed Queen finally shipped on Thursday. There was a slight manufacturer back order but it is now on the way, will hopefully arrive next week.
whirlcool
Well-known member
Was that GE FL machine you had the Adora model?
58limited
Well-known member
Allen I really don't know - it didn't have a model name on it. I will say it never gave me any other problems and I liked how clean it got my clothes, it just broke suddenly.
mysteryclock
Well-known member
Post some pictures of your new SQ when she arrives!!
58limited
Well-known member
Will do! Estimated delivery is sometime between 3/20 and 4/5 - that means it will probably arrive on 8/17
58limited
Well-known member
The Speed Queen is in Houston. The delivery company only delivers to Port Arthur on Thursdays and next week's truck is full, so they told me that I have to wait until 4/12. They said I had to call the seller to see if there is any other delivery option (meaning another company to get it and bring it here). Needless to say I'm pissed. I called A.J. Madison at <span style="text-decoration: underline;">4:30</span> Eastern time (3:30 my time) today. Their answering system said "we are closed, our hours are 9am-<span style="text-decoration: underline;">5pm</span> M-F...." Needless to say, I'm even more pissed.
I ordered this on 2/20, there was a back order and it was shipped on 3/15 - supposed to be delivered within 14 business days which would be 4/5 at the latest. I'd see if I could go pick it up but my truck gets 10MPG and has a Chambers Imperial in the bed that I don't want to unload.
I ordered this on 2/20, there was a back order and it was shipped on 3/15 - supposed to be delivered within 14 business days which would be 4/5 at the latest. I'd see if I could go pick it up but my truck gets 10MPG and has a Chambers Imperial in the bed that I don't want to unload.
Spider corrosion.
Bought a GE WCVH6240FWW FL in late 2004. Bearings started to go about 3 months ago and now loose (12 years of service). I stood on the inner drum to see if the spider could take my weight and it appears still solid throughout its rotation. Unfortunately I don't have time to take it apart to inspect the spider. I never used fabric softener, rarely used LCB, mostly liquid detergent and never a lot, have very hard water, always left the door open and almost always used cold water.
Bought a GE WCVH6240FWW FL in late 2004. Bearings started to go about 3 months ago and now loose (12 years of service). I stood on the inner drum to see if the spider could take my weight and it appears still solid throughout its rotation. Unfortunately I don't have time to take it apart to inspect the spider. I never used fabric softener, rarely used LCB, mostly liquid detergent and never a lot, have very hard water, always left the door open and almost always used cold water.
This is essentially the same as the one I got rid of this summer. Bearings went, I bought it on clearance from a local appliance store in 2009 so it lasted 7 years. That said it was used pretty heavily sometimes multiple loads a day and I took no special care with it.
I disassembled the whole machine and stripped anything I could potentially use. It was difficult to take apart in certain places. Not really worth fixing in my opinion just based on parts costs and length of time to disassemble it.
I disassembled the whole machine and stripped anything I could potentially use. It was difficult to take apart in certain places. Not really worth fixing in my opinion just based on parts costs and length of time to disassemble it.
yogitunes
Well-known member
well, you did get 12 years out of it....
of anything, COLD water washing is most likely your worst enemy....
anything can be repaired, its a matter of mechanical skills, and wanting to tear into one of these....
or, start searching for a new one....
of anything, COLD water washing is most likely your worst enemy....
anything can be repaired, its a matter of mechanical skills, and wanting to tear into one of these....
or, start searching for a new one....
Martin - when friends and family ask my why their washer died, they typically give me an evil look back when I respond with the question, "how often do you wash with cold water?" Ignorance is bliss, at least with washing habits.
Ben
Ben
yogitunes
Well-known member
it is sort of a blessing Ben.....
and sometimes works to our benefits.....so many people wash in cold water, which either ends the machines life early, or the mold baffles them and they are off to a new machine....
theres another thread going on about mold issues and the machine not cleaning well....we encounter so many of them, almost wishing for a PDF file on our front page, follow these rules, and you will never have an issue....ever!....its not rocket science....
this only allows me to purchase these machines, super cheap or free from these people.....a bearing job, or just a simple clean out.....and I have a brand new machine, with my own laundry practices, will never see the issues its original owner has had.....
almost like adopting a pet from the shelter, giving it a second chance at a better home....
people will not wake up.....blaming the machine or manufacturers.....if it was truly the machine, wouldn't every machine built have the same problems....and wouldn't I have the same issues?....
like twisting their arm to use 3 gallons of hot water.....
and sometimes works to our benefits.....so many people wash in cold water, which either ends the machines life early, or the mold baffles them and they are off to a new machine....
theres another thread going on about mold issues and the machine not cleaning well....we encounter so many of them, almost wishing for a PDF file on our front page, follow these rules, and you will never have an issue....ever!....its not rocket science....
this only allows me to purchase these machines, super cheap or free from these people.....a bearing job, or just a simple clean out.....and I have a brand new machine, with my own laundry practices, will never see the issues its original owner has had.....
almost like adopting a pet from the shelter, giving it a second chance at a better home....
people will not wake up.....blaming the machine or manufacturers.....if it was truly the machine, wouldn't every machine built have the same problems....and wouldn't I have the same issues?....
like twisting their arm to use 3 gallons of hot water.....
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