Goodbye, direct drive WP's

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was a long run...my local damaged freight store still has a
brand new "estate"DD of 2008 vintage-it has minor damage to
the top of the panel.
 
Back up! The new top-loaders are back to belt-driven? What gives? Whose engineering is it? What is it like? Anyone have pics or diagrams?

I'm so confused............
 
wow!!! Every time I hear one of those thunka thunka thunka noises in a youtube video I cringe. I don't have real fond thoughts of my LK shredmore sitting in the garage.
 
well what type of drive is the new maytag top loader that still has an agitator in the tub? I though maybe we might still see Ropers in DD but you can only get those at Lowes.
 
The new Whirlpools will be like the Whirlpool World Washer is what I've heard, on the order of this one.

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Thunk-a Thunk-a

I too wont really miss the noisy DD machines. However, speaking of the GE Hydrowave. I haven't seen them at my local Lowes in a while. At least not the one with the full agitator. Only that silly short-shaft machine. Which is what I will forever call them :P

Malcolm
 
The lack of a need for a transmission is a great cost-saver (and can't hurt reliability any) and they probably do a wider arc during agitation. I won't complain.........
 
I kinda miss my 3 Speed 90 Series Kenmore Elite

That machine was a workhorse, with a "total care agitator" aka triple action agitator, on medium speed it was quite gentle on clothes, with six speed combo selections, and a big boxy moncromatic console, wide opening lid, and typical Whirlpool indentation at the bottom of the cabinet. This will be one of my favorite Kenmore machines of all time. This washer was a real workhorse, I bought it brand new in 2003, left it to my ex-wife after our divorce. Sadly the only TRUE workhorse left on the market is made by Speed Queen.
Mike
 
Kenmore 90 Series Elite

mtn1584, I think I have the same machine you mentioned above. Bought it new in March 2002 and haven't had a problem since. 3 speed motor, 6 wash combinations, wide mouth lid, and quiet pak II. Quiet machine except when set to heavy duty(fast wash action) speed. What is amazing is that in spin cycle(even a fast one) the machine is very stable. Put your hand on top of the lid while it's spinning and you can definitely tell there is something going on beneath, but at the same time the machine is shakes very little.

I did notice that Sears has an "800 Series" washer which has a similar look and feature set so I wonder if that is the "new" version of this washer. The only thing it doesn't have is the user adjustable water level. Seems they want to let the machine determine how much water is needed now. The control console on that machine doesn't look anywhere near as nice as the older 90 Series/Elite models though.
 
THE NEW BD WP WASHERS

The new washer is based on the world washer design that came out over 20 years ago. It is being sold as an impeller machine now but a regular agitator design is also available. It is not much like a GE Hydrowave as the WP still has a transmission and a brake solenoid to release the brake and shift into spin. The new washer has been greatly improved in quality and durability over the WW and is much easier to disassemble and repair. I would wager that WP has a winner with this machine they really did thier home work on this one. The original BD washers were in production from 1947-1987 40 years, the DD washers came out in a limited fashion in 1981 and may make it to almost 30 years. I suspect that more DD washers were made than BDs or any other automatic washer in history and may go down as the most successful washer in history when everything is considered. Often when we think of DD washers we think only of the basic cheap models that everyone has had. But there are some really fun DD washers out there such as the LK electronic models, the three speed models, the catalyst cleaning machines and the neat Resource Saver washers. Now is the time to get these as they are plentiful and easy to fix.
 
@gr81nknox

That was the exact washer I was talking about, except mine had a variable water level, and I had the exact same dryer. I had mine in "bisque." Thanks for the photo
Mike
 
I have read where these machines that have the agitator version have a max spin speed of 700 RPMs. And the ones with the wash impeller can spin out at 800 RPMs.
 
How fast do these machines spin? For the laundromat guys maybe a viable/safe option has presented itself here. alr2903
 
WP WW WASHER VIDEO

In the posted video the load shown has far too much water for the amount of clothing and it may have a bad tub brake?. Of the hundreds of WWers I have worked on and used I have never seen one with the clothes swimming around like the one shown.
 
I am not real fond of the "World washers" at all and they work a lot like the top loading Electrolux line of agitating washers.I Hate that method all together.Too much water and the movement or "indexing " of the tub during agitation pulls the clothes away from the agitation.
 
De-evolution

I feel somehow that we're taking steps in the wrong direction. At some point did we forget how to build a top-load washer? I wonder what's next, maybe we'll try to hook an engine to the washer, it'll have to be a 400hp V8 and do 1/2 load to the gallon. Or better yet maybe washers will just work on osmosis and because we think it's washing it must be... oh wait!

Say what you will, I will sorely miss the DD washers. I'm am just absolutely disgusted with these new machines, mostly I think because these are "just appliances". If you care how the machine washes or take enjoyment of any sort watching the machine run, there is nothing in it for you period. I recently had a chance to play with a portable WW and this particular one didn't even have a spin only cycle. I also do not like the noise the motors produce, instead of the woo-woo or clunka clunka it like a nylon zipper going up and down. It sounds like some sore of robotics going on in there.

I guess I should just face the fact that I'm just not able to like these new HE TL's yet, and won't have anything especially nice to say about them. I hope they grow on me, but I fear that if that happens, I'll pretty much be done with the hobby.

Annoyed at modern appliances,

-Tim
 
modern washer sounds

Tim, I totally agree with you on the "robotic" sounds of the new washers. My parents recently purchased a top load Kenmore HE with the wash plate(KM version of the Whirlpool Cabrio) and they had it running several weeks ago when I was by for a visit. I kept hearing a low "hum..hum..hum" coming from their laundry closet and finally asked what the heck it was. It didn't even sound like it was moving very fast, but I couldn't tell because the lid locks before it even fills! After having a 90 series Kenmore for over 15 years, my parents love the new machine and they say it works well. I'll reserve judgement until I bring a load of laundry over sometime and try it out myself. Never thought I'd appreciate the "traditional" sounds of an old school washer before!
 
Don't like the sound of that machine at all-and if it has electronic drive operating a reversing motor and it reverses on each agitator stroke-that has got to put stress on the motor and even the belt.Would pass on this design-KEEP THE DD.WP- SHRED the plans for this World machine--and crush the new gear needed to make it-a large Leach 2R would be up to the job!I think for reliability would take a transmission and a belt or drive-and motor that turns in one direction.The constant reversing-I forsee lots of cooked motors,worn belts and blown motor drive circuits.
 
Hydrowave

I think the Hydrowave is much easier to deal with on the sound issue. All you really hear is water movement in the tub.

Malcolm
 
WPs NEW TOP LOAD WASHERS

I am glad that WP chose to make an all new TL washer in this country rather than just abandoning the top load market. Frigidare and SQ are likely to stop making TL washers all together in the next three years or so. The world washers have been around for more than 20 years and have had no motor problems and very few control problems and the drive belt in the new washers has been beefed up to a polly-vee belt and will likely out last the washer. This is the same type of belt that takes the stress of constant reversing heavy wet loads in FL washers and how many people do you know that are replacing many belts on the new FL washers? I don't think our company has sold even two FL washer belts in the last ten years.I know we may not like the new machines as well [ me included ] but I predict that it will be a very successful design for WP and will be more durable than any washer WP has ever made.
 
Motor Reverses for Agitation

That's been the basis of all domestic TL machines made in Australia since the mid 80's.

Some were direct drive, others belt driven and usually done with very low technology. It most cases you ended up with a couple of reduction gears, rather than a reciprocating gearbox. The design has proven to be very reliable with most machines good for 10-15years with no service.

Other than it's change which nobody likes, these designs should be just as reliable as the DD Machines.
 

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