Is It Curtains For The Affinity?

[rp2813]

At what should be the still-ripening age of 9, our Affinity FL has started to make a racket whenever it goes into final spin, as if every load is poorly balanced.  It shudders and whacks its way up to speed, then the whacking sound lessens but doesn't go away completely.  In general, it seems a lot louder during spin than it used to be -- even without the whacking, but it's more of a roar than a growl.  It's gotten to the point that I feel like the '57 Combination fridge across from it is in grave danger.

 

Could this just be a suspension issue, or does that muted growl I hear when I give the basket a spin by hand mean that I should start shopping for a replacement?  If it's a bearing or spider issue, repairing it myself is a bigger job than I care to take on.

 

[yogitunes]

if when you spin the tub by hand, and you get the growling sound, then I would say its your bearings....

I believe yours is a direct drive, so it doesn't apply here, but I have had a sound once that I thought was the bearings, but was actually the bearings in the motor causing the noise...

and if you shook the whole mechanism, and hear a knocking sound, then I would say your suspension is having an issue.......

you were never fond of this machine anyway....may be consider it a blessing I disguise...

 

[frigilux]

What you have, Ralph, is a retirement plan: Keep using it 'til it explodes, then sue for emotional distress and property damage.

 

[steved]

Similar issue

My sister’s Affinity started to make a noise in spin but nothing too awful. It got worse and then it stopped working. She called for Service but they couldn’t get there for a week, so I pulled the back off and discovered that the belt came off. Further investigation revealed a groove scraped in the back of the tub housing on one side. I thought the pulley was warped but instead, the set screw holding it to the bearing was loose, causing it to wobble in spin. I re-tightened it, using a little locktite and it’s been fine ever since. That was about two months ago.

 

[rp2813]

Well, I may have panicked over nothing.  I think a couple of marginally balanced loads got me worried, but one of them was fairly light, with just a tablecloth and ten napkins.  I get that it's going to make noise with heavier items, but when it did it with the table linens, I assumed the worst.

 

I just ran a single heavy protective mattress pad through it and I was confident it would present a balancing issue and produce the whacking noise.  Wouldn't you know it, the machine balanced it quite well in advance of the final spin and there was no whacking.  It's still kind of loud, but it's quiet while tumbling during the wash and rinse modes.  The muted growl I hear when I turn the tub by hand is probably normal for a machine this age.  With any luck there might be a few years left in this thing after all. 

 

Thanks for the advice.  I'll remember it if things take a turn, so to speak.