Kenmore Direct drive minor issues, help please!

[dustin92]

I picked up a Kenmore 24" direct drive a couple days ago (for the friends that have the old crabby belt drive portable), and it's in pretty good condition overall, but I have one issue and a question. The issue is the tub tilts to the right during the wash and rinse cycles, although it seems to spin fine. The problem is, when it fills for the rinse, the tub is already tilted to the right and forward, which causes some of the fill stream to go onto the tub ring and then the floor. Springs maybe? My question is, being that this is a large capacity machine rather than a super capacity, will I be causing any extra wear or damage to the machine by installing a dual action agitator from a super capacity machine? This is a pretty low end machine, no delicate cycle, single speed washer. It currently has the small gray one piece agitator with the weird looking fins about halfway up the barrel and doesn't turn the load over very well. I tried a load with the dual action agitator and it worked great, but I wouldn't want to damage anything by installing it permanently. The agitator I'd like to install came from a lower end new style belt drive (vmw) and it does fit. Are all direct drive machines run by the same components regardless of capacity? I've already ordered a new drive coupler just to be safe, everything else seems to be fine.

 

[whirlykenmore78]

Tub lean and DAA:

Tub lean can be caused by a number of things AFIK springs are just one of them.  I'll let others chime in on that.  If you want to improve turn-over the most in that machine you need the DAA with the upswept base.  I found it on Sears Parts Direct.  I would check with John L. Combo52 or some of the other repair men here as they may have a good used one.

WK78

 

[dustin92]

I've used a couple machines with the dual action agitator that has the curved base, and while it was an improvement over the one piece agitator, I can't say I was terribly impressed. They seemed to pull the whole load to the bottom and didn't turn over a whole lot better. I wasn't planning on purchasing an agitator, being that this was a free machine, and I'll be giving it away, but since I had the dual action agitator from a super capacity machine (and the machine itself will likely become parts), I thought if it wouldn't hurt anything, why not? Like I said, I did run a load with it and the turnover is greatly improved, but I will leave the one piece in if it might cause damage (ie the larger fins putting excess stress on the motor and transmission, if they aren't the same used in the super capacity machines).

 

[searsbest]

KM DD

good little workhorse of a machine you have. I am a service tech for sears and see these machines on a regular basis with few problems. the tub lean could be caused by a broken counterweight spring which attaches the tub to the base for stability, or the spring itself worn through the base of the machine and is disconnected, easily fixed by drilling a new hole next to the old one and putting a dab of grease on the spring where it attaches to the base to keep it from happening again. Could also be that the skate plate that the tub sits on is out of alignment easily fixed by picking the tub up slightly and kinda wiggling it back and forth. As fo changing the agitator..go for it! The mechanics of these machines are all the same, as long as it fits properly it wont be a problem..hope this info helps

Scott

 

[yogitunes]

sometimes you would find an agitator like in this link on those smaller capacity machines, some even had 5 shorter vanes.....

but makes no difference, as Scott said, if it fits, it will work fine just the same.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KENMORE-WASHER-AGITATOR-PART-63901-3350832-/381797961889?hash=item58e4ee90a1:g:xJ8AAOSwpLNX8rBa

 

[dustin92]

Thanks for the help, I will check out the springs when I install the new coupler, and I will get the dual action agitator cleaned up and installed, we'll make this bottom of the line washer clean like a top of the line machine! I'll try to post pictures of it after everything's done, it's actually a neat little washer. And it will fit where it needs to, which was the biggest challenge.

 

[dustin92]

It's been installed and they love it! Much much quieter than the portable, larger capacity, and the ability to set the load size and both hot and cold water! I did figure out the problem with the tub tilting, the rear stabilizer spring was rusted off and missing- the holes were fine. Found a spring that fit fairly well and it's working great! I did finally figure out after a bit of searching what was wrong with the portable causing the horrid knocking during spin, which was the center post bearings must have been long gone. It knocked so loudly it could be heard outside. If anyone is interested, the early belt drive portable can be had, and very, very cheap. Anything over scrap price would take it, as it will be scrapped otherwise. It's been very well used but does still operate, although noisy on spin. Currently sitting outside, so act fast. Will need to be picked up in Addison Michigan (20 minutes south of Jackson)