Kenmore Dryer 1972

[70series]

That washer at earliest a 1988 or 89 model. That was when the tub perforations started going all the way to the top. Before that they only were around the lower half, or 2/3 of the tub.

As far as the dryer, by 1974 the first and third digits after the 110 were being used to decode the year of manufacture, whereas previously it had always been the first and second. For some reason a lot of these models had a 2 as the second digit, so quite a few mid 70s models were thought to be 1972 models. I can tell this dryer is a 76 model or newer by the design. The interesting thing is that the first and second numbers reflect this, not the first and third. I know of models before and after this one that used the first and third numbers after the 110 to determine the model year. Were there exceptions made in the 70s lineups, or did Whirlpool/Sears go back and forth in how to number their machines?

Just when I thought I had it figured out.

Have a good one,
James

 

[kenmoreguy64]

James -

The 2 in the second model number digit is for 29-inch washers. A 1 is for 24-inch machines. On dryers, the second digit is a 6 or 7 - 6 being electric and 7 being gas. First and third digit being decade and year, as you said. That is of model issuance, not necessarily manufacture.

 

[70series]

Kenmoreguy

Thank you for explaining what the numbers mean. However, as far as this dryer is concerned, I am still confused. According to the model number given above, The first and third digits are 7 and 0 which by decoding would mean this dryer is a 1970 model. But again this is clearly not a model issued that year.

Have a good one,
James

 

[kenmoreguy64]

James -

My guess is that there's still an error in the model number listed here, as it doesn't come up as-is with Sears. I have a dryer that appears to be just like that one, and it's number is 110.76860100.

I'm thinking that there is tranposition or a difficult to read digit in the number that Toggleswitch supplied. I might bet a couple bucks that the model number is 110.76960130.

Here is my rationale: My model number catalog from Whirlpool lists three essentially similar dryers, all that use the black and woodgrain console, and the same 4-cycle timer (which is not set-up for automatic thermostat or moisture sensing drying). One is a 76 model, the second a 78 which I have and the third a 79. The '79 is the only one that had any mechanical revisions, which is what the "30" means at the end of the number. The '79 had in fact three revisions and 110.76960130 is a good model number. I think Toggle got a couple digits transposed.

If so, that means he has a 1979 model dryer. That model, having so many revisions, may have survived in production well into 1980 or 1981.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Here's the pic of mine

I bought this dryer used in 1989. I am no photographer.

 

[toploader55]

Wow

Look's like we have the same machine
Here's the Model Number again : 110 76960130

 

[kenmoreguy64]

KEWL

Too cool Toggle! If you look closely at our panels, there are a couple subtle print differences (why Sears would bother is beyond me), but they are definitely near clones.

I owe a lot to that dryer actually. I bought it from a servicer/rebuilder who I found in the newspaper in 1989 for my sister and her first apartment. The guy was really nice and seemed to enjoy my enthusiasm for appliances. We made an instant friendship and he was a conduit for me to get into repairs/rebuilding that I had always wanted to delve into. Had I not bought that dryer, I would never have been able to have the fun I did with 50+ rebuilds over the next years.

When my sister was done with the dryer in 2000, I had to have it back. It got all the way to the Salvation Army main depot before I could retrieve it and the washer. Last summer I pulled it from storage. Its in my garage using a connection that was meant for it. I love it out there because in a hot southern summer, I don't have to run the house dryer, which helps my a/c bill.

Since installing it, I have had to give it a new thermostat, and I treated it to new rollers, belt and Idler. She "cadillacs" now as my buddy likes to say.

 

[70series]

Kenmoreguy64

Thank you again for explaining the model numbers to me. After I posted that last message, I figured as you did that it was a matter of how the numbers were transposed, and the third digit was probably supposed to be a 9 making it a 1979 model.

My head is clear and the sky is blue once again. LOL.

Have a good one,
James

 

[magic clean]

The

serial number tells the true date of manufacture in year and week format.

The dryer serial number starts with M then a numeral probably 6 meaning 1976 and then two numbers that are the week of the year. I.E. m630. The 30th week of 1976.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Dryers in the 70s were also made at the Findlay, Ohio plant, so the serial started with F. I believe that plant makes dishwashers now and has for some time. M is the Marion, Ohio plant.