MHW5100DW0 Drum Play

[johnb300m]

Hey strangers.
My message is chiefly for John L or Eugene.
Guys who have insight fixing this stuff in the field.

My Maytag Maxima had had odd vibration issues on and off for a few years now.
But I’ve never been able to notice anything out of sorts.
While unloading some towels tonight, i felt some slight play in the inner drum.
So I investigated.
While bracing the collar of the outer tub in one hand, and applying upward force with the other, I felt some play in the basket that was verifiably not there a few months ago when I last checked.

I’ve been scouring the inter webs all night to find that there are no bearing kits for this platform?
Is this true?
Only the whole tub assembly? For a gazillion dollars? (WPW10409997)

What are my options?
I love the washer and would certainly like to just do a bearing job.

Thanks in advance!

 

[askolover]

Brand new assembly on ebay for $300.  Repairclinic.com $700

 

[johnb300m]

Well in that case, regarding that huge assembly, I should just junk this washer then

 

[DADoES]

 
May be possible to source the bearings, they're typically standard of some ilk.  The trick would be to find a proper shaft seal.  I replaced bearings on a 2006 Duet six years ago, found an source online selling bearings and a a compatible seal (although slightly different).  Ran across a more correct double-lip seal on eBay several years later but the listing is gone now.

Another concern is condition of the drum spider ... only way to know is disassemble for a look.

 

[askolover]

Before bearing kits became so available for FL washers I found mine for a freebie that I was given from Chicago Rawhide.  I'd be curious to see what's inside the assembly.  They used to say they couldn't be replaced didn't they?  And haven't we been replacing them for years?

 

[johnb300m]

Here’s the rub tho.
WPs ALPHA 2.0 platforms are claimed to have welded shut tubs.
They have significantly less clamps going around the tub flange than other Duets. Probably just for reinforcements.
I’ve verified this in my own machine and through pictures.
While I have not visually inspected my own tub flange for plastic welding, it only has 6 or so of those famous clamps. Far less than a definitively separatable Duet.
Telling me it’s gotta be sealed another way.
I have the unit stacked so it’s very hard to access on a whim.
Every exploded parts sheet I’ve seen shows the tub sealed as one.
Whereas older Duets and the vast majority of other brands I’ve looked at do indeed show the basket assembly as “explodable” with available spare parts.
Not at all ALPHA 2.0.

 

[askolover]

I had read this also but wasn't sure yours was one of the welded drum models.  I did see a video somewhere that someone managed to split the seams apart and then resealed them when they finished.  Here's one.  YMMV

 

[henene4]

Sealed tub units

I think for the btetter part of the last 10 years any bearing swap on Whirlpool made washers were tub unit swaps.

Bearings in steel crosses bolted to steeel tubs were easy enough to replace that it often made sense.

Then they went to splittable plastic tubs. They were cheaper and easier to produce, but tearing a machine down to that point for a bearing replacment took even as skilled technician took so long that a repair bill would have been astronomical.
Further, those splitted, bolted and sealed up halfs often just randomyl started leaaking after some time or refused to seal against each other properly.

So, to make the production of these tubs as automated and cheapas possible, they just used glue or ued plastic weldig techniques to seal them into 1 unopenable unit.

Thing was that replacing bearings was often fiscally irresonsible even bck in the day when you couldn't do it yourself.

Even if you are skilled tech you need probaly a second person and about 2h to repace the bearings on a Miele.

If you wanted to exchage the bearings on plastic splittable tub you actally tore the machien down for what feels like an eternity nur end up with a broken tub half because you misssed on hammer stroke while knowcking the bearing out.
But of course don't notice until 2h later.

I actually watched a Whirlpool technician replacing the sealed unit n our Bauknecht maschine under warranty.
He took close to 2 hours.

Having a split tub would probably prodcue the same reapirbill as closed unit.
The closed unit is more expensive, but splitting the tub and knockig out the bearings takes much longer.

And the reason tubs weren't replaced by technicians was that it just did not make any sence in basilcy every case.

One of the reasons why some replacment parts are so is just storsage.
They don't produce a new rack for your 20 year old DW if you order one.
They don't procuce 2 tub units of each kind fevery other time.

They produce a warehous full of repplacement parts once after main production ended and then they sit there until the very day the last one of them was pulled

Smaller easy to store parts are cheaper then huge tub units you can't really shrink down for storage.

When you buy one of these old parts the company paid for it maybe even decades ago, then the money was sitting around on shelfes untouched only costing rent and surveilance money.
So you basilcy paid for the lost revenue due to interest, a decade of rent for a shelf space, the maintainment and management of the storage as well as maybe 2 dollars of masterial and work.

 

[lorainfurniture]

I can verify that the new(est) alpha platform washers are not repairable. Even pulling the tub for a fire pit is a real mother f’er. Without even watching that video I can tell you that guy has too much time on his hands.

The new alpha washers also only have one crazy expensive board called an “acu” or appliance control unit. Basically if anything goes bad on the washer other than the water pump or door lock the machine is trash.

 

[johnb300m]

Well poop. Thanks Eugene for confirming my fear.
WP says they wanna help on Twitter. I won’t hold my breath.
Less than 4yrs on a lightly used bearing.
Feeling kinda ripped off by their Commercial Technology crap claims.
And how anti-environment is this?
All sealed, not fixable.

Think I’ll let it run till it dies. Cross my fingers it makes it till summer.
Save up..... not sure what to do then.
Maybe get an older Duet?
A new cheap top loader?
But I’ll damn well look at repair parts lists next time.
Make sure I can get to the parts that matter.

Man.....everything is trash these days.

 

[lorainfurniture]

When you’re ready

Buy an older direct drive washer, they are infinitely repairable. If you want a front loader, consider LG. From a service standpoint it’s very easy to fix.

 

[combo52]

Bearing play on a whirlpool front load washer.

Unless the machinist gotten absurdly Noisi it may keep working for years this way I’ve seen many front loaders of different brands develop a little bit of bearing play and continue working for years.

John

 

[jerrod6]

How old is this washer?

 

[johnb300m]

It’s just over 3yrs old.

Thanks John.
I think you’re partly right. It could go maybe 6mos or more at this rate.
With the bearing play, it seems to act fine on some days.
The balance rings probably compensate for some play.
And on other days it rebalances multiple times on pretty simple loads.
Behavior it never did new.
The vibration sometimes is so bad it rattles dishes in the cabinets downstairs.

I talked to a WP call center guy. He scheduled a repair tech
To look at it next Friday. The call guy CLAIMS the bearings are part of the
10yr basket warranty. But I don’t trust him.
I’ll see how I can schmooze the service tech. Maybe I can talk a new tub assembly out of him.
It’s not his money! It’s WP’s.

What’s bothering me the most is the “sealed outer tub” debate.
Conversations and web research tell me the outer tub is sealed.
But if I could just get it open, I could fix the bearings.

The question you folks might have is: “well did you check your tub seam?”
No I have not. It is a stacked setup.
So this is an opportunity to unstack it as well on Friday.

 

[DADoES]

 
I hadn't looked closely enough at an Alpha-platform's parts diagrams to notice the tub/drum is a unitary assembly.  Will have to advise my aunt that there's no reasonable repair if/when the bearings or spider goes kablooey on hers, unless it's during and covered by that supposed 10yr warranty.  She's currently at 7 years.  She tends to use mid- to low-quality detergents such as Arm & Hammer liquid but they have a water softener and she's reasonably diligent about running the cleaning cycle with Affresh or whatever other product she may use.

 

[tomdawg]

Johnb300m

I have the whirlpool version that is 3.5 years old wfw97heduo <— not sure if that is 100% correct but it’s close.

I’m curious of your laundering style... I just wonder, if someone does laundry differently does it affect the longevity.

I would hope by your description, you use your washer way less than I do. I do feel I’m pretty hard on my washer. If your stats look better than mine, share this with whirlpool, I hope they take care of you!

Here is my stats

I do at least 10 loads a week sometimes 15 a week- depending on the week
I use sanitary cycle at least once a week
I use steam at least 3 cycles a week
Heavy duty is my primary cycle (normal is EPA regulated and doesn’t get my clothes as clean)
Most of my loads are half to three quarters full- I hate doing full loads
I use very little detergent 1 tbsp max I use high quality detergent.
I use clean washer cycle monthly.
I don’t wash exclusively in cold.

Hope you get answers soon!

 

[johnb300m]

I think my laundry habits are fairly conventional. At least in my head.

A typical laundry weekend consists of:

1 load of whites, run on Sanitize with Oxyclean. Height spin.
1 load of light colors, warm Normal wash, med soil, high spin.
1 load of darks, cold Normal wash, med soil, med spin.
1 load of undies, hot Normal wash, high soil, high spin.
1 load of towels, hot Normal wash, high soil, high spin.
1 load of tech gym clothes, warm Delicate, med soil, high spin.

2x a month, sheets, usually 2 queen sets, hot Normal wash, med OR high soil (giggity) high spin.
Once a year I’ll wash couch blankets, cold Normal wash, med soil, med spin.
Once a year I’ll wash my comforter. Warm delicate wash, so it soaks in more water, high (delicate high is stepped down) spin.

Once a month i will wash jeans, Cold wash, light or med soil.
I used to do high spin. But jeans throw the high 1400 spin now into some kind of resonance catastrophe.
Now I use med spin.

I usually alternate between Tide or Method soap.
I have soft water, so I will use the lines on the caps but use less
Ie: 1/2 line for small loads, 1 line for med/large loads, maybe 2 line for FULL or the rare very soiled loads.
Same for liquid softener. The doses are bumped down.

I will use Clean Washer about every other reminder with 1tbsp of Tide washer cleaner.