Neutral Drain Replacement

[blockeight88]

Reply 19

I didn’t see his post about the benefits of not replacing the neutral drain. I do have to agree with you for the points you listed. Also every single time it slips in a spin it’s a high spin which could be more rough on clothes especially if you said it to delicate and low spin.

I believe the only thing you need to do is remove the agitator and bolt the clip retainer and washer the transmission shaft. After that you should be able to easily drop the transmission.

 

[Chetlaham]

With the proper water level clothes will never become unbalanced. All DDs whether going right into spin after wash or after neutral draining will make a loud clunk when engaging into spin. Sometimes the clunk happens as the motor coasts down during the 4 second motor pause between drain moving into spin, sometimes as soon as the motor starts back up for the spin. The clunk happens regardless and should not bend the clutch in any way. 

 

Spin drain keeps the machine clean, not grime rings around the tubs or agi.

 

[combo52]

Advantages of neutral drain

This really doesn’t need to be gone over again and it’s obvious chat that you’re not an engineer or you could understand this type of things.

The most successful top loading washers ever built in the United States were all neutral drain, every top loading washer built in the world today is neutral drain with the exception of the traditional Speed Queen TC five. And Speed Queen builds all their traditional washers with neutral drain when they’re sold in other countries where people don’t use clothes dryers as much as we do in the US

Outer tubs and wash baskets get just as dirty with spin drain maybe even worse as it tends to spin the scum up to the underside of the tub cover.

 

[Chetlaham]

You miss the point. I don't have to be anybody, of any substance, or require any brains, to have life experience. Every neutral drain top load washer I've used formed thick scum rings around the agitator and inner tub despite hot water and detergent, left behind more lint and grit, and left the clothes all clumped up and wrinkled at the bottom instead of spread out across the wash tub. The scum rings alone are enough for me- a washer should not have to be cleaned.   

 

Yes Whirlpool BDs and DDs were the most sold washers in history due to their aggressive, thorough agitation but that doesn't change the fact their neutral drains made itself known with time in the most unappealing way. 

 

After using my Speed Queen for 11 years there is zero ring to be seen around the agitator or inner tub and the softener holes are relatively clean. A small bit of yuck where the vanes emerge, absolutely that would be my fault for being lazy, but it pales in comparison to what my DD and GE agitator became in a few short years.

 

[DADoES]

 
Chet, direct-drive was originally designed as spin-drain as I'm sure you're aware.  What is your explanation on why Whirlpool redesigned them to neutral drain?

Similar consideration for the classic belt-drive design with the unique wiggy-waggy shift mechanism to provide neutral drain instead of a simpler spin-drain.  It was good enough for Sears to choose Whirlpool as their primary automatic topload washer source for ... how many years?

Consider also that Norge eventually added a solenoid mechanism tied to pressure switch reset for a partial neutral drain.

 

[brisnat81]

Glenn, so did Hoover, the first Hoover TL's had a partial neutral drain. They then went to spin drain for one model before moving to an electric pump and neutral drains again.

 

[Chetlaham]

A home appliance center repair tech in the early 2000s told me Whirlpool went to neutral drain to extend the life of their clutches and I've always believed that. 

 

I have never been able to find official engineering literature as to why Whirlpool used neutral drain, briefly went to spin drain, then switched back. I do know I've seen sales literature by Whirlpool and Kenmore stating the advantages of neutral drain, only to see Maytag sales literature claiming the exact same benefits of spin drain. A polar contradiction.

 

From personal experience spin-drain wins hands down. I will never own a neutral drain washer again if I can help it.

 

 

To be fair I rarely wash beach sand out of clothes. It is possible sand washes out better in a neutral drain washer.  

 

[DADoES]

 
Granny had a 1984 WP spin-drain model for 15 years, when I passed my KA set to her upon getting my first F&P pair in 1999.  It handled her laundry and mine from 1985 to 1991.  No clutch trouble or any other repairs for the duration.  Someone up the road bought the WP.

If clutch wear presented as a problem, doesn't it seem more cost-effective to issue a beefed-up clutch into factory production and as a replacement part when service is needed vs. the expense of revising the transmission and timers for neutral drain?  And the need to open the transmission for service when neutral drain parts fail vs. the simpler procedure of replacing the clutch band?

 

[Chetlaham]

I believe you. I don't know how the tech reached the conclusion he did or who told him that. 

 

 

In theory it would be easier to just beef up the clutch, unless Whirlpool did the math comparing the two options, was under liability, or found other advantages in a neutral drain. One possibility is when taking BOL machines without a water level selector under consideration unbalances would have been eliminated by going to a neutral drain. A new clutch would have solved the durability concern but not been able to work in BOL platforms. 

 

 

ITs a guess, I wish I could have been the fly on the wall during those meetings in the 80s.

 

[mattl]

My mid 90's TOL electronic Kenmore had neutral drain for years, then it failed. I knew it was not an easy fix so I lived with it. I worried about the extra stress moving all that water plus a wet load of clothes had on the motor and transmission.  Used it that way for years till I got my Duets.  Still run a light load a couple of times a year to keep seals soft and move the lube around.