Odd Front Loader resonating clanking

[rpsinfoman]

I posted this in Laundry Garden Web forum. Has anyone run into this before?

ODD Front Loader problem.

Helped out a friend today finally fix his 3 year old Front loader today. Not withstanding the fact he had 3 separate service calls for the same problem. The struts were changed previously, and both suspension springs. Yeeks! The problem was a very pronounced clanking sound on initial spin and...

ths.gardenweb.com

 

[yogitunes]

first, and foremost as a service tech, pay very close attention to exactly what his job description is, from any given parts list, is exactly what is allowed to be replaced on any given machine....nothing more.....

if his past experience showed just cause that adding a bit of grease would temporarily solve the issue, he may go ahead and do that, but if that same sort of fix, caused more damage, who is responsible?....at that point he should stay within guide lines of what the manufacturer recommends....

the only time he would venture past this is if there were updated tech sheets to inform of problems in the field, and there were optional fixes...

don't confuse something you discovered yourself at home with what an actual professional would do.....even your fix is temporary, doubt your fix will alleviate all issues for the life of the machine...that grease will wear away, and your back to square one....we all have improvised on fixes, wondering why the manufacturer didn't see an issue to this....but in all reality, that noise didn't stop the machine from functioning...and it may have lasted many years without issue...just an annoying noise...

some machines do have some sort of metal grommet on the plastic side, some don't...some even coat the spring for reduction in noise....as in this case, I would have slid a piece of rubber hose over the spring hook, as an added measure for noise, but even as shown in the pic, that hook end takes a lot of wear, its at a stress area, some parts will wear out sooner than others...

some springs 'hum' from vibrations...taking the cotton from your aspirin bottle and stuff inside will absorb the vibrations...now in thinking, what service tech has a bottle of aspirin in his truck?....any given one who has to deal with certain PITA customers who are never happy!

 

[sbond22]

PITA customers who are never happy!

Your response makes way too much sense. Thanks for taking the time to post it.

 

[mayken4now]

Hey Martin, nough said on your post.  Perfect.  Now, on all your Neptune washers, since springs are in question in this post.  I have noticed on my Neptune  the wear where the springs connect to the cabinet/clip on the top portion.  I have even reversed the mount around, as to have a new wear pattern/area.  Wonder have you done that on yours?

 

[yogitunes]

never noticed any sort of excess wear on any of the spring hook areas.....oddly enough for the clip at top, there are two slots for the springs to hook into, a front and back, yet those don't seem to be actual wear areas...

but did come across a Frigidaire which have a plastic insert on the springs hook itself, that has worn through......and as mentioned, the best I could do was use a small piece of rubber hose to slide over the hook section, and re-install...

and as mentioned, out of all the Neptunes I have, one dryers idler spring would vibrate/hum...amazing the noise that little thing could create, and translate it through the base....a simple piece of foam or cotton ball slid inside absorbed the vibration and ended the noise...

interesting ideas many have had of trying to quiet down machines....insulation and padding inside, padding underneath...even manufacturers, for some machines, added a flapper valve in the pump, to reduce cavitation noise while agitating...not all that much different than what is added to a dishwasher for noise reduction...

 

[rpsinfoman]

Thank you for your candor. I honestly thought about a rubber sleeve of some sort, but doubt it would hold up. I will agree lubrication may or may not be a temporary remedy, and something that will need repeated as a PM.

I am not a tech as you describe. Just tried to help a friend who keeps being bled from the so called professionals. Spring replacement and struts were not indicated here! After spending $400 bucks on a machine thats under 3 years. He was also told it will need a complete tear down. Thats what I call a shanking, especially when its not indicated.

What I will agree on this is just plain old bad engineering. Metal rubbing against plastic in such a high stress area with no insulator screams premature wear and failure. But it kind of is what it is.
Do all modern FL use this design?

 

[rp2813]

Speed Queen front loaders are built to commercial specifications and many of their components are metal as opposed to other makes' use of plastic ones.  Speed Queens are expensive, have fewer features, and are smaller in capacity than other makes, but they are built to last.

 

You didn't mention the make of your friend's machine.  If it's a Speed Queen . . . never mind.

 

I highly doubt the machine requires a total tear-down after only three years.  It's tough to find a service tech who knows what he's doing anymore.  Too many of them advise to replace instead of repair, and in so doing, foolishly jeopardize their own job security.

 

[askolover]

Well I can see in the pictures it has a plastic outer drum so that eliminates it being a Speed Queen!

 

[rpsinfoman]

It is an LG. Don't recall model, but it is an upper model series. I don't think it matters all LG is the same. I have a Kenmore Elite 41072 and pulled the cover. Made exactly the same way as expected made by LG. Itisa couple years old with no issues. Being proactive I greased those mounts. Interesting there already appeared to be a coating of white lithium grease in place already.