Our 1992 Kenmore/Lady Kenmore Laundry Pair

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kenmorewasher72

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Figured I'd show you guys our DD machines on AW, even though some of you have probably already seen vids of the machines on Youtube.

First of all, the yellow Lady Kenmore dryer in the pics had recently replaced the matching Kenmore dryer that was in here before due to a bad heating element. These are my parents machines, so really I have no say in what they do with the machines.

But so far we've had the washing machine for over two years now, and other than a minor repair being done on it, (agitator dogs) it's been working flawlessly and cleaning our clothes very well.

YT channel:

http://https//www.youtube.com/channel/UCbor6HJsJnkm6Aqv15mAoZA/featured
kenmorewasher72++11-6-2016-01-11-45.jpg
 
I would have replaced it, but my parents needed a dryer that worked, and plus the thing was real noisy too.

We do still have the other one here, but it sits over on the side by the gate. This one works fine, it is a little bit noisy, but not nearly as bad as the other one. Who knows, maybe we'll fix the old one up and keep it as a spare..

Thanks for the info on the dryer!
 
something doesn't seem quite right with those dates....

the dryer is about right....as its monochromatic control panel....1988/89

but the washer should be closer to 85/86....as the black and chrome was part of the first series of direct drive, way before that dryer....not to mention by 92, that Dual Action should have been a "PLUS" version for this machine

serial seems to be short one number....CB243624....Appliance 411 claims there should be 9 characters minimum

that agitator could use a good scrubbing as well from all those cold wash only cycles....
 
You're missing a 7 in the serial number. ;)

I would've thought that the first few years of the Kenmore DDs had the all black control panel without the chrome trim around it, then around '87/8 they introduced machines with the chrome panel trimming.
 
A classic, timeless all American pair :-)

I remember when every household in the suberbs had a pair like that. Sears would even do yearly tune ups. The days when you could walk into Sears and buy any appliance that not only delivered, but lasted. The glorious years! Add to the fact I've seen those pairs go 20 years easy.

Keep that washer in service as much as you can. Might be time for a motor coupler but its worth it. Genuine cool down in the press care cycle and the normal cycle has low speed with a fast spin doing away with shred-more syndrome while drying clothes fast. I remember years back when I'd go to Sears to get the single speed Kenmores to toy around with the sales people would nearly have a stroke lol. They were instructed to make sure people bought a 2 speed because it would "will not chew up your clothes like the cheapo" Hate to say it but they were right after using the Whirlpool version.
 
Can't go wrong with vintage!

Oh, anything from that era of time would last you decades and decades! Something that the Sears people should've realized back then was that even on a 1 speed Kenmore, the agitation arc is about 90 degrees, so really it's not as fast as you'd think, it's overloading the machine & using it incorrectly that causes clothing damage. I've heard people say that these machines tore up their clothes on the regular cycle, but then when they switch the machines to low/normal speed, there's no movement at all. Gee, I wonder why...

As for the dryer, that's what I was thinking, early 90's.
 
The motor coupler...

I actually took the washer apart a couple weeks ago just for the heck of it. The coupler is one of the old ones with the round finger pieces and it has the older white (plastic?) middle piece that goes between it. I looked at it, and as far as the condition of it, I'd say it's got maybe another five years on it. It's amazing just how long it's lasted over years of heavy use.
 
That is a 1992 model washer. I got one new in 1993 that is nearly identical. The serial number on mine begins with CC.

Nearly all Kenmores other than the plastic panel models in the 1992-1994 time frame had this design panel with the silver/aluminum framing.

This basic panel design debuted in the mid 80s on a few select Contract Sales (contractor and builder division) models. Then in 1986 it was used across the board in the Fall 1986 lineup. In that and the 1988 line, the 60 and 70 series machines had monotone black panels, whereas the 80 and 90 series machines had the silver/aluminum trim.

When the whole line was renewed in 1992, which included the switch to slow speed agitation in the Normal cycle and the creation of the Heavy Duty cycle, the panels were revamped a bit so that the best selling 70 series had the silver trim like this machine does.

In 1995, another refresh was done. The same basic panel was used, but was all jet black with red and white paint accents. In the previous years what looks like black is actually a grayish brown. In some of the higher end new '95 models, the separate speed control switches debuted that would later become very familiar and commonly found today on many Craigslist for sale ads.

It was also in the mid 90s that the several new generations of the Dual Action agitator came to market. One had a larger auger, another had a spring on it to allow it to move up and down. These were restricted to top end models at first. In fact, this same DA agitator seen here was still available in the last Kenmore direct drive 400 series washers.

Gordon[this post was last edited: 11/6/2016-20:19]
 
That's very interesting!

Hey Gordon, thanks for the info! My dad had a Kenmore 80 series ultra fabric care which also had the wood grain and silver trim control panel. It had five water levels, temperature knob with eight settings, and then on the timer, you had your heavy duty, normal and permanent press cycles, including prewash, soak and a 2nd rinse option. The thing would growl when you ran it! I miss that machine.
I've also seen the post-1995 machines you were talking about with black red & white control panel. One of my friends has a 70 series washer and dryer with the white & blue accented control panel, it's the same machine as ours with the same everything, just of a different year lineup I'm guessing.
 
Steven,

Yes, mine has the soak, which is the only feature difference between the 22731 model (yours) and the 22741 model. I have used it once to find out what it does.

The 22721 model does not offer warm rinses, or the soak. All three of these models are still easily found today and must have been very widely sold new.

There were some exact copies of our models in the 1995 line, with either black or color coordinated white or almond panels.

The slight differences continued with our models in the 80 series. Things like 5 water levels, Auto Temp Control (ATC) and porcelain tops and lids were added. The second rinse, which is present but inactive in both our timers, was active in the higher end 80 series of 1992.

Gordon
 
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