Roper washer problem

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The neutral pak in your transmission has gone bad. You can either open up the transmission and replace it yourself or you can replace the whole transmission if you wish.

This is a Whirlpool-made direct drive machine and are one of the easiest machines to work on.

I wouldn't just let it keep spin-draining all the time because over time that can prematurely wear out your spin clutch.
 
DirectDriveDave

Well i think the clutch is on its last leg because lately when it does the spin drain its sounds like somethings scraping and sometimes a buzzing noise......how much would it cost in total to get a clutch and a gearbox put in by a repairman?
 
While I am not sure of the exact amount, a repair man would be very expensive.

If you are up for it and it is within your pricing means. I would do it yourself.
 
DirectDriveDave

I think i will just get a new top load washer, are the newer hotpoint/ge washers any good? if they are junk i think i will just get another roper because i see them in a store around where i live......to be honest i think those are the only top loaders left around where i live...........
 
You do NOT want to get a new Roper, the water levels are very low and not the older ones were.

If you must replace the washer, you should try to find if there are any Speed Queens available by where your location is.

Check out their site

http://www.speedqueen.com/
 
Speed Queen

Norgechef, you are not that far from the Maine border at Calais, ME/ St. Stephen, NB. crossing. There are 2 Speed Queen dealers somewhat close to there if you were really interested in getting one. One is in Bangor and the other in Ellsworth, both about 90 minutes east from the border. It would be a day trip up and back for you. But I dont know what the duties would cost to cross the border (because you really cant hide a washer) and now that we must have a passport to cross you have to weigh the options and see if it was worth it.
 
wayupnorth

Well your probably right about it costing allot to get one of those......whats so bad about Hotpoint/ge washers, there is one at a local home depot and it doesnt look junky to me............
 
Looks arent everything

If I HAD to buy a new washer I would definitely spend the extra and get a Speed Queen from either of those dealers as they both are good people and take care of their customers. But I can understand what it would cost to transport it across the border. From what I have seen and heard from alot of people that have bought ANY of the newer ones, both top and front loaders, their life, cleaning action and dependability is alot shorter than the older ones. I just cant reason how a cup of water can clean a load of dirty laundry in temped down temperature water. If you had a good one "out in your woods" that might be salvagable for Gram, I'd get it out, clean it up and give it to her.
 
late model GE

I have a 2009 GE hydrowave lower end model (with plastic rather than S.S.washtub
and mechanical timer instead of electronic)Washer is quite cheaply made,but it
has effective wash action and works good with a pretty fast spin."hydrowave"GEs
have an inverter-driven induction motor directly belted to the agitator shaft
without a transmission of any kind-motor just reverses back and forth to provide
the very long stroke agitation motion.An electromagnetic dog clutch locks the
washtub to the agitator shaft for spin-motor creeps the tub at low speed a
rotation or two then ramps up to full spin speed.
Though its plastoid as can be,i actually kinda like this washer and find it
interesting to run.Bought for $50 brand new,damaged,this is in "rotation"use and
virtually brand-new so i can't report what the durability/reliability is with
"hydrowave"machines. I don't know much about the late model"transmission"GE
washers...
 
To Norgechef

Hey Norge.

The reason why you are having such a hard time trying to find Speed Queen is because they're not made for the Canadian market.

Instead, you should be looking at Huebsch. Same company, but Huebsch machines are made for the Canadian Market. They have all of the appropriate French Labeling on them. You also won't pay duties either.

A lot of boutique appliance dealers carry Huebsch machines.

I've included the link below to the Huebsch Product Page.

http://home.huebsch.com/products/
 
Here are the list of Huebsch Dealers in New Brunswick:

Johnson Appliances 56 Roseberry Street
Campbellton, NB E3N 2G4
Phone: 506.753.6242

LOUNSBURY CO. LTD. 1655 MOUNTAIN ROAD
MONCTON, NB NB E1C 8H7
Phone: 506 877 0588
URL: www.lounsburys.com

WORRALL'S FURNITURE & APPLIANCE 251 ST. MARY'S STREET
FREDERICTON , NB NB E3A 2S5
Phone: 506 458 9288
URL: www.worrallsfurniture.com
 
DirectDriveDave

What is your deal with the new Roper machines? In several posts you have swept people away with a broom from these. Your argument is that the water level is too low on the rinse when it has been repeatedly said (See ROPER RINSE RASH) that that can be adjusted by a VERY easily accessible switch inside the control panel. It would be much easier than opening up a transmission or even replacing the transmission. The Roper/Inglis is the only models really left of the Direct Drive platform, it would seems that one would want to go with one of these or a SQ, but given the cost differential, I would consider the Roper for sure and set the switch. More so when given the ~$350 difference in price

 

To the original poster, I suppose you can get anything you want, a SQ is a great machine and Qualin has listed some vendors for you. We don't know your budget, tinkering ability or any other factors. The Roper that is being repaired/replaced lasted 11 years and was a cheap machine to begin with so in my eyes it has been a success. I would expect that a new Roper to last a similar amount of time, and for under $400 that is a great run. I think the SQ/Heubsch machines are also wonderful, but command a higher price accordingly. After seeing the various failures of GE laundry products post-1995 I can safely say that I would never buy one. I think with these machines' reliability is truly a crapshot. If I were in the under $400 range, a WP built Inglis or Roper would get my money hands down.

 

-Tim
 
macboy

Um no I have not. In several posts? please show me....

I have done no such thing, I told him why the new ones are not as good as the older ones. If he wants to get a new one, then that's up to him, I have no say in it. I am simply telling him why I think it's a bad idea. In the end, it's his call.
 
Spinning Roper washer

Also to the first poster, there are about 25 million DD washers in use as we speck that are no longer doing the neutral drain. This does NOT hurt the clutch at all, this washer was engineered to spin with a full tub of water, save your money and just keep using it.

 

As far as new, the Roper and Adrimal DD machines are a good low cost choice if you change the water level. I would avoid any new GE or Frigidaire laundry appliances, the GE top loaders are about the most unreliable and short lived washers on the market today.
 
SQ

They are REAL commercial machines (like you would find at a coin laundry) in a home package. High quality materials, stainless tub and absolute rugged build. These machines are design to be abused day in and out with minimal repairs and when repairs are needed many common parts are easily accessible from the front.

 

For the enthusiast, the SQ name carries a long history of neat machines and the famous long, slow stroke action similar to the 50's through 80's Maytags as well as others.

 

I think the big thing is quality for most, they are very solid machines.

 

-Tim
 
Speed Queens are built in the US and have an excellent reputation of being reliable/very long-lasting.

I have no knowledge on Huebsch.
 
Heubsch

Heubsch is the commercial arm of SQ. Also in Canada most SQ models are sold under this name. It's the same machine. Also SQ machines are sold under the UniMac name as well. All are Alliance Laundry products.

 

-Tim
 
John, in the experiences I have had with a 2003 Whirlpool branded DD machine and later a 10 year old Roper Branded DD machine, when the neutral drain fails and it goes directly into spin with a full tub of water it actually throws some water up and over the sides of the tub. It's not a lot of water, maybe a gallon or so. It is however enough to be a problem unless the machine is either in a basement on a non-carpeted floor or actually sitting in one of those washing machine "catch" basins that I have seen in some new construction.

Both of these machines were being used for "commercial" type purposes and always washing large loads of towels and overalls so the water level was almost always set at the highest level.

Do some of the tub designs on these DD machines prevent water from being thrown out of the tub at the beginning of the spin?

In terms of the clutch, I have never seen a clutch go bad because of a failed neutral drain mechanism. That said, I would never pull a DD transmission off of a machine to replace the Neutral Drain Pak without replacing the clutch band and spring as well as the Direct-Drive Coupler. In my observations, by the time the Neutral Drain fails, the plastic on the clutch band is usually pretty worn as well. And, while you're that far, it seems silly not to spend the extra $20 to replace the drive coupler, especially if you know that it is original.

Has that been your experience in the field?
 
To Norgechef

Huebsch sells a variety of machines for the home, depending on your price level.

Now, I bought their front loading machine, which is the Huebsch ZFN50R. That has rear controls, which is slightly cheaper than the front control model. That machine set me back $1900. The Top of the line Rear Control gas Dryer, the ZDG4BR, set me back about $850.

Don't let those prices scare you, their front loader is considered to be their "Top of the line", next models down are top loaders.

Their top of the line top loader is about half the price of the front loader. I believe that their bottom of the line top loader is about $300 cheaper than that.

So, BOL Top loader is about $600, TOL Top loader is about $900.

Again, don't let those prices scare you. Here's what you get:

- Metal outer tub. Most other washers on the market have a plastic outer tub. My GE Top loader has a plastic outer tub. This makes all the difference when it comes to retaining odors and gunk.
- All metal transmission. My GE has plastic gears in the transmission, but a Huebsch has all-metal gears, which leads to better longevity.
- Electromechanical controls make the machine immune to power surges, dirty power and other things which would fry a computer controlled washing machine.
- The legendary 120 degree agitator sweep, the most of any transmission-based washing machine sold today. My GE has a 30 degree agitator sweep.
- Stainless Steel Tub, getting to be pretty much the norm in modern machines now. No porcelain to chip or to catch on clothing.
- The longest warranty in the business. 3 years parts and labor, 5 years parts. Other manufacturers only offer a 1 year warranty.
- The cabinet is triple coated and is warrantied against rust.
- American made, so parts are plentiful and easy to obtain. The factory is in Ripon, WI which about a 24 hour drive away from St. George, NB. (About 2000 km away.)
 
Ropers and GE's

I think the biggest thing when it comes to the debate against Roper machines is that ideally, the customer shouldn't have to tweak anything on the machine to get it to do its job properly.

Right from the factory, Roper machines have a low water level wash and a very low water level rinse. This can be defeated, but IMO, it shouldn't have to. For that very reason, voting with your wallet is the best defense against this, instead of buying the machines and then posting a "HowTo" thread on how to get them working right.

I have to admit that I really haven't been too impressed with the quality of GE machines in the last few years. I have a 2004 vintage set of GE machines and they've been fairly decent for the most part.. but ever since GE introduced the Hydrowave high voltage DC direct drive system, they've been fraught with issues. Watching their "Infusor" based machines make me nearly sick from all of the rubbing action.

However, this is all IMHO.
 
On second thought....

Im going 2 fix it...........can somebody give me the link 2 a site where i can find these parts cheap: Clutch, transmission/gearbox and motor coupler, since its so old im gonna replace the coupler 2.....
 

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