Speed Queen TR5 Noise issue

[keith]

Greetings all,

I’ve been lurking on this site for about 10 years, just signed up today however because my wife and I are looking to get your thoughts on a noise issue on our TR5000. Purchased 2 years ago this month and We have already had one issue repaired 2 months ago almost to the day of this new issue appearing.
The first issue was due to an improperly torqued drive pulley for the tub that was covered in a Bulletin by Speed Queen resulting in a popping/clunking noise during agitation. Annoying to have a problem on a supposedly ‘bulletproof’ machine but it’s mechanical and these things happen. We took some solace in the fact that speed Queen did already identify that our early build TR machine may have this issue but it was covered by the 5 year warranty.

We were hoping that would be the only issue. Well...that didn’t last long. It now sounds like birds chirping or (if you’ve ever heard it) the sound an overrunning clutch in an automatic transmission makes when it freewheels. It does this only during agitation and seems more so in one direction (but not only in one direction) I really don’t know a better way to describe it. We are going to call the service tech out here but it’ll be a while before he can get down here. I’m going to try to post a video of it for you all to hear, but does anyone have an idea of what it may be, and are you seeing repeated issues with these TR’s? I figured without the transmission it’d remove a lot of potential reliability issues. We purchased this model before the TC series was released, but we have been very happy with its cleaning ability despite people complaining about how it washes, my wife does about 4 loads 3x per week. Sometimes more...my household generates quite a bit of laundry. We were just hoping this set would last longer before falling apart.

The dryer also makes a belt noise when first started, but that’s an issue for another thread.

Thanks everyone for any help!

Keith

 

[keith]

Hopefully this video works. Ignore the clicking, there was a hoodie with a zipper that was making noise.

 

[70skid]

TR Problems

Only problem I had was a bad lid switch (TR5 v2) which was replaced with the revised (beefed up) part. Sure sounds like something is rubbing on yours. Some of the people on here are repairmen and perhaps they will chime in. Get a repairmen out there to make it right under warranty.

 

[keith]

70skid thank for the input on what you’ve had fail. So far the kid switch is working on ours, I called the service tech we had come out last time and sent him the clip I posed and he said he’d let me know when he can get here and check it out. For some reason yesterday when my wife ran the machine (3 loads) it was quiet again. So luckily I DO have a recording of the noise. Our areas’s service tech is great, really knowledgeable and will take the time to make sure it’s fixed, follow up the next day, we’re really lucky there. I know members on here like Combo52 and others are techs and I’m hoping if they have dealt with a lot of these TR’s they may have time to weigh in on this issue or other issues they’ve dealt with.

 

[keith]

Tech is coming down tomorrow to have a look at it. If we run more than 4 loads in a row the noise does come back fairly consistently. There’s a lot of belt ‘dust’ under the machine. Now sure how normal that is, or if it was caused the the loose drive pulley on the tub that was previously repaired. Since this is the TR it uses the multi-rib belt like a modern car would have. I’m pretty sure the VMW setup uses a very similar belt style.

 

[rp2813]

Keith,

Since nobody else here is willing, I'll go ahead and suggest you solicit the dealer to take it back under warranty and give you a more capable TC model in exchange.

 

[keith]

RP2813,
Thanks for jumping in.
My wife and I were mulling that option over to be honest. We will see what the tech says about this newest issue. Speed queen’s policy is fix, fix and fix again. They’re very hell bent on not swapping out a lemon of a unit from what I’ve read. Not to say we got a lemon, but for those who really have had their machines gutted to repair bearings and whatnot on machines that were under a year old, they refuse to swap them out. However our local dealer may be more willing. That being said since we may be moving in a few years (likely right around when the 5 year warranty is up) we will likely leave the set here and buy either a new TC set (if they’re still making them) or the Maytag Commercial set that Eugene seems to like a lot, though I know it’s still a VMW at heart, and that concerns me with the amount of laundry we do. Had we known then about this being the first model year of this redesign we probably would have gone a different route, since at the time the TC wasn’t out and the older models were sold out. Not because it does a bad job of washing for our needs, but like the first model year of anything (car, appliance etc) there’s bound to be bugs to work out.

 

[combo52]

Noisy TR SQ TL washer in agitation

Hi Keith , We have not had this problem with these washers, I would get it checked out since it happens with some frequency.

 

Unless you are having the same problem over and over this is certainly not a lemon and should not be exchanged, Quality products are designed to be repaired, fortunately you have a good dealer available let them figure out what is wrong.

 

PS, I am loving our new SQ Stainless Steel FL washer I got a month ago, even though we sell a lot of SQ TL washers I can not imagine why any washer enthusiast would buy anything but a FL washer. This SQ FL washer is so well built and easy to get into when service will be necessary. I have never seen another FL washer that was as easy to work on since the 3-belt WH machines, the only problem with 3-belt WHs were terrible construction and durability.

 

John L.

 

[keith]

John,

Thank you for your valuable insight. I know you have a lot of experience. I didn’t mean to imply we got a lemon, I’m guessing the issues we’re having are new model year stuff, mixed with some bad luck. It’s a bit disheartening that we’ve had 2 issues in less than 2 months on a (just now) 2 year old machine . The machine was quiet today (figures) so our tech said he will come down next time it acts up, as he looked it over today and didn’t see any obvious issues, and since it was quiet even after 4 loads, you can fix what’s not broken. He is a good tech, explains what he’s looking for, and my wife and I trust him. He said he isn’t about to ‘guess’ if he can’t duplicate/find where the problem is, and I appreciate that. Obviously watching a video of a noise won’t help much if he can’t catch it on the act to narrow it down. He also said basically what you did about not having seen this issue before and that they’re made to be fixed, not thrown away (which is a blessing and a curse in our case).

Have you run into a lot of mechanical issues with these TR redesigns? Or is this just bad luck on our part (if it is we won’t be upset by you saying it) lol.

Thanks again,
Keith

 

[pinkpower4]

@combos52

Is the SQ FL you are referring to the FF7? Is the only difference the finish and what side the door is on? Could a dryer be placed on top (it doesn't look like it because the sloped front, and I've not seen that feature mentioned)?

 

[combo52]

Speed Queen Questions

Hi Keith, We have had no mechanical problems at all with the TR series, We have seen a few bad PTS switches on the early versions [ SQ switched to a touch type switch, SQ used the same PTS switch on FL models for more than 15 years and we saw a few of them fail as well ] We have seen a few lid locks, drain pumps and main motor board failures, but overall it is a very reliable washer so far.

 

I would not worry about the noise your machine is making nearly all washers make some noises, if it persists and it brothers you I would ask them to change the belt in a year or so after the covid problem gets better it is not likely worth risking your health or the techs health when the washer is working fine.

 

Hi Pink, The SQ FL model I bought is the same as the white models except the entire cabinet is made of real non-magnet Stainless Steel, The matching SS dryer would have a real SS drum and rear Bulkhead [ I did not buy the dryer ]

 

This FL washer is not designed to stack a dryer on top, SQ sells a great interpreted stack model that has the same capacity and features if you need a stacked model.

 

John L.

 

[keith]

John,

Once again thank you for your advice and sharing your experience with these machines. I’m glad overall you’re not seeing lots of issues, that’s reassuring. Both times the tech was here we were very careful about social distancing and masks. My wife and I are high risk so we take it very seriously, and we also wouldn’t want the tech to get sick and bring it home to his family either just to come back over to hear a random noise that after he looked it, believes it’s nothing major as he couldn’t see any issues. That’s why he did a quick look yesterday, deemed it fine to run, and we now feel comfortable that whatever the noise may be (belt possibly) won’t leave us stuck with no washer during a pandemic, and being intermittent we’re going to take your advice run it until it becomes a constant problem (if it ever does) and deal with it then, after COVID is sorted out. The noise itself isn’t bothersome now that we had someone here to tell us it’s not falling apart. Lol. We’ll just close the laundry room door if it starts getting real loud again. We’re doing more laundry now and it’s still quiet.

Have a great Christmas and same all on this forum!! Happy holidays!!

Keith