The Rarely Seen 1980's WCI Frigidaire Front-Loader

[frigilux]

I purchased one of these beauties in late 1986. It featured the solenoid "bang" when going in to the spin cycle, and it didn't reverse during washing. There was no pre-spin balancing protocol, either. You'd hear the bang, and it would ramp up quickly to spin speed.  Very unbalanced loads would cause the machine to jump up-and-down a bit 'til full speed was reached.

 

The water level rarely left the Mini setting, as less water produced better cleaning results and fewer soft water-induced sudsing problems. Guess this means I'm to blame for the ultra-low water use machines of today, LOL!  Had the machine for about a year, then moved to an apartment with no laundry hook-up, so I passed it on to a friend who was a single mom with no washer. She'd never seen a front-loader before, and thought it was very space-age.

 

Spin speed of 500 rpm---that seems quaint, doesn't it?  These were only on offer for a couple of years before they disappeared from the Frigidaire line-up.  The first generation Electrolux-made appeared in the mid-1990's. I bought mine in mid- '96.

[this post was last edited: 10/18/2012-08:52]

 

[mrb627]

In-Motion

I always liked the non-reversing WCI machines. From the moment you start the cycle all the way to completion, the clothes never had a second of idle rest. Constant movement meant no time was wasted during the wash cycle.

The good ol days!

Malcolm

 

[combo52]

Cool Front Loading Washer

I always did and still do like FL washers with control panels at the rear, they are just easier to use, more durable and easier to service. These WH designed FLs with rear controls were fairly rare after the mid 1970s but their were several attempts to advertise and promote them as a new energy saving washer design after the 1st energy crisis of the mid 1970s.

 

Westinghouse first came out with this three belt non slanted tub FL washer design in 1959 and down sized the cabinet to 27" in 1964 and continued making this design washer through about June of 1988.  At this time there was almost a year that we could not get any FL washers from WCI, [ they told us that they were quitting building them altogether ] But they reappeared in 1989 in both the stack able and one freestanding model. This new machine while being built here and looking very similar to the older design had a single belt and a variable speed motor. This newer version used an Italian built motor, speed control board, timer, electric drain pump, scrubber assemblies, and even the rear drum pulley. Energy efficiency improved and these machines worked well but reliability was terrible, we started seeing them hitting the junk piles in about three years after introduction. CRs who had initially liked the machine quickly pulled their recommendation when the complaints started to pill in.

 

Frigidaire quit building these single belt reverse tumble machines in late 1993 and again Americans had to wait more than a year for an American FL washer when they finally reintroduced a new FL washer in late 1995, this one was much more reliable.

 

[jetcone]

I think I saw a similar machine

in a commercial laundromat, it was badged Westinghouse which made me look twice at it ; having not seen a W FL in 20 years or so.
Always wanted to go back and try it.
Forget where it was , somewhere around Boston here, Everett or Chelsea or Charlestown.

 

[fido]

Presumably the idea was to save water compared to a top loader? I can't see any other advantage.

 

[easyspindry]

I had one of these . . .

. . . machines under the Westinghouse name. Except for the spin, it was great. Cleaned well and was quiet. If I had known about the SpinX which I got years later, I'd probably still have this machine. When I decided I wanted a matched set, I gave the WH FL to my housekeeper. She loved it, but let it freeze, messing up the rubber boot in the door, so she got rid of it.

I had to go all the way to Atlanta to get it.

Jerry Gay

PS The matched set I got was Maytag, but it was after they had changed the design on the transmission and had a short stroke for the agitator. Never liked that machine.

 

[3beltwesty]

I still use my 1976 WCI Frontloader but not as my main machine anymore.

 

[rayjay]

LT800E

I had the 1984 LT800E model.
Best machine I ever had. So sory it is gone.

 

[3beltwesty]

shafts clutch spring potato pulleys

 

[3beltwesty]

Scary Potatos!

The older Potato Pulleys had a sheet metal housing that holds its roller bearing.

The newer type Potato Pulley has a sintered /powdered metal housing that holds its roller bearing.

Both types at least with mine are riveted to the stamped steel oval potato pulley.

With the newer type with a "sintered /powdered metal roller bearing housing" I had one that got a fatigue failure obly after a few years. The older style one here never had this problem, its rollers just got noisy after 29 years.