Tub bearing on Kenmore 28102 HE top loader

[dartman]

Well it appears my nice HE washer has already eaten it's tub bearing. It sounds like a jet on spin now and I can hear grindy noises when I spin the tub manually. Been trying to find a download of a service manual to look at the part number and what it entails to tear it down and replace it.
Should be the same machine as some of the whirpool Oasis models I believe just not sure what one I need and how to exactly tear it down. I've done plenty with my old DD Whirlpool washer and dryer I used to have so not afraid to get into it as long as parts aren't more then it's worth.
So anyone here know where to find a manual free or cheap, or already done the bearings and can get me in the right direction for how to and what I need to buy, Thanks, Terry

 

[dartman]

Well poked around once I found the part no's and I can buy JUST the bearings for around 20 and the whole replacement shaft and bearings kit for 50 up. If I do just the bearings I might need the bearing tool, if I get the whole package I think it's just a pull old out, put everything together on new shaft and install so maybe worth it to not have to worry about rusted or damaged parts and extra tools. Any suggestions or thoughts I'm open to before I decide to pull the trigger but other then time doesn't sound too bad price wise now that I know where I'm at. I sure hope they last longer then a few years at a stretch but the washer has always worked well for us.

 

[yogitunes]

there are plenty of vids on youtube, like this one, will give you a general idea of how it comes apart, and how to install the new parts.....

first time, I took my time, was easier than I thought, and had it up and running in just over an hour....

 

[yogitunes]

I didn't need or use any special tools.....just stuff I had in the garage...

lube the shaft well and with a good grease when assembling....

this little trick helped a lot as my inner tub was stuck to the shaft......easy as pie....

 

[dartman]

Thanks, I looked at a few videos too after posting and doing more part no searches and it looks easy enough. I can get a complete main shaft with the bearings and tool for about 118 shipped with a warranty. The old shaft is PROBABLY OK only being maybe 3 years old or so now but probably best to just have everything and pop it all in fresh. I'm pretty sure I could do it without the tool just using things I have around but I don't have a backup and in the big picture a few more bucks to have the whole setup and proper tool might save some headaches. I'm a big proponent of the proper tools if they aren't stupid expensive and save a lot of time and problems. The board trick is brilliant and I have plenty of chunks of 2x4 and bottle and scissor jacks that will work. Maybe it will lift right out, maybe not but it's still pretty new.
Pretty sure I posted on your thread some time after you got a new 28102 and I got mine later as a refurb and had to pull the impeller to remove a penny. It was super easy with just a extension and socket, nothing was rusted in place yet seeing how it was a few months old at the time.

 

[dartman]

Ordered the parts today

Well decided to go with the full meal deal and got the shaft, bearings, and install tool for 119 shipped.
I saw a few offers for renting the tool for 25 plus 69 shipping which would be refunded if you returned the tool, at least the shipping. I figure I like to keep my things long term and I MAY have to do the bearings again in a few years, plus friends may need it seeing how it's a very common newish design.
Claim it will get here the 29th but at least the washer works fine, just noisy in spin so things can wait. It doesn't appear to be leaking water or grease yet from what little I could see underneath.
Sure wish they still did laundry rooms with drains like they used to as my last house the old DD washer was leaking due to a bad pump and I think it helped rot the bathroom floor the laundry area was in. We kept a drip catcher under it and I finally got tired of the minor leaks so I replaced the pump and no more leaks. Just before I bought this washer I had to replace the pump again just as we moved into the new house. It lasted almost exactly 5 years then started to leak again.
This new one sounds like the bearings get leaked on eventually and get noisy and even start to leak so tool might be handy again someday, hopefully not too soon.

 

[dartman]

Parts showed up

Well the kit showed up Thursday, now I just have to get the ambition to clear the area and pull the machine out or move it enough to do the repairs.
The bearing are Chinese and it has a year warranty on the parts. The grease is just a bag of bulk black grease and the gasket sealer is their version of black high quality silicon rubber in a small squeeze tube like I used to get at the auto parts stores.
The install tool looks OK I guess and everything managed to fit in my mail box.
Do you recommend picking up a better grease and sealant somewhere as I don't know if I want to trust silicon or the grease they gave me seeing how more then likely water leaked into the bearings from the seal failing. Of course washer still works just sounds awful in spin mode so can probably wait a bit.

 

[pumpkina]

How old is your Kenmore?

How many loads per week have you run?

Any idea as to why the bearing failed?

 

[lorainfurniture]

You can go ultra pro and use silicone lube, for the adhesive you can use a 3m product. I don’t remember exactly what it was called but it’s red.

If you use the stuff in the box you will likely be ok. Plan on changing the bearings every 5 years or so. The seal kind of sucks, not because it’s crap, because of the design. All That water pressure is bound to let a drop or 2 through that seal and the process starts all over again

 

[dartman]

I bought it I think in 13 after I got the first decent refund from buying my house in 12 I think. They are known for having the seal leak and take out the bearings early and quite a few models used the same shaft, bearings, and seals so figured might as well buy the complete kit for the next time it fails, hopefully longer then a few years. Bearings alone are only around 20 bucks but you either need the tool or a big socket and some care to nock in the new ones.
I really trash my clothes at work and get cement dust and sand all over them. I think run 6 or 7 loads a week and we used to run about 10 with the old large DD we used to have.
Anyway I'll have the extra shaft and tool for the next time and all I should need is bearings again.
I did buy this because I like top load Whirlpools and they are still easy to work on and parts are reasonable as I fix em myself like everyone else here.

 

[pumpkina]

Thanks.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[dartman]

Finally replaced everything

Well did it over last weekend finally and test drove it last night. It worked very quiet and smoothly again but it was leaking a tiny bit and I remember I couldn't get the seal completely flush but I greased it up good and put plenty of the silicone seal on the outside of the seal and a bunch squished out so I hoped for the best and let it sit and set up for 24 hours. So I already have a thread asking about what I might have missed or did wrong. We're going to run it tomorrow with a low drip tray and see if it gets worse or slowly seats in and stops leaking. I might just get a new seal and the other style sealant and at least pull the tub and maybe one bearing so I can make sure everything was seated and the spacer tube and ring stayed in place. Any replies for help to this or my other thread are appreciated.