What do you know about very late Belt Drive Lady Kenmores?

[kenmoreguy64]

Charles -

A similar machine was available for the 1980 season, which you'd see in the fall '79 catalog, but I would not call it exact. The "Heavy Duty Plus" campaign hadn't started yet, so the panel would be at least cosmetically a little different, and the machine itself would be of the original large capacity size, meaning most everything except the actual running gear was different (baseplate, tub, basket, suspension rods, etc. would all be different between the late 70s models and the 1981-1986 design). Feature-wise though, these machines are probably the same.

Gordon

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Dave -

To remove the agitator, all you need is a socket wrench to take the agitator stud out (hold onto the agitator base when you turn the socket). When the stud is out, put your fingers under the base of the agitator, and push up with your thumbs or pull up. Keep your face/chin away from the auger, especially without the cap on it. These agitators rarely get stuck on their shafts which is common on older machines. Don't pull on the auger.

About the dryer opening, the oblong opening didn't debut until sometime in 1983 I think, maybe even early '84, as '84 models. There was a brief marketing bonanza by Sears IIRC when these hit the market. My mother's 1983 model dryer has the same opening as yours. The white finished drum came about a year or so later.

The flexing of your washer's cabinet is characteristic of machines of that time. They flex (and dent) much more easily than machines of 10 years earlier, especially when the weight of the machine is shift onto one or two feet, etc. Be very careful of that in your machine's case, as the rust on the lower cabinet could cause the corner gussets to snap or break at the welds, which makes shoring-up the machine on the floor very difficult. I would try to get the rust off, and prime and seal it as soon as possible. I say that when I have one or two like that myself, so I know how painting projects can be.

Gordon