What does a 'Shredmore' look like?

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Here's a couple pix of an early Shredmore from '88. Anything newer than this will ALWAYS be a shredmore.

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And here's the telltale basket. If you see the tall, skinny basket, and the corkscrew agitator, it is ALWAYS a Shredmore. Some of the skinnier, smaller capacity Shredmores also have straight vane agitators which are even rougher on clothes.

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...and all this nonsense began due to the "Cruel-Action" agitator.

The "intellignecia" that designed/engineered the newer machines realized that the cork-screw portion of the dual-action agitiaor wasn't moving constantly -- it appeared stationary for brief periods as the bottom fins reversed diretion--. So that was "corrected".

Ulitmately a fast slow arc was introduced.
Sadly even Maytag did it with their "new" Orbital drive.

Now even GE Filter-flows had a fast slow arc of barely 90 degrees BUT their ramp-style agitators are not neary as cruel.
 
Two ways this propensity to shred (or at least be overly rough) were ameliorated-

Some models shifted to a reduced speed agitation the last few minutes of the wash.

Other models had a "Normal" cycle that is slow wash/fast spin and a "Heavy Duty" cycle that is normal wash/normal speed spin.
 
GE Filter-Flo

The GE Filter-Flo's do have a quicker short-arc stroke, but it should also be noted that even on high speed, they still agitate slower than a Shredmore on Low! The ramped agitator is nowhere near as rough on clothes as the Shredmore agitator is.

Now if you stick a straight vane agitator in a GE, then you're levelling the playing field. I HAVE had my GE shred clothes with the straight vane in it! That's why the ramped agitator gets all the use.....the straight vane can sit on the side and watch...

I can't wait to get the Highlander finished so I can have a REAL washer to play with!
 
You cannot go only by the auger agitator....

...you must also look at the control panel and the cabinet. Any KM (newer) with the timer knob off to one side will be a direct drive (shredmore).

This KM below (a belt drive), also has an auger agitator and a black control panel, BUT the timer is in the center. ALSO, notice the tub opening, both the cabinet top and "tub ring" is "D" shaped, a direct drive will have a round tub opening.

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By the way... the belt drive machine above was built in mid

These photos show a 1984 KM, 24" std. capacity washer (left) and a 1989 Whirlpool XL capacity washer (right). Both are direct drive and thus, shredmores, however I must admit the WP was more gentle then the '84 KM. That KM damaged one of my shirts after ONLY being washed once in it!!

Note that both timer knobs are off to one side (though all WP's are) and the tub opening is round.

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I have a Whirlpool version, about ten years old, that slows down to a gentler speed at the end of the wash cycle. And I never had any damaged clothing. Maybe you guys might overload your machines???
 
1984-2008 R.I.P.

Interesting! My mother's 1984 DD 24" Kenmore had the same control panel as shown in panel #336573, above, and the same opening shown in panel #336575, bottom left. Hers however had the cruel-action agitator. It lasted 24 years without a repair and could probably have been saved with a simple coupler. But she wanted a front-loader, and an automatic "extra" rinse.
 
Believe it or not, they're actually VERY reliable machines. Not much goes wrong since it's all direct-drive.

That said, the mean-ness to the clothing probably prompts a lot of people to get the front-loaders when their washer konks out since the front loaders are so much easier on clothing.

FWIW, I NEVER used to overload my Shredmore, and it always did a number on my clothes. I tend to wear clothing until I just can't anymore, and it made sure that I couldn't long before any other washer I ever had! Before I had it, I had been using a Helical Maytag commercial washer for the previous 4 years! So I was a little spoiled....
 
My grandmother got a Whirlpool Design 2000 model LA7400XMW2 serial C43505625 on 11/16/1984 (I have the purchase receipt). She used it until 8/2/1999 when she inherited my KA 760 pair (when I got the F&P GWL08/DE04). I used the Whirly also from 1987 thru 1991 when I was living in an apt and didn't have a washer & dryer. Never any repairs on the Whirly in 14 years 9 months. The KAs (which are in my garage) then gave way to the F&Ps on 10/8/2004 when I got the next F&P set (IWL12/DEGX1). Neither of us had any clothing damaged by either the Whirly or the KA. Granny is still using the same sheets and many of the same bath towels & wash cloths, and whatever other clothing she is still wearing as well.
 
Shredmore's are that bad.

I had a TOL Kenmore in the early 1990's that my mother bought me when I moved into my trailer. It had the dual-action agitator and triple dispenser. It was the next model down from the solid state electronic machine. I used it for about 6 years, and never had anything ripped or shredded.

I washed jeans, towels, and sheets in the heavy cycle which had the fastest agitation. Dress pants, dress shirts, and every day shirts were washed in the Perm. Press cycle which had a gentler agitation. It was a great machine, in fact I wish I still had it today. I had to move out of the trailer and mom stored it for me for a couple years. I finally told her to sell it, because I didn't think I would be moving back into a house anytime soon. I just like the belt drive machines better.

My roommate works on a gambling boat as a bartender has has these crappy shirts he has to wear, and I don't know if it's my washer that is causing it or the cheap material that the shirts are made of but, he has gone through several shirts since he started working there. The seems rip and the buttons come off. I wash them in warm water, on a short or gentle wash with a low spin in my Frigidaire front loader. I think it must be the craftsmanship of the clothes because these shirts are the only clothing items that are coming apart.
 
I can't remember what year my grandma bought her Kenmore WD. It had the SAME panel with the dial in the center but it had the cruel (LOL) action agitator. I want to say she bought it either in 85 or 86. The thing lasted until 2008 and it was making a horrible noise while washing but she kept washing with it and it still did the job even making the loud noise. My brother ended up giving her his and he bought a new one. I don't ever remember it damaging any of our clothes. I suspect they wore out quicker but no damage that I remember.
 
Kenmore

I used Scotts machine a few years ago and was pleasantly surprised by the wash action and programme options of this particular machine....certainly whips those clothes around, probably no more violent than a Hoover twinny on a 4 minute wash!!!

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