When did GE start to go bad?

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Broken tub straps were a very common failure mode on HydroWaves and Model Ts, and an off balance load caused the tub straps to break.

When the mode shifter went bad on a HydroWave or when a model T violently shook on agitation, this also cashed the tub straps to fail. Both the HydroWave and model T were known for this because they were similar machines.
 
You'd think they'd added an off balance switch to prevent this, but nope. There was so much GE didn't take into account designing and building the model T. Its like the design was drawn up in a day, on the back of a napkin.
 
The Model Ts and HydroWaves didn’t have balance sensors, and most older washers didn’t except for the older belt driven Whirlpools. The reason why Model Ts and HydroWaves were so prone to broken straps was because they didn’t have balance sensors and when they went out of balance they went wild. If a GE HydroWave went off balance, it’d run wild and break the straps.

The HydroWaves and Model Ts were very similar machines overall, the Model T is an older drive system than the HydroWave, the HydroWave wash system came out in 2006 and was designed to be a quieter version of the Model T when the HydroWave in reality had even more problems than a Model-T. To distinguish between a Model-T and a Hydrowave is to spin the drum, if the drum doesn't spin easily by hand, it’s a Model-T. If it spins freely, it’s a HydroWave. When you open the lid of a HydroWave you can hear a short hum, this is due to its electrical break being released. The HydroWave was also one of the last machines without a lid lock that wasn’t a Speed Queen and was one of the last residential machines with a mechanical timer (for some models only). Higher end HydroWaves had electronic controls and top of the line models had spin speed options, soil level options, and all that stuff. The infusor ones had cycle signals.

I’m not sure if any of the Model-Ts had cycle signals but they made very high end model Ts as well.

Balance sensors are mainly found on the newer H.E. type of machines. Overall, I still despise GE HydroWave and Model-T machines.

I’d take a Model-T over a HydroWave any day if I had to choose because at least the Model-Ts and better cleaning performance and actually had a transmission and braking system. At least the Model-Ts wash and spin out, while the HydroWaves do lots of useless and stupid stuff. The HydroWaves also had an inverter board on the motor so they were not fully mechanical machines. The GE HydroWave does not clean your clothes well. But, honestly, I’d take a Samsung over both a Model-T and a HydroWave despite how much I dislike Samsung appliances.
 
I had a model T that went off balance three times (probably a resonant condition more than anything else) and the third time around cracked the upper tub ring. Interestingly the load didn't look imbalanced those two out of three times. No lump, no clothes all on one side.  The sound a model T makes slamming into the cabinet sounds like rapid fire explosions in acceleration, absolutely the scariest and most brutal sound I've heard. There is also the issue that the tub accelerates way to fast. An imbalanced load quickly gets worse and worse as there is nothing to prevent the basket from accelerating to full speed or before there is time to wring water out reducing the weight and impact if the lumped up items. 

 

There are plenty of internet pictures over the years of model T and hydro-waves practically exploded. To say these washer have any advantage in the spin cycle is a morbid lie. Model T are the most likely washer to go off balance and the end result is way worse than any filter flo. 

 

Speed Queen on the other hand just thuds into the cabinet during an imbalance. It does not reach full spin in a few seconds and the washer does self destruct. It does not even move from first hand experience.

 

Model Ts out of all washers should've had an imbalance censor. And a looser clutch. 

 

 

 

 
 
Model-Ts and HydroWaves should’ve definitely had balance sensors in them. HydroWave and Model-T are the most likely washer to get out of balance. The HydroWaves and model Ts can have broken parts like the tub ring or broken tub straps by just going out of balance three times, even less.

The older direct drives just usually moved around and made a beat when out of balance but didn’t usually break a part. The VMW Whirlpool machines often damage the tub ring when the load Is off balance if the suspension rods have failed.

The HydroWaves and Model-Ts used four suspension rods and they should’ve had balance sensors, either stop the spin if unbalanced, or fill with water to redistribute the load. Also, they cheaped things out on HydroWaves and Model-Ts by a lot.

Many rental properties used Model Ts and HydroWaves because they were cheaper. GE also used terrible upper seals, causing water to leak onto the bearing causing it to ultimately go bad. Bearing failure was a major issue with the HydroWaves and Model-Ts, too.
 
The sound a GE HydroWave or Model-T makes slamming into the cabinet does indeed sound like rapid fire explosions in acceleration. I’ve seen an unbalanced HydroWave machine and I did hear the noise, sounded like it was going to explode. You can see many videos of HydroWaves going crazy on the internet. With some being so unbalanced that the knobs or the control panel just come off the machine.

I actually remember using a HydroWave at a Airbnd, and it went out of balance about three times and it broke the tub straps. THREE IMBALANCES damaged it, unlike the other one, that one actually didn’t break down. It was working as it was supposed to the first times, but it went off balance and it eventually broke the straps, just it being off balance three times made the tub straps break.

Also, the tub ring breaking when imbalanced is more common on Whirlpool VMW machines than GE.

The HydroWaves also moved to full speed when off balance. They spun slow but eventually went to full speed. The HydroWave and Model-T had zero balance sensor.
 
 
<blockquote>Whirlpool862:  The Model Ts and HydroWaves didn’t have balance sensors, and most older washers didn’t except for the older belt driven Whirlpools.</blockquote> Referencing the WP classic belt-drive machines, many Kenmore-branded models through the years had OOB cut-off switches but few (if any) Whirlpools.

There were some Kenmore direct-drive models that had OOB switches.  I have one, Appnut's 1986/87 Lady Kenmore 110.82692820 (which is the source of his Shredmore nomer for them).  Whirlpool had OOB only on their own-branded Catalyst (I have one).
 
GE model T

In the last few years I had the GE model T, the transmission started making Bad Metallic Sounds during agitation and would click rapidly during spin. I will never forget the underwater banging coming from the dual action agitator in addition to it trying to turn over a load doing that grinding noise, which caused the underwater banging to get much worse. This was on normal agitation on the super load size setting. It did that when agitation started.[this post was last edited: 4/22/2025-01:28]
 
knocking down suds

Oh, I forgot to mention that fabric softener knock down the suds, even in the model T that didn't use a spray rinse in the intermediate spin but rather, in the final spin after final rinse agitation and drain.
 
lg against GE

I thought my lg dryer sucked after having used the GE dryer and matching washer. The more I reflect, the more I realized that the LG Tromm matching washer and dryer were superior to the model T washer and dryer. Clothes came out much cleaner and softer. I did take notice that the lg dryer uses medium heat on the normal cycle, come to find out that it had much superior airflow than the GE ever did. Plus, the LG front loader that matched it had better use of water which flew everywhere. This got me thinking, shame on you GE! Plus, I felt the LG from 2007 felt sturdier than the GE model T. It never dawned on me before, but that LG did what the GE couldn't. My clothes didn't feel baked whatsoever.[this post was last edited: 4/23/2025-17:51]
 
What about during or after the time their suspension system looked like this:

What exactly does aircraft cable look like or resemble in reference to GE's aircraft cable-like design it used?

When did they start this design anyway?

And sorry I forgot to draw in an agitator and inner-tub...

-- Dave[this post was last edited: 4/24/2025-10:12]

daveamkrayoguy-2025042409284001439_1.jpg
 
Where exactly does the brick go?

What does it look like?

The most-immediate family member was my grandma having one and after a repair to her's, which had a left-opening lid, was her saying something about the brick in it...

 

Years later, was a visit to my uncle in Orinda, CA who had one of the last filter-floss, mated with a newer Amana dryer...

 

 

 

-- Dave
 
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