Whirlpool Direct Drive

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My Whirlpool parts catalog from 1992 shows the 1982 models as K series machines, with from what I can tell the first DD model is an LB5500XK. It shows the LB5500XL as a 1983 model.

The first Kenmore was a 1980 model 110.81061100. That was followed by an '81 model of similar nomeclature, and two others, another 60-series and a 70-series (I believe those are the machines that used the odd gold agitators). For 1982 and 1983, finding a belt in a 24-inch washer was difficult with Kenmore.

Gordon
 
I thought in the beginning they were "spin-drain". Whats up with that? Did they try it out later and then revert to neutral drain? (OR is it that if you open the lid when the drain begins and then close it, it starts to spin? I forget).
 
You found it!!

Yes, that's the one!! I refer to that machine as DD "model 0". Does anyone have one of these (that exact model)? How common are they? Man, I would love to get one of these!!
 
We still have an original one from the first training meeting.

The original ones did spin drain. They had so many complaints that the neutral drain was introduced.
 
Without neutral drain, the transmission is subject to too much stress. Especially because the DD has a weak suspension system. DD's have to be completely level, or they quickly get out of whack.
 
That's exactly right. If you keep the lid down it will do a neutral drain. If you have the lid up and the cycle completes when you put the lid down, it will start spinning immediately.
Or if you open and close the lid during the draining process it will start to spin upon closing the lid.
 
L-52 is copyright 1985 and references LA7460XM. (These are original printed service manuals I have, not .PDFs.) M in eighth position = 1984 model year. P = 1985. LA7460XM may have been a "mid-season" transitional model to introduce neutral drain (what time of year does the model-year typically change?). My grandmother had an LA7400XM (S/N C435) which did not have neutral drain.

LA7400XM Use/Care

LA7460XM Use/Care

In the cycle sequences outlined in the two Use/Care manuals, L7400XM references "Drain & Spin High Speed" before each spin, even on low-speed cycles. LA7460XM references "Drain No Agitation."

LA7400XM manual appears to be in error on Regular/Heavy, the after-wash spin-spray was at high speed, not low ... unless that was an engineering change between LA7400XMW0 (manual reference) and LA7400XMW2 (Granny's model).

Did spin/drain really cause a strain on the tranny? There were no repairs in the 15 years my grandmother (and I) used the LA7400, not even a drive coupler. The machine was not replaced due to failure, it was sold to someone up the street when I passed my GWL08 to granny in 1999.

Were the complaints from consumers who were accustomed to neutral drain on their previous machine? And possibly in regards to the high-speed spin involved in drain on the Gentle & Perm Press cycles? The pump-out rate is high enough that with a low-level fill there may be ~1.5 mins of full high-speed spin before shifting to low-speed.
 
The second and third links are for 1982 belt drive machines. These IIRC were direct drive in 1983's L series.

I learned something from the manuals however - I did not realize that beyond the fill section of the timer sequences, one could run the machine less than full on a machine without an adjustable water level. Very cool, however it would still fill to high for the rinse.

In regard to the direct spin vs. neutral drain machines - in the early editions, they did not pause to drain, even if nobody fiddled with the lid. They did a direct spin, which as Matt said, put a huge strain on what was considered by most at the time a worthless piece of trash (many servicers were very biased against these like anything else new, from what I'm told) so a fairly quick re-design was made to introduce a neutral drain.

When I bought my 1986 BD, I saw a few of the lower line DDs on Sears' floor and would have bought something used had I only had a choice of DDs, and would have raised holy heck about the garbage they were trying to peddle to me. Little did anyone know at the time that these would re-write the standards in some ways later on. Ask a "newer" technician who cut his teeth on DDs what he thinks of belt-drives...lol

Gordon
 
The DD does not need to be a spin drain because of the coupler taking too much strain which equals unnormal wear and tear upon it although I have never seen much of a problem with the early spin drain ones. Actually I like a machine with spin drain. The older GE top laoder, you know the one with the landscaping block as the counterweight, are a true testament as to the beefyness of those GE motors to be able to push as a spin drain machine all those loads of clothes year after year after year. I only wish that Kenmore could find it in their heats to beef up their motors like those old GE's. I have seen many a GE motor have a second life as a bench grinder. Those windings must have been gold plated my friends.
 
I still see quite a few of the early Non-ND DD's. Motors were not the problem. The couplers were too strong, and the weight of the spinning water put too much stress on the suspension system. Then the tranie goes. Thats been my exerience. matt
 
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