Whirlpool/Kenmore Design 2000 Thread

[DADoES]

 
Patent-of-the-Day .pdfs and Picture-of-the-Day photos can be saved by anyone as a personal library.  Heed Robert's request to not re-post Pictures-of-the-Day, they are to be viewed on AW only via the random daily rotation.

I've saved them for years.  Patents are saved in folders named by manufacturer (Misc for those not attributed to a specific manufacturer).  I append the "Filed" date in format of yyyy-mm-dd and a brief description to the file names so they sort in date order by file name.  Pat 4,174,622 for example is file name 1978-07-27 Direct-Drive Tub Suspension 4174622.pdf.

 

[leadbread]

This thread (and the appliance geek context behind it) is so cool. I recently bought my first home which came with one of these washers - when I mentioned it to my dad, he revealed my grandfather (who was a design engineer for Whirlpool at the time in St. Joe) had worked on that very direct drive mechanism. Growing up we had what I now recognize was another Whirlpool direct drive washer, but a slightly newer one with a digital panel (guess what failed after thirty years of service?), with a nail driven into the door switch for everyone's convenience. This one already had the switch disabled, and it sounds exactly the same with the same hypnotic quality of watching my clothes swirl around in a toroidal cycle. I only found this thread because I was looking up replacement suspension rods (it works fine, but the drum sags) and I also need to address the knob at some point which always cuts out during a delicate wash near the first spin cycle. The grease smell is also more aggressive than I remember as a child but I suppose this machine is older and it's two decades later

 

[DADoES]

 
<blockquote>I only found this thread because I was looking up replacement suspension rods (it works fine, but the drum sags) ...</blockquote> Direct-drive design doesn't have suspension rods.  The tub sits on a base pedestal, anchored by three springs.  A fourth spring mounts at the back to counterbalance the motor's weight.  A somewhat common aging failure is the mounting point on the baseplate rail for the counterbalance spring rusts or wears through.  The fix is drill a new mounting hole beside the original to remount the spring, replace the spring if necessary.

 

[combo52]

Fixing up an older whirlpool top load washer

From reply number 60 it always pays and helps everybody if you’ll post a model number of the machine you’re working on or at least pictures of it so we’re all on the same page, I should have any part you need for that machine, but it does sound like you might be working on a belt, drive machine and not a direct drive if you’re looking for suspension rods.

John

 

[maytag85]

Belt Drive suspension. You’ll see there’s no suspension springs, just rods with rubber balls at the end, a snubber puts pressure on the tub ring to create resistance so it won’t mover all that easily when it goes into spin, even when agitating.

 

[leadbread]

Hah, sorry guys, the terminology is all new to me in this context. I've only ever heard of rods in washing machines and I'm hesitant to rip into mine to see what's there until I'm actually ready to replace whatever is needed. Here's a couple pics of my machine

>A somewhat common aging failure is the mounting point on the baseplate rail for the counterbalance spring rusts or wears through
Oh I bet that's it, I watched a couple videos and it looks right. Thanks a lot for the lead and I'll try to follow up tonight

 

[DADoES]

 
A broken/detached counterbalance spring would make the tub skew forward, being that the motor is mounted toward the front.

---> However, very early direct-drive had the motor positioned toward the right rear corner so the counterweight spring was accordingly mounted at the left front corner.  You need to cite the model number to confirm what you have.

Or, remove the outer cabinet for visual inspection.

 

[dominic20]

awsome

i am looking for some vintage agitators any of you know where to find them. also i rally like that early Kenmore Strait Vane agitator i want that one.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Whirlpool direct drives

I really enjoy the Whirlpool direct drive machines. My dorms have the Maytag version of these.

 

[ddfan92]

Found one!

So this has been on YouTube a little while, but someone has a Kenmore with that gold agitator!



John L: You'd know since you restored that 81 Whirlpool, how are the drain hoses routed on that one? Like from the tub to the pump, and from the pump to the back panel? Since they're in the back because it's a rear-facing motor machine, I'm curious. And does that mean the pump is also upside-down? Very interesting the way they made those.

 

[maytag85]

Here’s one thing that’s interesting about the early direct drives, the pump is towards the back as opposed to the front. Not sure why that was done, but I’m sure there was a reason for that. Cut down on noise possibly?

 

[ddfan92]

Sean,

I wonder if it was to perhaps emulate the BD design? Motor on those were in that same vicinity in the back.

 

[ddfan92]

Something else

I noticed on that machine in the video, the top panel is the same as the ones used on the 24" BDs of that time as far as the spacing between the lid and the edge, so it must have been hard to externally distinguish between a DD and a BD without looking in at the tub and agitator haha.

 

[maytag85]

Reply #70

Could have been, or if there was a rear access panel, could have made the pump replacement easier. Definitely was a cinch being able to remove the cabinet and the pump was right there. Replacing a pump on a belt drive was a little cumbersome, but was doable. Unfortunately, the pumps on the belt drives had to be replaced about every 10 years if the machine was used on a regular basis. The older 4 port pumps could be disassembled, cleaned and had wicking to add some oil to.

 

[combo52]

Early 24 inch direct drive washers

The complete motor and pump assembly was just rotated. 80° counterclockwise. The pump didn’t face the back but faced rear word on the right if you look down at the machine, it would be at about the 2 o’clock position.

The pump was mounted the same way not upside down same hose going from the outer tub to the pump but the pump discharge hose just looped all the way around toward the front and then back out the rear just like the later ones. It was a little bit longer of course.

That machine in the video sounds awful, and that guy should not be allowed to use a washing machine, his first mistake was sprinkling the detergent all over the place, you’re not baking a cake just pour the detergent in the washer. It Will mix it up. when you sprinkle it like that you get all kinds of detergent, dust down into the machinery over the years and causes a lot of rust on the base etc.

John L

 

[ddfan92]

2 o'clock position

Yes, thank you, I realize it's not the very rear but sort of the rear-right corner. Wow, so the same setup essentially could be done on a newer machine, just need a longer hose. Probably explains right there (partially) why they switched it eh? Mainly though to make everything more accessible I would assume...

Yeah that machine in the video...well...needs some love. Not even leveled to begin with, and then of course that horrible noise.

 

[maytag85]

The person in that video is is a friend of Chris Moore, I believe.

I never sprinkle any detergent, just pour it down the agitator on my Maytags or put the detergent in my Whirlpool’s (when it was working) magic mix dispenser filter.

Can’t stand when people talk in the background, just get to the point and get it over with, at least that’s what I do, no need to give the sales pitch and bore the audience out.

 

[ddfan92]

Chris Moore

No idea who that is.

 

[maytag85]

Believe his handle is spiral dasher. Literally has an entire barn full of stuff.

 

[appnut]

My mom had that Singer Sewing Machine that he said was $10. Also saw a Waste King dishwasher. I THINK that avocado Kenmore that he pointed out was the same model that was in the laundry room of Knotts Landing Fiargate house.