Whirlpool: Proper grease?

[TAG]

What's the proper grease to use for the shafts/ seal cups etc. in a mid 90's Kenmore/ whirlpool direct drive washer? It seems the outside plastic tub seal uses a "special" grease (my guess it's the stuff you use around a pool - jacks). But what about other areas? I bought a NOS OE basket drive for the washer. Doing so got me the wear items for the brake and the clutch and it obviously has new seals. $80 and it's all new with nothing else to worry about. I also bought one new seal for the top of the larger tube the basket drive slides into (preventive maintenance). I have watched many videos and some don't even talk about the grease -- others are using the tube that comes with the plastic tub seal? One guy lathers it up with lithium like it's a log pole competition. I can see grease in the new basket drive but like an idiot I put my finger in there to clean out some dirt from the box and removed much of it. Some grease is not rubber seal friendly so I want to use the right stuff ... and also. Where do you need to put a little ?

 

[spin-doctor]

I have no idea if automotive type greases are ok (I'm not a washer repairman). But boat trailers use waterproof marine grease for their axle bearings which get submerged when the boat is launched and retrieved at the ramp.

 

[combo52]

Agitator shaft and center post lubrication on ALL WP belt and direct drive washers.

Use a good quality grease between the top seals on both the center post and the agitator seals, use turbine oil between the top bearings and 2nd seal and a small amount of grease above lower spin tube bearing.

The grease mentioned in reply #2 would be excellent, but it not real critical what you use. I know no lubricants that are harmful to the high quality neoprene seals that are used in these washers.

I have never heard of using any lubricant on any seals that touch the plastic outer tub, and I doubt its a good idea.

John L.

 

[TAG]

Thank you John: Sorry to beat a dead horse. I'm not schooled in the various names used for parts of the washer.

I'm assuming the agitator seals are the ones at the top of the basket drive and the center post seals are the ones at the top of the larger tube that you are also calling the spin tube. The center post and spin tube are the same larger pipe that the basket drive slips into and also holds the tub ?

Agitator is the main shaft of the transmission?

I'm not clear on where to place the Turbine oil. I'm assuming you don't want the Turbine oil around any of the grease? Just squirt some in the basket drive bellow the top bearing ? I have a new basket drive and as I mentioned above I did wipe out some of the grease in the groove of the upper seal. So I will refresh that area. That was the only lubrication noticed on the new part. So the lower bearing just gets whatever Turbine oil comes down the tube?

Is the spin tube bearing the one on the bottom of the larger pipe -- the center post? So grease the lower bearing when I open it up.

John. I noticed that one of the factory tub seal part numbers includes both the large lower seal and a small tube of what they call "grease". I made the assumption it was something like Dow/ Dupont Molkote 111. This is a silicone based product, widely used for seals and rings ... especially around plastic but used almost anywhere a seal is used around water. You see in in pool supply stores sold as "Jacks" to use on all the seals and o rings. It is also the small packet of "grease" you often get in a replacement plumbing cartridge (or it's already on it). I use a little on hose seals -- like the main supply lines to a washer. It keeps them soft and helps them seal. Not to be confused with "waterproof" grease sold in plumbing stores.