Whirlpool VMW washer transmission

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Do not listen to Jerome. He is not a technical expert and had not even taken apart a transmission or gearbox on his own.

All VMW gearboxes are similar with nylon gears. Some type of oil. Various bearings.
The commercial units have beefed up seals and bearings.

The GE versions are the same. But from limited sources I have heard the GE gearboxes are slightly heavier duty. And word on the street is that GE’s commercial TL washers use metal gear trains.
Hopefully we learn more the longer these products are on the market.
 
The VMW design was really only meant to be used in a compact washer design, not a full-size machine. Works perfectly fine in a compact washer, but in a full size machine, not so much since it’s undersized and underpowered which will cause it to wear out sooner than necessary.
 
GE!

GE's commercial steel gears are just marketing. I don't believe their residential units don't have any. Still, you'll NEVER find a GE in a laundromat. Apparently, we haven't learned from the model T. That 1/2 horsepower motor with steel drive transmission is just a marketing ploy to get people to believe these machines are tough.
 
I did a boneyard cleanup and got rid of multiple Whirlpools with bad gearcases and one with a broken tub:
Whirlpool WTW4915EW2 - bad bearings (manufactured on 46th week of 2016)
Maytag MVWC415EW2 - bad bearings (manufactured 46th week of 2016)
Maytag MVWC416FW - bad bearings
Maytag VMAX MVWB755DW1 - bad bearings
Maytag MVWC565FW0 - rusted splines and oil leak (manufactured on 30th week of 2016)
Whirlpool WTW4816FW0 - bad bearings - loud spin cycle
Whirlpool WTW4816FW2 - bad bearings - loud spin cycle (made on 6th week 2019), also and suspension rods.
2019 Amana NTW4516FW3 - broken tub
Two Maytag MVWC425BW washers - bad bearings - loud spin cycle
2019 Whirlpool WTW4816FW2 washer - bad bearings - loud spin cycle. (Made on 33rd week of 2019).

I cleaned up all these machines from the junkyard. I know the insides of those gearcases I’ve taken one apart before, but these are all the VMW’s to be scraped today.

I did get some good parts out of them then I just got rid of them. I have a second one that holds appliances because I had to junk some fridges, dryers, and other appliances too, so I had to her another one to scrap more.
 
VMW copy

I'm sure GE's copy of the VMW has plastic gears in their residential units. Nowhere do they mention steel drive transmission, which leads me to believe it's a GE commercial exclusive. I do suspect that GE has adopted this platform as of 2015. I don't believe these will handle extra heavy use. We know how they're built. This is why Speed Queen Laundry reigns supreme.
 
The commercial units use the same gearcase as residential ones. It uses uses WH03X33733. The SAME gearcase as the residential machines. So the claim that the GE commercial’s use a better transmission than the residential units is nothing but a ploy.

GE’s commercial machines are the worst “commercial” machines I’ve ever seen. At least Whirlpool’s Maytag commercial is somewhat better than the GE one because at least they use somewhat better parts although one major issue with the Maytag commercial is the plastic tub. A plastic hub cannot withstand commercial. Seems to be the most common failure on the Maytag commercial.

Nothing is as good as a Speed Queen but if I had to pick between the GE and Maytag commercial I’d pick the Maytag without a doubt. The GE commercial is literally the same washer as the cheap HotPoint you can buy for $500.

GE’s transmissions do have metal in it as I watched a video of one but never took apart a GE transmission only some off older VMWs, but their residential machines also use the steel drive transmission.
 
Don’t listen to Appliance Insider recommending the GE Commercial over the Maytag. Appliance Insider just hates everything branded Maytag if it’s made by Whirlpool. But then he recommends the Whirlpool and Amana which is literally the same exact machine.

Also, the Maytag commercial does use somewhat better parts than the residential VMWs, they seem to be a little less failure prone (at least for major parts).
 
Maybe. But that’s about it. Rest of the GE commercial is the same. And all of these motors seem to be good quality. The only failure i occasionally see with them really is when the internal bearings war out. But it’s much more commonly the gearcase bearing that’s causing the noise.
 
I just got in VMWs and VMAXs yesterday, and even a couple GE’s, I made the video on my files to remember the machines. one 2019 Maytag MVWB835DW4 made on 45th week of 2019 with a bad control board (good bearings tho) so I might save a Gearcase on that one, an Amana NTW4516FW1 washer (made on 9th week of 2017) with a bad bearings, roaring very loud on spin but has other good parts, and a Roper RTW4516FW2 (made on 49th week of 2017) with a broken tub and bad suspension rods, and a Whirlpool WTW4816FW3 washer (made on 9th week of 2024) running the drain pump continuously and throwing F3E1 (bad control board). I also got in a GE GTW330ASK0WW (also with bad bearings), roaring on the spin. And I got in an Amana NTW4516FW3 (made on 41st week of 2019) with a bad bearing, I spun the drum by hand and I can hear it and had a roaring noise on spin cycle.

I also repaired a GE GTW680BSJ4WS with a failing pump from another machine.

I like to save the gearcases and control boards as much as I can on machines. Probably going to get in more today.
 
GE!

I have seen the GE commercial washers. The lids seem to have lines in them when you feel them compared to their residential counterparts, plus they feel thicker. I wish that GE adapted the wash action behavior based on cycle. For example, the deep clean cycle should be the most aggressive. Somehow, it does the same agitation as colors/normal.
 
Got in more washers, made another video in files.

Whirlpool WTW4816FW1 washer - manufactured on the 49th week of 2016. Bad bearings - loud roaring spin cycle. No fix. Very loud.
Older GE Model-T WBSR3140DAWW washer, was a simple fix, was just a bad timer and I threw a new one on and it was all fixed.
Maytag MVWC565FW1 washer - made on 20th week of 2019. Bad suspension rods - resolved.
Whirlpool WTW4616FW2 washer - made on 50th week of 2017. Bad suspension rods - resolved.
GE GTW335ASN0WW washer - bad drain pump
Maytag MVW7232HW0 washer - manufactured on 6th week of 2021. Bad bearings - roaring on spin cycle. Was very loud.
 
I went to visit one of my friend’s houses today, and his is a Maytag Centennial MVWC200XW3 washer, it’s like 12 years old or something.

It was actually sounding normal on wash cycle and filled, but once it go into the spin cycle it was LOUD. Like a jet engine taking off, so bearings are obviously bad but it does work. It’s not a brand new VMW tho. This VMW actually works other than the bearing issue and he said it needed no repairs, he thinks it’s supposed to sound like that but it’s not. Sounds like bearings - not unbalanced.
 
And I got in several machines today, many are VMW:
Maytag MVWC200XW0 washer - roaring spin cycle and bad bearings.
Maytag Bravos X MVWX700XL2 washer (made on 15th week of 2013) - roaring spin cycle and bad bearings. I got a gearcase for it so I’m going to put a gearcase on this one.
Kenmore 110.25132411 washer (made on 36th week of 2017) - stripped basket hub.
Whirlpool WTW8500DW0 washer (made on 41st week of 2015) - bad control board
Whirlpool WTW5000DW3 washer (made on 25th week of 2020) - bad basket bushing and suspension rods.
Maytag MVWC565FW2 washer (made on 6th week of 2021) - stripped basket bub.
GE GTW465ASN0WW washer - bad lid lock.
Maytag MVWX655DW1 washer (made on 40th week of 2016) - stripped basket hub.

All to be repaired, even the Maytag Bravos X with bad bearings will be repaired by putting on a good used gearcase from an almost brand new 2024 Whirlpool with a broken tub. I don’t have the long shaft transmission for the MVWC200XW0 so that machine won’t be fixed.
 
Reply # 23

I had the Maytag MVWX700 bought back in early 2011. That machine only lasted just barely over 2 years. They were having board issues then, and I believe was the first generation VMW design. I don't remember a revision number or if there was one.I wasn't paying attention to that then.
 
Control board problems are much more common on newer VMWs. Got in two today. I get in VMWs about every time and I repair them.

Today just got in a Whirlpool WTW5010LW0 with a bad board. Board is bad, not working, machine was made in 2024.
I also got in this Whirlpool WTW4816FW3 that’s constantly draining and throwing F3E1 (this machine made on 11th week of 2024).
I got in a Maytag Bravos MVWX655DW0 washer (bad bearings). Yes, the bearings are bad on this unit, spin the drum by hand and I can hear it. Once I put it into spin cycle I heard it roaring like an airplane. This was made on the 46th week of 2014 so this machine is over 10 years old. Not fixing, scraping it for parts. Everything else seems good on it. It’s not leaking but the bearings are roaring.
And I got in a Maytag MVWC565FW2 washer, not draining so I’ll just swap out the pump.
I got in this Maytag Centennial Washer (MVWC200XW3). Made on 14th week of 2013. This VMW had the DAA, looked good, i often change suspension rods on this style VMW but those seemed good so I ran it and wash cycle was fine, but once it spun up it was roaring, so this machine has bad bearings. Not fixing, scraping it for parts.
And I got in this GE GTW460ASJ6WW, bearing is good but it’s not draining so pump is bad.
I also got in a Whirlpool WTW4800XQ4 washer (made on 30th week of 2013), bad suspension rods, going to repair that and throw some new ones on. Once I throw suspension rods on this it could be good to go.
 
I can get one for the WTW4816FW3 but not WTW5010LW0

Also, I got in more Whirlpool made washers today.
Maytag MVW7232HW0 washer (made on 9th week of 2021). Bearings are roaring - very loud on the spin cycle. Roared like an airplane. Not work fixing.
Maytag MVWB835DW4 washer (made on 15th week of 2019). Also bad bearings and very loud on spin.
Maytag MVWC200BW1 washer (made on 40th week of 2014). Bearings are actually good on this one and suspension is tight. The issue is that it’s not spinning which could be the actuator. I’ll change that.
Whirlpool WTW8127LC0 washer (made on 3rd week of 2022). Not bearing noise but makes a weird noise which is probably a slider which is quite common on this newer VMAX style of machine.
Whirlpool WTW5057LW0 washer (made on 41st week of 2021). Also has roaring bearings, spun it by hand. Once it was spinning I heard a loud noise on spin cycle, so the bearings are gone.
Amana NTW4650YQ0 washer (made on 41st week of 2013) - suspension rods. Banging on spin cycle.
Maytag MVWC200XW2 washer (made on 26th week of 2012) - suspension rods and banging on spin.
 
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