Wow, I guess I was a lot luckier than all the rest. We bought our Kenmore front loader in 2001 and it just started doing the knocking on fast spin. We took the back off and confirmed that it is the interior drum assembly and started our search. We now know it is the bearing or the spider assembly. Also I know we'll have to do a repair on the tub too.
I feel luck to have had it working for 11 years. We are a family of 4! Thanks!
I had a similar model kenmore (GE) for about the same amount of time and didn't have any warning like the rest of you. My drum was in final spin and struck the rear tub and popped a fist size hole in the back tub. needless to say I ended up purchsing a new washer.
Believe it or not, they're not designed to last much longer than that. That's the new standard we're supposed to be satisfied with when it comes to American clothes washers. :\ And people wonder why our country stopped buying American.
You had us at spider assembly. We had the exact same problem with our 5 year old Maytag. It could have been my husband doing that same video. What a shoddy design. Will never buy another one.
Help! I replaced a Kenmore front loader washer from Sears with a Frigidaire from a local appliance store, basically the same model. told the Kenmore( 3.5 yo) did not last due to too much detergent. I used bleach the other day( first time I used liquid bleach) washed it through twice to get the bleach smell out. My 4 yo Frigidaire will not run, it closes, I pull out the knob to run, the door lock light comes on but nothing else happens. I fiddled with the detergent drawer and the main door.Help!
Unfortuanatly, our Kenmore washer and dryer died after 4 yrs of use. I guess the quality isnt what they used to be. We bought an Electrolux front washer and dryer 4 yrs ago, and have no problems at all with them.
I'll bet that the engineering was outsourced and then the accountants directed the parts buyers to allow many companies to compete against each other for the internal component commissions. Without in-house engineers who can oversee the complete product, and with all internal components being purchased commodity-fashion from various suppliers, you are bound to get mismatched materials and no one in-house that can warn about the consequences.
I have a GE / Frigidaire WCXH 208A0WW with exactly the same problem. I would not have dismantled my washer if I had not seen your video. My drum assembly looks identical to yours and the spider assembly is corroded the same way. Hey everyone, how about a class action law suit against GE ??? I'm in if anyone know how to get it started. Planned obsolescence, just like the old Pinto and Bobcat cars !!!! I will never buy another GE or Kenmore product
I purchased a Frigidaire GLTR1670AS0 in 2001. I don't have the failure described here. I have done 6-7 loads every week. I never used HE detergent but a low amount of regular liquid detergent. I have ALWAYS left the door wide open when in not in use and removed the detergent tray to help dry out the machine.
Coating the parts may help but if a breach develops in the coating, corrosion can be accelerated.
This video is in correct this poster sould not be talking things he doesnt know about!!!!!That drum that he talks about has a 25 year warranty,also those groves would not be in the washer tub if he had stopped using it after the spider broke!!!!!! And seeing that kenmore didnt make that machine or any other appliance!!!!!! Get your facts stright bud!!!!!
@nisenor69 Actually, it's a lifetime warranty on the drum. He probably didn't realize that the spider had broken, but most likely attributed it to an unbalanced load, at first. At any rate, the protruding screw heads wouldn't take long to score the drum. You are quite correct; the machine was manufactured by Fridgidaire.
Can I ask you what you are going to get instead? Thank you for posting this, the exact same thing has happened to us, twice in ten years. I'm disgusted.
the same thing has happened to mine so if anyone knows of a solution let me know..because if the part is going to cost me over $200. I'd rather invest in a new washer but I have already replaced parts on the dryer that pairs with this washer..it was leaving black marks all over my clothes
the same thing has happened to mine so if anyone knows of a solution let me know..because if the part is going to cost me over $200. I'd rather invest in a new washer but I have already replaced parts on the dryer that pairs with this washer..it was leaving black marks all over my clothes
You can buy (here in Canada) a 'drum kit' from Sears for $229 from sears, p/n 134453200. That's the front plastic tub, rear tub (w/ bearings), and inner stainless steel tub. Stupidly, the inner tub is actually more money. You don't even need to disassemble the plastic tub as you see above.
There spider arms aren't made of aluminum (I work with these parts on a regular basis), they are dissimilar metals but they are compatible. Most manufactures use the same combo of metals with out issue. Wrong type and too much detergent is the casue of this corrsion and the cut marks are caused by the tub going out of balance during the spider arm failure. I've been using the same machine for 0ver 13 years, no issue.
the basket is under a 25 year warranty. they will replace the part no charge. Labor,no. rear tub half which contains the bearing, no. the screws (retaining the baffles) are normally in tolerance but when your spider broke it let the basket wobble,cutting the grooves in the tub.
Here is my question........Why is this spider corrosion not happening to all owners of these specific type of machines, yet others get it within 5 or 6 years. My aunt has this washer bought in 1999 and it still works and never has had anything done with it, yet others report this happening......What's up with that?
Gosh darned planned obsolescence. When are we going to revolt and insist that this practice become illegal! The company is deliberatley designing products to fail!
I've had my kenmore top load for only 14 months, I didn't have enough money to get the extra warranty..I am being told that the problem is the switch (lock) and the control board.. washers washes but when it comes to the rinse/spin cycle it stops.. any other suggestions?? where can I get these parts less expensive.
Thank you very much for your explanation. Kenmore should be ashamed of themselves. This is exactly what's happening with me, and sure enough it lasted 6 years to the month....
You saved me so much time troubleshooting the damn thing. unfortunately in my case the water leak through the plastic cover caused grease to leak through the clothes and stain my family's clothes as well. We should have a class action against Kenmore.... any lawyers out there?
This is made by Frigidaire/Electrolux (Sears does NOT make appliances, so all Kenmore are made by someone else - the trick is figuring out who). Our Frigidiare GLTR1670AS0 did the same thing after ~5 years. No satisfaction from Frigidaire. The plastic outer tub is under warranty for 25 years. The rubbing of the screws I think is only caused by the broken spider causing it to be out of balance.
Thanks for your video. I have exactly the same model, I paid 1000$ in 2003 for it and the same thing happened after 5 1/2 years. I'm planing to go to the the Small Claims Division here in Quebec to have my money back. I would like to do a similar video than yours but in french and will put it on youtube after. Do you mind? Thanks. Claudine, Papineauville, Québec, Canada.
it's nice to see honest old American guy talking about Kenmore 7 how much he loves the product. I think Kenmore would fix his machine for no charges or they would give brand new machines for no charges. Because That's Kenmore DO.
Unfortunately one can hear these stories just about any brand sold. We bought a Frigidaire front end loader to replace a Maytag (now made in Mexico) after 8 years. We bought a Frigidaire for two reasons. 1) Based on ratings in Consumer Reports. 2) It is one of the few brands still produced in USA. We are very pleased with the mashine. It is an excellent washer, very quiet and barely vibrates during spinning. Considering everything I would rather buy an US product than an imported machine.
Old frigidaire design. These are obsolete. Front loaders are still the best you can get. If you are in the market, buy a brand with direct drive (Kenmore, Elite, Samsung, LG, Bosch)
@rfairrin I like the idea of direct drive, but the flaws in this machine could also show up in a direct drive machine. I'm reluctant to buy any front-loader until I hear of a design that's been reliable for 8 years or more. "We finally got it right now!" just doesn't cut it. My Whirlpool "ThinTwin" is totally mediocre, but it has only needed a belt, a timer and a roller kit (for the dryer) in 25 years.
Ohh so, went into figure out what the real issue is; the off balance. removed the 2 screws for the bottom (front) quarter panel and lo and behold: There are two broken shocks. Now if Kenmore wanted them to be long lasting they would not have made the pieces that hold them in place out of plastic....into the garbage with them.....
One more thing: we also had the gas-version of the dryer which goes along with this washer (417....). It has its own design flaw: lint collects inside the metal chassis (out side the drum) and catches fire. Search for kenmore dryer fire and you'll see... I recommend you dump this dryer to save your house!
Same thing happened to our Sears 417.43042300. Search for "stainless steel aluminum galvanic corrosion"... it's difficult to come to any other conclusion than that this product is purposely designed to have a limited lifetime. This is a low margin product, obviously. If you buy the $200+ drum (which must cost very little to make), you probably double their profit margin for this washer.
I have a washer and it has had several door lock failure over the past 2 years. Sears has "repaired" the problems. They do not stand behind their products. Next step is to contact corporate office
Just after 5 years, this model destroyed itself. Loud banging. Front plastic tub, 2" hole, rear plastic tub, 6" x 3" hole. One damper broken at top. Assume the bearing/spider failure allowed the steel drum to whack the plastic tub holes. Lots of plastic hair thin shavings too. Your grooving example no doubt as water flushed them out to my flooded floor.
Same story here! The spider cracked on mine as well and the service guy couldn't figure it out after $80 service call. So I replaced the tub/spider assembly myself. The spider is NOT sold seperatly! This was about 3 years ago. Guess what I think it broke again today! I performing sergury on it tomorrow.
I called customer service today and mentioned the 25 year warranty on the washer basket and they are sending me the assembly. We'll see what I get in 14 days.
I have a Kenmore elite front loader washer. I bought it 5 years ago, for 800 dollars. The bearings burned out and now I cant remove the spinner drum from the rear tub. I was told that I must buy both the rear tub 500.00 and the rear tub 345.00. What a rip off kenmore products are. Dependable my butt.
Sir, I just want to THANK YOU...thank you for taking time out of your life to teach a life lesson that will help me in this hard time right now!!! God Bless you and yours.
Fascinating! You are the Sherlock Holmes of Front Loaders! They mysteriously die & no one, until NOW, knew what "killed" them! Thanks for the autopsy! Who knew...Aluminum, steel, protruding screws & corrosion beyond belief?! It died too young! My condolences to you & your wallet. TANKSALOT!!!!!!!!!
you can renew sears master protection agreements for many many years, if you don't let it lapse. you can say all you want about metal this and reaction that, but it usually boils down to one thing.....TOO MUCH SOAP!!!!!! bet you use cold water to wash most of the time also.
I can't decide if this is planned obsolescence or just incompetence.
The former would be a very short-sighted, shoot-yourself-in-the-foot strategy. But hey, I wouldn't put it past stupid American management nowadays. It killed a 100-year-old GM.
@chazberry I doubt that even the most cynical company would plan something like this; what customer would buy the replacement machine from Sears/Frigidaire? Whirlpool used to OEM Kenmore, back when they ran forever. I noticed that tanksalotct was only quoted $200: much less what I saw in earlier complaints. I'll bet either Sears is trying to avoid calling too much attention to this lemon, or a failure rate this high created an aftermarket.
I think it's ashame how many different manufacturers build products to fail after a short period of time. It's quite evident because their warranty usually expires right before the product fails.
cast aluminum and water, it doesnt matter if its city or well water it will fail, I would say engeneered to fail. mine did it too and they were yeo this happens they are junk
the reason for your washers failure is too much soap and you probly only ever washed in cold water.. soap works its way in to the bearing on the read half of the tub. and wears down the bearing causes the stainless drum to sag and wear threw the tub. thats why it was cutting a grove in the tub. however, it is a very common issue with that smaller figedaire front laoder, and yeah its a peice of crap. stick with bosch, LG, samsung, fisher and paykel. all much better then frigedaire/electrolux
Grind the extra threads off those bolts, get a new drum with the spider then remove it and powdercoat it.. The spider should last 10+ years.. It wont stop the corrosion but it will slow it down 10-fold.. -Rob
Even if you replace the bearings for noise, a major task, the inside spider will always corroded because of a Stainless Steel and Aluminum reaction. This is not evident on painted metal drums.
The reason there is only a drum replacement is because the replacement of the bearings/spider (labor) out ways the cost of the drum.
Their needs to be a Class Action Lawsuit against Frigidaire/Sears/Electrolux
Same problem with my Kenmore model 417.43042200 I took the broken spider to a welding shop but the metal quality was way too poor to hold a repair. I like your idea of the zinc anodes inside. I may epoxy coat the spider as well. I'm going to nip the protruding screws with a cut-off tool so that they are nearly flush with the basket when I reassemble it. I found a replacement spider and shaft off of ebay for a lot less than a replacement basket assembly would have cost.
Great video! I recently pulled my Frigidaire washer apart due to bad bearings. The bearing seal failed causing corrosion on the bearings. (common failure in these machines) I replaced the seal and bearings, the spider had some surface corrosion but mostly intact. I have added zinc under the baffles to slow the corrosion of the spider. My washer is 8 year old, and if I can get a few more years out of it by replacing seals and adding zinc it may be a cheap way of salvaging a faulty design.
I feel your pain Tanksaloct! Excellent video! I just completely disassembled mine to find the exact same ridiculous corrosion on the spider with two of the three arms completely fractured. It's astounding what has to come apart to gain access to the faulty part and even more unbelievable that the spider is made of aluminum. There would have been cheaper alternatives...wonder if it is engineered to fail after the warranty expires. Possible planned obsolescence?
You are 100% on. I had the exact problem after only 4 years. Piece of crap. Will never buy another Kenmore anything. Very rude when I called about the problem.
Same Thing , I am not buying kenmore anymore unless they deal with this, furthermore if they do not publicly address this problem and start selling the spider arm seperately.
Dissimular metals such as these always corode when they are touching.The term for what sears and kenmore have done is called planned Planned obsolescence - (Wikipedia)also know as planned delayed failure... to make money. Refuse to buy the drum,work together.On January 30th 2009 lets all call and complain! 1-800-366-7278
Well if the spider was made in stainless and the screws were shorter or they added some say friction wheels to hold up the heavy end that is not supported by the shaft it would last longer and you wouldn't be buying another for 12 years+ right?! - My Dad calls it "Deliberate Delayed Destruction" Make the thing from materials that will eventually FAIL within a given time and PRAY that they don't complain about it. Problem is some parts fail way too pre-mature and WE as consumers get those units..
Unfortunately, no. I recommend that you call Sears and insist on them honoring the lifetime warranty on the stainless steel basket. Be persistent and polite and they might send you one for free. This is a faulty product they sold, so they should pay for it.
This is a planned failure. They just are keeping the repair team employed. INSIST that you do the repair or you'll file a class action lawsuit. We have many people that would join. I got the whole assembly free- including shipping.
The corrosion problem is defiantly conspiracy! The people who designed this machine are smart enough to know that stainless steel and aluminum are incompatible metals. Besides, what was wrong using the same metal they used for the inner tub? They do this predetermined failure thing on purpose with all sorts of products, ESPECALLY in the automotive industry. Their plan is..... ***continued below***
After 4-6 years, *when the warranty runs out*, the aluminum will be so heavily corroded that the tub will bend out of alignment so the screws will be close enough to the outer tub to create a grove. BUT, if the heavily corroded Spider assembly does not fail, then you will eventually have a washer that leaked water and fried its self. NOW you have to buy a WHOLE NEW tub assembly instead of just the one failed part! That means you spend more money and they get more money. ***continued below***
And YES, they can build an affordable washing machine that will last more than 20 years.they just dont want to because less people will buy their next washer because their old one works great. ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY.....thats why our economy is the way it is.
What junk! Who engineered this crap? I still have in perfect working order a set of whirlpool w&d combo that was bought new in 96for a grand. Till this day we still use the set these never needed service and never had any problems and we do laundry almost every day here with a family of 6. No smelly/leaky washer here and will not go with a front loader for that fact. Go figure.
Its not planned obsolescence Mr Conspiracy Theorist. Its this Statement:
"Oh My God! One-Thousand Dollars for a washer! UGHHHHHHH!!!!!! We will buy the cheap one for $600!"
It's cheap for a reason! So people like that have something to buy. If Whirlpool/Maytag, Frigidaire, GE, Fisher & Pykle, LG, Samsung all made washers that didn't break, it would be as expensive as car... and it weigh that mucht too thus resulting in floor damage LOL
12 years ago, I purchased a new Frigidaire washing machine discounted to $1000, and I believe that it is the same machine as the Kenmore (the speed control board failed, which is why I am researching the machine). I have not looked at the spider so I do not know its material of construction, but the drum assembly is warranted for 25 years.
As I stated, I have Frigidaire, not Kenmore. Sears has nothing to do with it as I bought from Montgomery Ward. You are right though that it needs to be replaced by a service technician. Thanks to your video, if my machine "klunks" I will call them rather than fixing it myself. BTW, the outer drum does not appear to be structural and probably can be epoxied. I repaired a White Westinghouse rusted outer drum this way in addition to a complete bearing/shaft rebuild. The unit lasted 18 years.
I have just experienced the same problem with my kenmore mdl# 417 and what a pain in the tail it was to break down. I called Sears to find out if the replacement spider assembly will be of the same quality and no one could tell me anything about it. But the spider assembly looked exactly like yours did and my washer is only 4 years old. If anyone knows who I can contact to get answers I'd appreciate it. BTW Sears Executive complaint dept. - 1-800-690-5650 maybe if enough people call they'll act.
Maytag is now made to the same high standard as Kenmore, Whirlpool, Kitchenaide, and related brands. Look carefully before you buy. Have you read the blogs about the Whirlpool Cabrio? Stick with a conventional top-loader with a post-and-fin type dasher, and make every load count. The high-efficiency machines are too expensive and too troublesome.
...also you can purchase and extended warr for 5yrs as stated but at the end you will be contacted with an offer to extedend it another 1-5yrs... up to a total of 10yrs ....
Also what usually causes this problem is if you use too much detergent. YOU HAVE GOT TO USE LESS DETERGENT AND USE "HE" DETERGENT!!! Most consumers with this problem don't realize the damage using the incorrect soap can cause. It can ruin rear bearings... make your clothes spin out too slow.. cause drain pump problems...and of cousre as shown in this vid ruin the tub support "spider assy".
Good job CT!! Those screws you are reffering to hold the three baffles in place that give the wash action. Though they are common in most front loaders I am inclined to agree; A better design would result in a more reliable product. Unfortunatly for us Kenmore is in the business to sell washing machines. If they built one that was invincable, they would soon go out of business - or would they? I wonder what happened to Maytag?
What happened to maytag are those unreliable neptune washers! That gave maytag a bad name because of that pis poor design. Whirlpool now ownes maytag so now you get good quality top loaders, but the front loaders are made in germany. Haven't heard any complaints about them yet so maybe they are good.
Just wanted to add, that old Kenmore washer of mine has the classic "Super Roto-Swirl" agitator....I LOVE that name. Also down in the basement is an old 1953 Speed Queen wringer washer that still works great as well.
They sure don't build em like they used to. I have a late 1960's Kenmore washer and it still works great to this day. I have had to make a few repairs like replace the agitator and had to have a hole welded in the outer tub and have had to replace a belt and the water pump once but other then that the old washer still purrs like a kitten. Ha ha...I still use the matching dryer also. Only thing that's happened to it was the heater element burned out once.
Oh, we've gone through 4 washers in the last 7 years. Just got a front loader and problems have started already. We do about 8 loads average a day. One washer lasted less than two months. Sucks
Everyone that watches this should forward this video to Whirlpool and Kenmore. I know they are owned by Whirlpool but nonetheless, different Executives lord over each company.
The more we scream and holler about their shameless tactics - who knows, perhaps it might do some good.
Almost every Kenmore appliances are made by Whirlpool. Some are made by Electrolux, some by Panasonic but washers are exclusively made by Whirlpool. Call whirlpool, you will get better service. I work at Sears and I know that the Parts deparment is really useless.
HE3, 4, & 5 lines are souced by the same German facility that makes the Whirlpool Duet and Duet HT. Those are the ones to buy. The HE2, 2Plus and 2t are sourced from a Whirlpool-owned plant in Mexico. tanksalotct has one of the old "Good" models from when Sears sold a "Good, Better, Best" line of front loaders alongside the HE3. They were all sourced from Frigidaire before Electrolux Home Products (EHP) had time to rebuild quality back into the Frigidaire name.
@lauzon83 Uhh, no. The Whirlpool exclusive on Kenmore appliances has been gone for decades. The machine in question is a very bad Westinghouse design carried over by Electrolux, and has been sold under the Fridigaire, Gibson, GE (yes, GE), Kenmore, and several other makes. All are the same behind the label, all have spider failures. Don't let the fancy European ownership of the company fool you. It is the same junk that was hatched by White Westinghouse ages ago.
@FriendlyGrizzly The Kenmore stuff that is made by whirlpool is arguably better than anything else. The reason Kenmore washers have (or had) a good reputation is because they used to almost all be made by Whirlpool, both the belt drive and direct drive designs.
@captain150 wrong. wrong. the new sets are made my LG. One of the Kenmore sets is rated a best buy by consumer reports and there top end sets are rated nuber one an two oveall. Whirlpool used to make Kenmore, but there were way to many problems with there front loader and there front loader only. Be careful you will hear uneducated people online.
check your manual. The tub only is covered, not the spider assembly. Ask me how I know? becasue it has cost me over $200 to replace it after three years. I will never buy another sears product. Mine is exactly the same as in the video. Sears has known about this for years and has done nothing
When you order the stainless steal tub ... it comes with the "spider" it is covered for the lifetime of the unit. you had to pay the labor to have the new tub installed that is y you payed over 200$ you had to call sears their labor is overly expensive!!! If you had to pay for the tub it would have cost you over 700$... if you needed the back half of the outer tub(bearing assy) that is not covered by the warranty...
This one rather strongly resembles my Frigidaire GLTR1670AS machine and it's been howling LOUDLY for a year now! Yeah, I expected to get at least ten years out of it but no way now. And I use Amway SA-8 detergent which is known to have a good dose of silicates for washer part protection. I expected MUCH better from a machine designed by Electrolux, a longtime frontloader manufacturer. Planned obsolescence!!!
Thank you so much for posting this. Next time it's a Miele, Milnor or Wascomat for me!
I don't think that detergent is the main cause of this problem.The main diff between HE and regular detergent is that HE doesn't suds as much. If the problem were something like a smelly gasket I would suspect detergent to be the problem.
Do you know if the issues you had with your machine have been addressed by the manufacturer and fixed? I recently purchased a Kenmore front-loader of similar appearance from Sears (mine has the same exact door as the one in the video) and this has got me worried. My parents told me to stick with a top-loader, they've had the same machine for almost 25 years.
I'd bet you have the same issue. What I did was remove the 3 plastic "paddles" inside the drum and attach 3 identical "zinc's" as sacrificial anodes. This is what they use on marine engines to keep the salt water from corroding the engine components in the salt water. The zincs will die, but the aluminum spider will be unaffected. Time will tell
this video is right on the money . i only got 5 years out of mine . same problem . i took mine apart to reveal the same problem . never buy a kenmore . sears will not admit this problem
demonbarf knows what he is talking You should have bought one designed by Whirlpool. You can get one for about what you paid for that hunk of junk. I have a Kenmore that is 22 or 23 years old now and still going strong.
We live in a disposable world, I just had a go in about a refridgerator with another manufacturer. They always ask ???? Why didn't you buy an extended warranty??? LOL It might be me thats nuts... but I don't think so
It's unfortunate that it dided. But you did ok. 7yrs is by todays standards is considered good quality. I sell part for appliances. Machines todays just dont last - you will never get 20 yrs out of any appliances anymore.
So you washer was making a noise but still working and you have completely demolished it so you would not have to pay sears $69.00 to find out what is wrong with it. Now you will have to pay $700.00 for another. Your a funny guy.
mca0824 - The washer was terminally broken, and I would have paid Sears $69 to find out what I already knew. I fixed the washer for $200 in parts and modified the washer so it would never break again in the same way.. (We're using it now). A new washer would have died in 5 years for sure due to the problem I mentioned in the video. I'm glad you find it funny. I'm personally disgusted at the planned obsolesence built into expensive products. Thanks for your comments!
Guy, "Maximum of a 5 year extended warrenty" is wrong. You can only purchase up to 5 years at once. You can renew it before your service contract expires. You can also purchase 1 year or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 at a time. You can also renew then before they expire... or guess what, you can purchase then even after you have bought the item or you can buy then 5 years after you bought it or even up to 10 years of age...
I have seen these front loader washers and have worked on them. I would never buy one. Why did they design such junk ? Youre doing good to get 6 years from one of these. When the tub leaks, it lets water go all over including electric parts. Buy a good top loader like the good kenmore made by Whirlpool
Thanks for showing that. I bought my Kenmore in 2004 and it died in 2011. So I got 7 years on it.
TerrenceG 1 week ago
Wow, I guess I was a lot luckier than all the rest. We bought our Kenmore front loader in 2001 and it just started doing the knocking on fast spin. We took the back off and confirmed that it is the interior drum assembly and started our search. We now know it is the bearing or the spider assembly. Also I know we'll have to do a repair on the tub too.
I feel luck to have had it working for 11 years. We are a family of 4! Thanks!
nukeking1 2 weeks ago
I had a similar model kenmore (GE) for about the same amount of time and didn't have any warning like the rest of you. My drum was in final spin and struck the rear tub and popped a fist size hole in the back tub. needless to say I ended up purchsing a new washer.
Ramstein414 1 month ago
Believe it or not, they're not designed to last much longer than that. That's the new standard we're supposed to be satisfied with when it comes to American clothes washers. :\ And people wonder why our country stopped buying American.
SpazChat 4 months ago
I have three words for you, sir: class action lawsuit!!!!!
lebarosky 5 months ago
You had us at spider assembly. We had the exact same problem with our 5 year old Maytag. It could have been my husband doing that same video. What a shoddy design. Will never buy another one.
bw55boo 6 months ago
Help! I replaced a Kenmore front loader washer from Sears with a Frigidaire from a local appliance store, basically the same model. told the Kenmore( 3.5 yo) did not last due to too much detergent. I used bleach the other day( first time I used liquid bleach) washed it through twice to get the bleach smell out. My 4 yo Frigidaire will not run, it closes, I pull out the knob to run, the door lock light comes on but nothing else happens. I fiddled with the detergent drawer and the main door.Help!
unicowmilker 10 months ago
Unfortuanatly, our Kenmore washer and dryer died after 4 yrs of use. I guess the quality isnt what they used to be. We bought an Electrolux front washer and dryer 4 yrs ago, and have no problems at all with them.
dixiewife47 10 months ago
I'll bet that the engineering was outsourced and then the accountants directed the parts buyers to allow many companies to compete against each other for the internal component commissions. Without in-house engineers who can oversee the complete product, and with all internal components being purchased commodity-fashion from various suppliers, you are bound to get mismatched materials and no one in-house that can warn about the consequences.
FuzzysWuzzy 1 year ago 2
I have a GE / Frigidaire WCXH 208A0WW with exactly the same problem. I would not have dismantled my washer if I had not seen your video. My drum assembly looks identical to yours and the spider assembly is corroded the same way. Hey everyone, how about a class action law suit against GE ??? I'm in if anyone know how to get it started. Planned obsolescence, just like the old Pinto and Bobcat cars !!!! I will never buy another GE or Kenmore product
Lindsay850 1 year ago
I purchased a Frigidaire GLTR1670AS0 in 2001. I don't have the failure described here. I have done 6-7 loads every week. I never used HE detergent but a low amount of regular liquid detergent. I have ALWAYS left the door wide open when in not in use and removed the detergent tray to help dry out the machine.
Coating the parts may help but if a breach develops in the coating, corrosion can be accelerated.
spinoza503 1 year ago
I think these issue are why our machine is failing. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!!
amtwhite 1 year ago
This video is in correct this poster sould not be talking things he doesnt know about!!!!!That drum that he talks about has a 25 year warranty,also those groves would not be in the washer tub if he had stopped using it after the spider broke!!!!!! And seeing that kenmore didnt make that machine or any other appliance!!!!!! Get your facts stright bud!!!!!
nisenor69 1 year ago
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psomlo 3 months ago
@nisenor69 Actually, it's a lifetime warranty on the drum. He probably didn't realize that the spider had broken, but most likely attributed it to an unbalanced load, at first. At any rate, the protruding screw heads wouldn't take long to score the drum. You are quite correct; the machine was manufactured by Fridgidaire.
psomlo 3 months ago
Can I ask you what you are going to get instead? Thank you for posting this, the exact same thing has happened to us, twice in ten years. I'm disgusted.
Lyn2686 1 year ago
the same thing has happened to mine so if anyone knows of a solution let me know..because if the part is going to cost me over $200. I'd rather invest in a new washer but I have already replaced parts on the dryer that pairs with this washer..it was leaving black marks all over my clothes
shawndaply 1 year ago
the same thing has happened to mine so if anyone knows of a solution let me know..because if the part is going to cost me over $200. I'd rather invest in a new washer but I have already replaced parts on the dryer that pairs with this washer..it was leaving black marks all over my clothes
shawndaply 1 year ago
You can buy (here in Canada) a 'drum kit' from Sears for $229 from sears, p/n 134453200. That's the front plastic tub, rear tub (w/ bearings), and inner stainless steel tub. Stupidly, the inner tub is actually more money. You don't even need to disassemble the plastic tub as you see above.
brynen 1 year ago
Nice job-I wish you were my neighbor
bufford4 1 year ago 4
I havent had a chance to look but was your model rated by comsumer reports? and Nice video!
flycessna1 1 year ago
I did my reaserch on over use of detergent in FL washers most liquid detergents even HE are harmful to these washers.
sherrenchris 1 year ago
There spider arms aren't made of aluminum (I work with these parts on a regular basis), they are dissimilar metals but they are compatible. Most manufactures use the same combo of metals with out issue. Wrong type and too much detergent is the casue of this corrsion and the cut marks are caused by the tub going out of balance during the spider arm failure. I've been using the same machine for 0ver 13 years, no issue.
sherrenchris 1 year ago
the basket is under a 25 year warranty. they will replace the part no charge. Labor,no. rear tub half which contains the bearing, no. the screws (retaining the baffles) are normally in tolerance but when your spider broke it let the basket wobble,cutting the grooves in the tub.
4362mont 1 year ago
Here is my question........Why is this spider corrosion not happening to all owners of these specific type of machines, yet others get it within 5 or 6 years. My aunt has this washer bought in 1999 and it still works and never has had anything done with it, yet others report this happening......What's up with that?
mark40511 1 year ago
@mark40511 , Because some people insist on using too much detergent and the wrong type of detergent perhaps?
The newer Kenmores have been outsourced to LG for manufacturing purposes
SpazChat 4 months ago
Gosh darned planned obsolescence. When are we going to revolt and insist that this practice become illegal! The company is deliberatley designing products to fail!
sean90291 1 year ago
I've had my kenmore top load for only 14 months, I didn't have enough money to get the extra warranty..I am being told that the problem is the switch (lock) and the control board.. washers washes but when it comes to the rinse/spin cycle it stops.. any other suggestions?? where can I get these parts less expensive.
help in ILL!
TheBabygirl233 1 year ago
the bearing closer to the tub was really bad , the other less so
I found both bearings on ebay for about 15$-20$ each
but I still can't find the seal !!!
appliance store won't sell the seal only, just the tub with bearings, damn !
oh I also have the protruding screws in the basket but the bearings weren't so bad as to let them cut into the plastic tub
this has all been engineered to fail this way and not last 20 years , 5 year is the target
shodanxx 1 year ago
got the same washer but with the frigidaire branding
my spider bracket is lightly corroded but alright
I'm going to clean it real good with phosphoric acid and rinse then seal is with clear paint
it started getting grease on the clothes and making that loud grinding noise
I opened it up
both shocks were broken
appliance parts store sold them 77 a pair , but I brought them back when I found them for 35$ online
but that wasn't the real problem
the seal had failed and water got into the bearings
shodanxx 1 year ago
Designed to fail!
kingkongspa 1 year ago
Thank you very much for your explanation. Kenmore should be ashamed of themselves. This is exactly what's happening with me, and sure enough it lasted 6 years to the month....
You saved me so much time troubleshooting the damn thing. unfortunately in my case the water leak through the plastic cover caused grease to leak through the clothes and stain my family's clothes as well. We should have a class action against Kenmore.... any lawyers out there?
kabi24 1 year ago
Kenmore washers suck so much dick!
beaman220 1 year ago
@beaman220 Kenmore is not a manufacturer
gc240 1 year ago
This is made by Frigidaire/Electrolux (Sears does NOT make appliances, so all Kenmore are made by someone else - the trick is figuring out who). Our Frigidiare GLTR1670AS0 did the same thing after ~5 years. No satisfaction from Frigidaire. The plastic outer tub is under warranty for 25 years. The rubbing of the screws I think is only caused by the broken spider causing it to be out of balance.
bchcmu 1 year ago
Anyone know if the replacement part is "improved"?
bchcmu 1 year ago 2
@bchcmu no its not improved
nisenor69 1 year ago
Thanks for your video. I have exactly the same model, I paid 1000$ in 2003 for it and the same thing happened after 5 1/2 years. I'm planing to go to the the Small Claims Division here in Quebec to have my money back. I would like to do a similar video than yours but in french and will put it on youtube after. Do you mind? Thanks. Claudine, Papineauville, Québec, Canada.
floraclo 1 year ago
@floraclo No, I don't mind. You can use mine if you wish and over-dub the audio with French language.
tanksalotct 1 year ago
Comment removed
floraclo 1 year ago
@tanksalotct Thanks! I'll will post the results of my claim here when it's over. ;-)
floraclo 1 year ago
@floraclo
My Kenmore just broke same problem. How did you do in small claims court. I was thinking of trying that route.
Have had my machine for years but I am retired and spend 5 months out of each year in FLorida so basically it has had 3 years of use.
What kind of machine did you purchase to replace the Kenmore.
Adele
marioadeletoo 9 months ago
it's nice to see honest old American guy talking about Kenmore 7 how much he loves the product. I think Kenmore would fix his machine for no charges or they would give brand new machines for no charges. Because That's Kenmore DO.
maxinpains 1 week ago
@floraclo it's nice sometimes put " citric acid powder" instead of detergent to clean machines to take out build ups.
maxinpains 1 week ago
Unfortunately one can hear these stories just about any brand sold. We bought a Frigidaire front end loader to replace a Maytag (now made in Mexico) after 8 years. We bought a Frigidaire for two reasons. 1) Based on ratings in Consumer Reports. 2) It is one of the few brands still produced in USA. We are very pleased with the mashine. It is an excellent washer, very quiet and barely vibrates during spinning. Considering everything I would rather buy an US product than an imported machine.
fredschuh 1 year ago
Old frigidaire design. These are obsolete. Front loaders are still the best you can get. If you are in the market, buy a brand with direct drive (Kenmore, Elite, Samsung, LG, Bosch)
rfairrin 1 year ago
@rfairrin I like the idea of direct drive, but the flaws in this machine could also show up in a direct drive machine. I'm reluctant to buy any front-loader until I hear of a design that's been reliable for 8 years or more. "We finally got it right now!" just doesn't cut it. My Whirlpool "ThinTwin" is totally mediocre, but it has only needed a belt, a timer and a roller kit (for the dryer) in 25 years.
lrd9999 1 year ago
Ohh so, went into figure out what the real issue is; the off balance. removed the 2 screws for the bottom (front) quarter panel and lo and behold: There are two broken shocks. Now if Kenmore wanted them to be long lasting they would not have made the pieces that hold them in place out of plastic....into the garbage with them.....
ClarkGrizwald69 2 years ago
This is very interesting, well done!
What a crime that we have such a throw away society....8 years average to the dump.
Wonder why our landfills are filling up? Hmmmm what could it be?
ClarkGrizwald69 2 years ago
One more thing: we also had the gas-version of the dryer which goes along with this washer (417....). It has its own design flaw: lint collects inside the metal chassis (out side the drum) and catches fire. Search for kenmore dryer fire and you'll see... I recommend you dump this dryer to save your house!
jhallenworld 2 years ago
Lint collects outside the drum on all washers and dryers. This is why you should get your appliances maintenanced like any other machine.
rfairrin 1 year ago
Same thing happened to our Sears 417.43042300. Search for "stainless steel aluminum galvanic corrosion"... it's difficult to come to any other conclusion than that this product is purposely designed to have a limited lifetime. This is a low margin product, obviously. If you buy the $200+ drum (which must cost very little to make), you probably double their profit margin for this washer.
jhallenworld 2 years ago
I have a washer and it has had several door lock failure over the past 2 years. Sears has "repaired" the problems. They do not stand behind their products. Next step is to contact corporate office
thesopranoman 2 years ago
Wow......we've been thinking about purchasing a Kemore front load Washing machine based on comsumer reports. Do you know what model this one was?
BigDawgBluesHound 2 years ago
Thanks for posting this video. We had the same washer and it did the same thing.
o2wow 2 years ago
Comment removed
damonbuxton 2 years ago
ya i see, i just got my self the samsung vrt set will it go the same way?
cobravenomX1 2 years ago
Just after 5 years, this model destroyed itself. Loud banging. Front plastic tub, 2" hole, rear plastic tub, 6" x 3" hole. One damper broken at top. Assume the bearing/spider failure allowed the steel drum to whack the plastic tub holes. Lots of plastic hair thin shavings too. Your grooving example no doubt as water flushed them out to my flooded floor.
maxangleofdangle 2 years ago
Must be made by Toyota!
o2wow 2 years ago
If you look in the front-loader and see the indentations indicating that this type of spider is behind the tumbler, buy something else!
5610winston 2 years ago
I just bought a Whirlpool WTW5300VW conventional top-loader. It works well at half the price of the high-deficiency --uh--efficiency machines.
5610winston 2 years ago
Addendum:...but it's as noisy as a diesel rock hammer. you can hear it outside at the opposite end of the house with doors and windows shut!
5610winston 2 years ago
This is terrible! I say sue the mother f-ckers. It's obvious it's designed this way on purpose, just like GM's cars -- designed to break.
BlogShag 2 years ago
just buy another washer my be the newer one is better desighnd
vivitar45 2 years ago
great video !!!
jamaulbrown 2 years ago
Between this and the issue I've read about mold, I don't think I'll be buying a front loaded... possibly ever.
MyOtherCareer 2 years ago
Thanks, this is great, I have the same problem
askorbik 2 years ago
outstanding sir. Thnak you for your investiagtion. I am a victim of the same machine.
ccr4141 2 years ago
hey uncle stan!!!!!
its your evil niece meaghan
tehee
JelloMania823 2 years ago
Hi Meaghan!!! I'd say it's nice to hear from you, but..........you know the rest.
tanksalotct 1 year ago
Same story here! The spider cracked on mine as well and the service guy couldn't figure it out after $80 service call. So I replaced the tub/spider assembly myself. The spider is NOT sold seperatly! This was about 3 years ago. Guess what I think it broke again today! I performing sergury on it tomorrow.
jumper146890 2 years ago
I called customer service today and mentioned the 25 year warranty on the washer basket and they are sending me the assembly. We'll see what I get in 14 days.
AllDaCraze 2 years ago
I have a Kenmore elite front loader washer. I bought it 5 years ago, for 800 dollars. The bearings burned out and now I cant remove the spinner drum from the rear tub. I was told that I must buy both the rear tub 500.00 and the rear tub 345.00. What a rip off kenmore products are. Dependable my butt.
gjmuller242 2 years ago
@gjmuller242 for that you could by 2 good washers
TheLofty97 2 years ago
Sir, I just want to THANK YOU...thank you for taking time out of your life to teach a life lesson that will help me in this hard time right now!!! God Bless you and yours.
Jen007123 2 years ago
Good work,
Recall Maytag was sold for Brand name & now built in asia.
We see the quality & reliability of our US forefathers applances was sold down the river. Ross Perot warned about this in the 80's
We hear the sucking sound, & now see why the closing of U.S. appliance plants sucks.
EMemRefugee 2 years ago
*OUTSTANDING*! Meowianne below me says it all. There is nothing I can add!
~Cindy! :)
..
CindyBradyTooh 2 years ago
Fascinating! You are the Sherlock Holmes of Front Loaders! They mysteriously die & no one, until NOW, knew what "killed" them! Thanks for the autopsy! Who knew...Aluminum, steel, protruding screws & corrosion beyond belief?! It died too young! My condolences to you & your wallet. TANKSALOT!!!!!!!!!
Meowianne 2 years ago 2
you can renew sears master protection agreements for many many years, if you don't let it lapse. you can say all you want about metal this and reaction that, but it usually boils down to one thing.....TOO MUCH SOAP!!!!!! bet you use cold water to wash most of the time also.
drmmrsjh 2 years ago
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TheRebelMonkey 2 years ago
Kenmore is basically a replica or a third-party brand. If you want real quality, get Whirlpool for white goods.
wilsxf314 2 years ago
I can't decide if this is planned obsolescence or just incompetence.
The former would be a very short-sighted, shoot-yourself-in-the-foot strategy. But hey, I wouldn't put it past stupid American management nowadays. It killed a 100-year-old GM.
chazberry 2 years ago 8
@chazberry I doubt that even the most cynical company would plan something like this; what customer would buy the replacement machine from Sears/Frigidaire? Whirlpool used to OEM Kenmore, back when they ran forever. I noticed that tanksalotct was only quoted $200: much less what I saw in earlier complaints. I'll bet either Sears is trying to avoid calling too much attention to this lemon, or a failure rate this high created an aftermarket.
lrd9999 1 year ago
I think it's ashame how many different manufacturers build products to fail after a short period of time. It's quite evident because their warranty usually expires right before the product fails.
chuckmanofgod 2 years ago
the repair guy that came out said if you dont want an expense repair dont buy an expensive machine. jeez
nrg8 2 years ago
cast aluminum and water, it doesnt matter if its city or well water it will fail, I would say engeneered to fail. mine did it too and they were yeo this happens they are junk
nrg8 2 years ago
Wow...thanks for this informative video. I would say stick with the major European and Japanese brands. This Kenmore thing...bleh.
thibaulthalpern 2 years ago
the reason for your washers failure is too much soap and you probly only ever washed in cold water.. soap works its way in to the bearing on the read half of the tub. and wears down the bearing causes the stainless drum to sag and wear threw the tub. thats why it was cutting a grove in the tub. however, it is a very common issue with that smaller figedaire front laoder, and yeah its a peice of crap. stick with bosch, LG, samsung, fisher and paykel. all much better then frigedaire/electrolux
andrewfournier 2 years ago
Grind the extra threads off those bolts, get a new drum with the spider then remove it and powdercoat it.. The spider should last 10+ years.. It wont stop the corrosion but it will slow it down 10-fold.. -Rob
berkelusa 2 years ago
Good video dude.... I like the investigative reporting. I hope the Amana unit I get isn't designed like the Kenmore.
MyWineShed 2 years ago
Comment removed
MrJohnMcCory 2 years ago
Same problem:
This model of front loader is flawed.
Even if you replace the bearings for noise, a major task, the inside spider will always corroded because of a Stainless Steel and Aluminum reaction. This is not evident on painted metal drums.
The reason there is only a drum replacement is because the replacement of the bearings/spider (labor) out ways the cost of the drum.
Their needs to be a Class Action Lawsuit against Frigidaire/Sears/Electrolux
highonbeingnormal 2 years ago
fridgadare is owned by elecrolux major appliances in augusta ga.note this, General Motors sold thier former appliance division to
elecrolux appliances around the mid 1980's.
also this is not to be confused with AERUS
(electrolux) tank vacums And Wascomat Commerical Washers! electrolux has 2
trademark licensees here in the USA!
harrisbiz 2 years ago
Same problem with my Kenmore model 417.43042200 I took the broken spider to a welding shop but the metal quality was way too poor to hold a repair. I like your idea of the zinc anodes inside. I may epoxy coat the spider as well. I'm going to nip the protruding screws with a cut-off tool so that they are nearly flush with the basket when I reassemble it. I found a replacement spider and shaft off of ebay for a lot less than a replacement basket assembly would have cost.
jackpinesavages22 2 years ago
This model is made by Frigidaire!
dudrovetto 3 years ago
Dirty euphemisms! Our washer should be dying any day now. Unbelievable the crap they pull on the consumers. :(
Thanks for this video. It's very enlightening. :)
Quirkyxoxo 3 years ago
Great video! I recently pulled my Frigidaire washer apart due to bad bearings. The bearing seal failed causing corrosion on the bearings. (common failure in these machines) I replaced the seal and bearings, the spider had some surface corrosion but mostly intact. I have added zinc under the baffles to slow the corrosion of the spider. My washer is 8 year old, and if I can get a few more years out of it by replacing seals and adding zinc it may be a cheap way of salvaging a faulty design.
morethanjustdust 3 years ago
I feel your pain Tanksaloct! Excellent video! I just completely disassembled mine to find the exact same ridiculous corrosion on the spider with two of the three arms completely fractured. It's astounding what has to come apart to gain access to the faulty part and even more unbelievable that the spider is made of aluminum. There would have been cheaper alternatives...wonder if it is engineered to fail after the warranty expires. Possible planned obsolescence?
skyrider5 3 years ago
They already do that with WMA songs...
Amishman35 2 years ago
You are 100% on. I had the exact problem after only 4 years. Piece of crap. Will never buy another Kenmore anything. Very rude when I called about the problem.
ultrastud9 3 years ago
ttttttt
oakie10us 3 years ago
Same Thing , I am not buying kenmore anymore unless they deal with this, furthermore if they do not publicly address this problem and start selling the spider arm seperately.
Dissimular metals such as these always corode when they are touching.The term for what sears and kenmore have done is called planned Planned obsolescence - (Wikipedia)also know as planned delayed failure... to make money. Refuse to buy the drum,work together.On January 30th 2009 lets all call and complain! 1-800-366-7278
jaydeeroth 3 years ago
Well if the spider was made in stainless and the screws were shorter or they added some say friction wheels to hold up the heavy end that is not supported by the shaft it would last longer and you wouldn't be buying another for 12 years+ right?! - My Dad calls it "Deliberate Delayed Destruction" Make the thing from materials that will eventually FAIL within a given time and PRAY that they don't complain about it. Problem is some parts fail way too pre-mature and WE as consumers get those units..
berkelusa 3 years ago
I am selling a spider arm bracket on Ebay right now for $49. Search for "Spider Arm for Kenmore Front Load Washer Frigidaire GE."
phatzephyr 3 years ago
Do you still have that available?
shellshoq 3 years ago
Unfortunately, no. I recommend that you call Sears and insist on them honoring the lifetime warranty on the stainless steel basket. Be persistent and polite and they might send you one for free. This is a faulty product they sold, so they should pay for it.
phatzephyr 3 years ago
YEP. Call Corporate.
This is a planned failure. They just are keeping the repair team employed. INSIST that you do the repair or you'll file a class action lawsuit. We have many people that would join. I got the whole assembly free- including shipping.
MrJohnMcCory 2 years ago
Does this apply to the Whirlpool Duets made in Germany?
mark40511 3 years ago
The corrosion problem is defiantly conspiracy! The people who designed this machine are smart enough to know that stainless steel and aluminum are incompatible metals. Besides, what was wrong using the same metal they used for the inner tub? They do this predetermined failure thing on purpose with all sorts of products, ESPECALLY in the automotive industry. Their plan is..... ***continued below***
master7chief 3 years ago 3
After 4-6 years, *when the warranty runs out*, the aluminum will be so heavily corroded that the tub will bend out of alignment so the screws will be close enough to the outer tub to create a grove. BUT, if the heavily corroded Spider assembly does not fail, then you will eventually have a washer that leaked water and fried its self. NOW you have to buy a WHOLE NEW tub assembly instead of just the one failed part! That means you spend more money and they get more money. ***continued below***
master7chief 3 years ago 3
And YES, they can build an affordable washing machine that will last more than 20 years.they just dont want to because less people will buy their next washer because their old one works great. ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY.....thats why our economy is the way it is.
master7chief 3 years ago 3
What junk! Who engineered this crap? I still have in perfect working order a set of whirlpool w&d combo that was bought new in 96for a grand. Till this day we still use the set these never needed service and never had any problems and we do laundry almost every day here with a family of 6. No smelly/leaky washer here and will not go with a front loader for that fact. Go figure.
valdi9165 3 years ago
BTW 417 IS FRIGIDAIRE NOT SEARS!!!!!!
tronicsmasta 3 years ago
Its not planned obsolescence Mr Conspiracy Theorist. Its this Statement:
"Oh My God! One-Thousand Dollars for a washer! UGHHHHHHH!!!!!! We will buy the cheap one for $600!"
It's cheap for a reason! So people like that have something to buy. If Whirlpool/Maytag, Frigidaire, GE, Fisher & Pykle, LG, Samsung all made washers that didn't break, it would be as expensive as car... and it weigh that mucht too thus resulting in floor damage LOL
tronicsmasta 3 years ago
12 years ago, I purchased a new Frigidaire washing machine discounted to $1000, and I believe that it is the same machine as the Kenmore (the speed control board failed, which is why I am researching the machine). I have not looked at the spider so I do not know its material of construction, but the drum assembly is warranted for 25 years.
gordonmacwilliam 3 years ago
Thats not accurate. It has a lifetime warrenty on it but its required that Sears put it in due to Sears being the authorized personel to install it.
tronicsmasta 3 years ago
As I stated, I have Frigidaire, not Kenmore. Sears has nothing to do with it as I bought from Montgomery Ward. You are right though that it needs to be replaced by a service technician. Thanks to your video, if my machine "klunks" I will call them rather than fixing it myself. BTW, the outer drum does not appear to be structural and probably can be epoxied. I repaired a White Westinghouse rusted outer drum this way in addition to a complete bearing/shaft rebuild. The unit lasted 18 years.
gordonmacwilliam 3 years ago
I have just experienced the same problem with my kenmore mdl# 417 and what a pain in the tail it was to break down. I called Sears to find out if the replacement spider assembly will be of the same quality and no one could tell me anything about it. But the spider assembly looked exactly like yours did and my washer is only 4 years old. If anyone knows who I can contact to get answers I'd appreciate it. BTW Sears Executive complaint dept. - 1-800-690-5650 maybe if enough people call they'll act.
CheesesteakFO 3 years ago
you can only blame yourself you did not use HE detergent .......
dbalab1 3 years ago
Maytag is now made to the same high standard as Kenmore, Whirlpool, Kitchenaide, and related brands. Look carefully before you buy. Have you read the blogs about the Whirlpool Cabrio? Stick with a conventional top-loader with a post-and-fin type dasher, and make every load count. The high-efficiency machines are too expensive and too troublesome.
winston5610 3 years ago
...also you can purchase and extended warr for 5yrs as stated but at the end you will be contacted with an offer to extedend it another 1-5yrs... up to a total of 10yrs ....
jwlloyd02 3 years ago
Also what usually causes this problem is if you use too much detergent. YOU HAVE GOT TO USE LESS DETERGENT AND USE "HE" DETERGENT!!! Most consumers with this problem don't realize the damage using the incorrect soap can cause. It can ruin rear bearings... make your clothes spin out too slow.. cause drain pump problems...and of cousre as shown in this vid ruin the tub support "spider assy".
jwlloyd02 3 years ago
Well, here's a tip: Use liquid detergent..
TheGeek1028 3 years ago
Good job CT!! Those screws you are reffering to hold the three baffles in place that give the wash action. Though they are common in most front loaders I am inclined to agree; A better design would result in a more reliable product. Unfortunatly for us Kenmore is in the business to sell washing machines. If they built one that was invincable, they would soon go out of business - or would they? I wonder what happened to Maytag?
Notorious346 3 years ago
What happened to maytag are those unreliable neptune washers! That gave maytag a bad name because of that pis poor design. Whirlpool now ownes maytag so now you get good quality top loaders, but the front loaders are made in germany. Haven't heard any complaints about them yet so maybe they are good.
BernardR30 2 years ago
i have a 1975 lady kenmore 2-2 washer with matching dryer and it still works!
1987ian 3 years ago
Thank you for posting this. We just made the mistake of buying one and it doesn't work and we can't get any help. Never again.
missmalloryevans 3 years ago
Aluminum, that washer was made cheap and that is what made the washer go out
tmmaston 3 years ago
Just wanted to add, that old Kenmore washer of mine has the classic "Super Roto-Swirl" agitator....I LOVE that name. Also down in the basement is an old 1953 Speed Queen wringer washer that still works great as well.
rockyraccoon1979 3 years ago
They sure don't build em like they used to. I have a late 1960's Kenmore washer and it still works great to this day. I have had to make a few repairs like replace the agitator and had to have a hole welded in the outer tub and have had to replace a belt and the water pump once but other then that the old washer still purrs like a kitten. Ha ha...I still use the matching dryer also. Only thing that's happened to it was the heater element burned out once.
rockyraccoon1979 3 years ago
6 years is pretty good though
thelifeaquatica 3 years ago
Pretty Good?? Unless this man was washing clothes for his ten children, six years is not an acceptable lifespan for a washing machine!
brettsomers 3 years ago 3
Oh, we've gone through 4 washers in the last 7 years. Just got a front loader and problems have started already. We do about 8 loads average a day. One washer lasted less than two months. Sucks
thelifeaquatica 3 years ago
Everyone that watches this should forward this video to Whirlpool and Kenmore. I know they are owned by Whirlpool but nonetheless, different Executives lord over each company.
The more we scream and holler about their shameless tactics - who knows, perhaps it might do some good.
krazytrain555 3 years ago
It never ceases to amaze me how crappy some of these appliances are designed. I hope I have better luck with my GE front loader.
adisharr 3 years ago
Almost every Kenmore appliances are made by Whirlpool. Some are made by Electrolux, some by Panasonic but washers are exclusively made by Whirlpool. Call whirlpool, you will get better service. I work at Sears and I know that the Parts deparment is really useless.
lauzon83 4 years ago
NO NO NO, they are made by frigidaire not whirlpool
vwphred 4 years ago
HE3, 4, & 5 lines are souced by the same German facility that makes the Whirlpool Duet and Duet HT. Those are the ones to buy. The HE2, 2Plus and 2t are sourced from a Whirlpool-owned plant in Mexico. tanksalotct has one of the old "Good" models from when Sears sold a "Good, Better, Best" line of front loaders alongside the HE3. They were all sourced from Frigidaire before Electrolux Home Products (EHP) had time to rebuild quality back into the Frigidaire name.
a62dave 3 years ago
@lauzon83 Uhh, no. The Whirlpool exclusive on Kenmore appliances has been gone for decades. The machine in question is a very bad Westinghouse design carried over by Electrolux, and has been sold under the Fridigaire, Gibson, GE (yes, GE), Kenmore, and several other makes. All are the same behind the label, all have spider failures. Don't let the fancy European ownership of the company fool you. It is the same junk that was hatched by White Westinghouse ages ago.
FriendlyGrizzly 1 year ago
@FriendlyGrizzly The Kenmore stuff that is made by whirlpool is arguably better than anything else. The reason Kenmore washers have (or had) a good reputation is because they used to almost all be made by Whirlpool, both the belt drive and direct drive designs.
captain150 1 year ago
@captain150 wrong. wrong. the new sets are made my LG. One of the Kenmore sets is rated a best buy by consumer reports and there top end sets are rated nuber one an two oveall. Whirlpool used to make Kenmore, but there were way to many problems with there front loader and there front loader only. Be careful you will hear uneducated people online.
trogers19951995 1 year ago
@trogers19951995 I was referring to the Whirlpool top loaders. I don't know anything about Whirlpool's front loaders.
And Whirlpool STILL MAKES Kenmore top loaders. So I am RIGHT, not WRONG.
captain150 1 year ago
the tub has a lifttime warr. read your manual
oliviajw15 4 years ago
check your manual. The tub only is covered, not the spider assembly. Ask me how I know? becasue it has cost me over $200 to replace it after three years. I will never buy another sears product. Mine is exactly the same as in the video. Sears has known about this for years and has done nothing
vwphred 4 years ago
When you order the stainless steal tub ... it comes with the "spider" it is covered for the lifetime of the unit. you had to pay the labor to have the new tub installed that is y you payed over 200$ you had to call sears their labor is overly expensive!!! If you had to pay for the tub it would have cost you over 700$... if you needed the back half of the outer tub(bearing assy) that is not covered by the warranty...
jwlloyd02 3 years ago
i would contact kenmore. cheep ass shit they make.
defrankond 4 years ago
This one rather strongly resembles my Frigidaire GLTR1670AS machine and it's been howling LOUDLY for a year now! Yeah, I expected to get at least ten years out of it but no way now. And I use Amway SA-8 detergent which is known to have a good dose of silicates for washer part protection. I expected MUCH better from a machine designed by Electrolux, a longtime frontloader manufacturer. Planned obsolescence!!!
Thank you so much for posting this. Next time it's a Miele, Milnor or Wascomat for me!
NipkowDisk 4 years ago
Did you use "HE" laundry soap?
If you didnt that could be a big part of why the spider thing broke.
derekking2010 4 years ago
I don't think that detergent is the main cause of this problem.The main diff between HE and regular detergent is that HE doesn't suds as much. If the problem were something like a smelly gasket I would suspect detergent to be the problem.
irolliamvolvo 4 years ago
5 year warranty which you can renew after the 5 years runs out
same goes for the 3 year
moscowremix 4 years ago
Do you know if the issues you had with your machine have been addressed by the manufacturer and fixed? I recently purchased a Kenmore front-loader of similar appearance from Sears (mine has the same exact door as the one in the video) and this has got me worried. My parents told me to stick with a top-loader, they've had the same machine for almost 25 years.
deezedayz 4 years ago
I'd bet you have the same issue. What I did was remove the 3 plastic "paddles" inside the drum and attach 3 identical "zinc's" as sacrificial anodes. This is what they use on marine engines to keep the salt water from corroding the engine components in the salt water. The zincs will die, but the aluminum spider will be unaffected. Time will tell
tanksalotct 4 years ago
Thanks a bunch! :)
deezedayz 4 years ago
this video is right on the money . i only got 5 years out of mine . same problem . i took mine apart to reveal the same problem . never buy a kenmore . sears will not admit this problem
timberframe23 4 years ago
demonbarf knows what he is talking You should have bought one designed by Whirlpool. You can get one for about what you paid for that hunk of junk. I have a Kenmore that is 22 or 23 years old now and still going strong.
irolliamvolvo 4 years ago
it died because Whirlpool makes the parts for Kenmore and Maytag and Whirlpool is no good
moldywhirlpoolsick 4 years ago
i got a hotpoint washer and drier from 1989 still going strong. I had a Kenmore Refredgirator that was 5 years old and it caught on fire
ItachiUchihara 4 years ago
We live in a disposable world, I just had a go in about a refridgerator with another manufacturer. They always ask ???? Why didn't you buy an extended warranty??? LOL It might be me thats nuts... but I don't think so
BillyJackets 4 years ago
This machine is actually a frigidaire design.
The front loads from frigidaire are notoroious for these problems, the inner shell w post and outer shell and bearing always go.
What kenmore doesn't tell you is that frigidaire gives 25 yrs on the tub, seperate of the 5 yr warranty on the washer.
demonbarf 4 years ago
It's unfortunate that it dided. But you did ok. 7yrs is by todays standards is considered good quality. I sell part for appliances. Machines todays just dont last - you will never get 20 yrs out of any appliances anymore.
demonbarf 4 years ago
So you washer was making a noise but still working and you have completely demolished it so you would not have to pay sears $69.00 to find out what is wrong with it. Now you will have to pay $700.00 for another. Your a funny guy.
mca0824 4 years ago
mca0824 - The washer was terminally broken, and I would have paid Sears $69 to find out what I already knew. I fixed the washer for $200 in parts and modified the washer so it would never break again in the same way.. (We're using it now). A new washer would have died in 5 years for sure due to the problem I mentioned in the video. I'm glad you find it funny. I'm personally disgusted at the planned obsolesence built into expensive products. Thanks for your comments!
tanksalotct 4 years ago
Maybe you need a job in quality control. You did a fine job. Thanks for replying.
mca0824 4 years ago
A flawless design for planned obsolescence.
Voice0fEnergy 4 years ago
Also, those 3 screws hold the baffles in so when people like you stick Shoes in the washer they stay on...
Everytime I watch this damn video it pisses me off... I hate this guy... ALOT!
tronicsmasta 4 years ago
Also, those 3 screws hold the baffles in so when people like you stick Shoes in the washer they stay on...
tronicsmasta 4 years ago
Guy, "Maximum of a 5 year extended warrenty" is wrong. You can only purchase up to 5 years at once. You can renew it before your service contract expires. You can also purchase 1 year or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 at a time. You can also renew then before they expire... or guess what, you can purchase then even after you have bought the item or you can buy then 5 years after you bought it or even up to 10 years of age...
tronicsmasta 4 years ago
I have seen these front loader washers and have worked on them. I would never buy one. Why did they design such junk ? Youre doing good to get 6 years from one of these. When the tub leaks, it lets water go all over including electric parts. Buy a good top loader like the good kenmore made by Whirlpool
Perry7360 4 years ago