Oh my gosh! I fixed our clothes washing machine! Also, front loader?

[Nifty]

We have an old Maytag washing machine... probably at least 15+ years old. Yesterday my wife started a load of laundry and it made the most terrible sound.

She thought she hit the lottery since now she can get a front load like she's always wanted. We started looking online at different models and comparing prices / reviews.

In the process I thought I'd just look online for "repair washing machine" and came across this video.

I thought, "I wonder if that's the problem!?" I then found this video that shows how to tell what the problem might be.

Sure enough that's exactly what ours was doing.

I followed the amazingly simple instructions to get at the motor coupler and noticed it was completely broken to bits. Called around on a Saturday at 3:45 and all the parts places were closed... but one that closed at 4:00. I rushed over and $19.48 later had the part in hand! Within 20 minutes I had it in place and everything put back together.

Washer works like a charm!

So, now I'm

But my wife is

I may compromise and sell / donate this one and still get the front loader. I'm still glad I fixed it because it will be way easier to get rid of a working one than a broken one.

I hear the front loaders use WAY less water, less power, wring out more water, and are more gentle on clothes? If that's all true and I can find a great deal on one PLUS get some good rebates / incentives for energy star / water conservation then I think we may get one.

Any recommendations on a Manufacturer and/or model you like? Also, where would you go to buy one?

 

[Thewife]

Hey Nifty!
Seems we are kinda in the same boat!
My washing machine is knocking at deaths door! I guess it is not right to have a thick grease slick under the washer?

I too was thrilled with the idea of getting a front loader, until someone mentioned that if I happen to find something else that needs to be added to the load, I am pretty much SOL!
Or, if Hubby's work shirts, sheets used for hanging deer or who knows what else comes up on the farm, I would not be able to give it the special treatments I feel it might needs, with a front loader.

Anyway, just a thought!
If we get a chance tomorrow, we are going washer shopping, but I think I will be looking for a top loader!

(if anybody can convince me otherwise, please do before I go washer hunting)

 

[Nifty]

I really liked this article on pros / cons: http://housewares.about.com/lw/Home...vs-Front-Loading-Washers-Which-is-Better-.htm

Other than the extra cost for front load, everything else sounds really really good.

I discussed the "Last-minute lid-flipping" issue with my wife, and while it would be a bit of a change of habit, it would be worth all the other pros.

Regarding "special treatments"? I'm not sure what you mean?

Well, This one is on sale at Sears for only $463 which seems "too good to be true". Lately I've been buying everything at Costco because of their return policy, but the price difference here is so huge I may just go for it.

 

[me&thegals]

We have had a Frigidaire front loader for 6+ years now and love it! My favorite part is that it can take twice as many clothes as our old top loader. With young, fun-loving kids and a farming husband, this is a huge plus.

I was a bit panicked last week, as it broke and I was very concerned my homemade detergent was going to be blamed. Turns out the kids forgot to take the nails out of their pockets after working on the tree fort and 2 of them ended up jammed in the water pump! So, it's back to its old hard-working self.

Yes, it uses was less detergent and water, another tremendous plus. It took a while to get used to the tremendous racket it makes when in spin cycle (think of airplanes taking off from your roof), but you get used to it.

As for special treatments, I do those ahead of time. During the blackberry picking season, all woods clothing got rubbed with the homemade detergent before being put in the washer.

As for "adding things at the last minute," it depends on what part of the cycle. I do this all the time, as long as I catch it within a few minutes of the water starting to run.

One word of warning: Don't overload. Sometimes I have stuffed that puppy so full that the door couldn't properly seal. With a front loader, yikes. It's all over the floor.

Good luck!

 

[punkin]

I have a Whirlpool Duet front loading washer. I've had it for about 5 years. Last year, I had to put a maintenance call in. DH tried everything himself, but couldn't fix it. Turns out it needed a new "mother board".

I really, really like it. It does use less water and seems to be gentler on the clothes. It has an "Add Garment" feature on it that will unlock the door mid cycle. Although it does seem to wrinkle the clothes more. :/ Sometimes they are so tightly twisted at the end of the cycle it's difficult to get them out without pulling out the whole load.

 

[Big Daddy]

I have a Whirlpool Duet front loading washer. I've had it for about 5 years. Last year, I had to put a maintenance call in. DH tried everything himself, but couldn't fix it. Turns out it needed a new "mother board".

I really, really like it. It does use less water and seems to be gentler on the clothes. It has an "Add Garment" feature on it that will unlock the door mid cycle. Although it does seem to wrinkle the clothes more. :/ Sometimes they are so tightly twisted at the end of the cycle it's difficult to get them out without pulling out the whole load.

I discussed the front loaders with a repair man one day. My dryer had stopped drying. I couldn't figure it out. Turns out the duct to the outside is over 20 ft long and it was plugged. At any rate he said be sure to get the extended warranty. The price on the mother board can be a real mother.

 

[enjoy the ride]

I have one and it's worked well for 8 years, including the times I have put horse blankets in it.
The only objection I have is that I can't find a way to pre-soak. Basically I just run it a short bit til the clothes are all wet then put it on the timer for an hour. Some clothes are in the water, some are not.

 

[punkin]

I have a Whirlpool Duet front loading washer. I've had it for about 5 years. Last year, I had to put a maintenance call in. DH tried everything himself, but couldn't fix it. Turns out it needed a new "mother board".

I really, really like it. It does use less water and seems to be gentler on the clothes. It has an "Add Garment" feature on it that will unlock the door mid cycle. Although it does seem to wrinkle the clothes more. :/ Sometimes they are so tightly twisted at the end of the cycle it's difficult to get them out without pulling out the whole load.

I discussed the front loaders with a repair man one day. My dryer had stopped drying. I couldn't figure it out. Turns out the duct to the outside is over 20 ft long and it was plugged. At any rate he said be sure to get the extended warranty. The price on the mother board can be a real mother.

Yea, no kiddin'. We got a deal because the repairmen ordered the wrong board. The correct one was about $120 more. He let me have it for the price of the wrong one since I had to wait an extra week.

 

[TanksHill]

I have one of the large front loaders. I do a ton of wash. I bought mine at Sears with an extended warranty. It works great. Yes large loads and less water. If you need to stop it mid cycle you just push pause. The machine finishes, stops doing whatever it was and unlocks the door.

I must admit I have had this machine for about 6 years and never had anything wrong with it. Until recently. After I started using my home made soap. I had those little globs plugging up the auto soap dispenser. The water overflowed down the front several times. I had the repair man out a couple times and played dumb. Told him I was using "liquid soap".

I resolved this by just pouring the soap directly on the clothes. And when I wash my towels I use hot water to melt any build up there may be. Maybe my next batch will work better. Not so lumpy.

Good luck on your washer. G

 

[patandchickens]

I <heart> my frontloader. It is a fairly low-end Kenmore model, six years old now with nary a problem. There is a little spot at the lowest point of the gasket that encircles the front opening that you have to remember to clean every month or two b/c it collects a bit of guck, but no biggie.

You *can* presoak if you really want to - you just have to do it in a separate bucket, and then drain the water (or most of it) off and put the wet clothes into the washer by hand.

When I first got it, I though I would have trouble with not being able to open the hatch partway through to add things, but as it turns out, at least with my "personal laundering style", I have been able to do just fine without that.

I *love* that it uses less water and detergent, and can take bigger loads, than top-loading machines. And I actually kind of like the "space shuttle taking off" sound of the final spin, don't ask me why

Congrats on fixing the old one, and as you say, if you decide to get rid of it anyhow it will be much easier and more useful to do so with it working,

Pat