[Leonard]

My baffles arrive today so I plan on installing them tomorrow using Dave's directions. I'll be sure to post results (and can get pictures if anyone thinks they would be useful for future posters).

Lynn did you get yours installed yet?

--Larry

[Leonard]

Did not take pictures, but the install went VERY smoothly using Dave's instructions. I replaced all the baffles (and both had some broken tabs) but they were quite hard to get off of the drum. None of them had the screws installed.

Total install time 30 mins and a good bit of that was trying to get the washer out where I could work on it.

[robmints]

Thanks everybody. This must be a very common problem. Thanks for the fix Dave! I was about to do what Leonard was about to do.

[cdmcdonell]

Thank you for saving our marriage. I won't mention which one was right just that the post was correct

[rshaw]

Thank you everyone. My baffles look different as well. Must have done a design change. Looks like the new one's tabs are in the same location. Leonard, do they behave differently than the old one's or can you tell a difference? And yes the scree hole in my old baffles never had a screw in it. Talk about lazy work at the factory.

[rdd98103]

Dave (dland): Your post was exactly the identification of the issue and the exact steps to fix it, including the missing retaining screws. Just finished the whole repair in about 15 minutes. The only additional step I had to take was to use a block of wood and a 5lb. mallet to punch the two remaining baffles loose so I could replace them. I took your step #6 seriously and used a magnetic phillips screwdriver to get the screws in place. The new baffles look a little different, but they only go in one direction, which is with the high part at the back of the drum. I'm sure that would have been a $350 service call. The hardest part was moving the dryer that was stacked on top.

Thanks again!

Originally Posted by dland

Lynn "skysentinel",

If you have not already finished this repair, here's good news: it's EASY. Go ahead and order those parts. Get the kit with all three baffles -- its likely that the plastic tabs on more than one of them have been damaged, because Whirlpool apparently never installed the retaining screws that hold the baffles in place. It appears to be a common problem.

1) Remove the three screws on the back of the washer for the lid.

2) Remove the lid.

3) A black rubber hose enters the outer drum top and center near the front. Gently remove it from the drum.

4) Through the resulting hole, you can reach the exact spot for inserting the retaining screws for the baffles.

5) One by one, replace the baffles (they drop into place, then need a little force to slide them forward into place) and rotate the inner drum so that the retaining screw hole is visible below the opening in the top of the outer drum.

6) (Without dropping the screws into the space between the drums like I did ), install the screws to retain the baffles.

7) Repeat for the other two.

8) Replace the hose and the lid and its screws and rest assured that you did something that even the Whirlpool assemblers didn't do: install the baffle retaining screws.

Dave Land

[sihoward]

Originally Posted by dland

Lynn "skysentinel",

If you have not already finished this repair, here's good news: it's EASY. Go ahead and order those parts. Get the kit with all three baffles -- its likely that the plastic tabs on more than one of them have been damaged, because Whirlpool apparently never installed the retaining screws that hold the baffles in place. It appears to be a common problem.

1) Remove the three screws on the back of the washer for the lid.

2) Remove the lid.

3) A black rubber hose enters the outer drum top and center near the front. Gently remove it from the drum.

4) Through the resulting hole, you can reach the exact spot for inserting the retaining screws for the baffles.

5) One by one, replace the baffles (they drop into place, then need a little force to slide them forward into place) and rotate the inner drum so that the retaining screw hole is visible below the opening in the top of the outer drum.

6) (Without dropping the screws into the space between the drums like I did ), install the screws to retain the baffles.

7) Repeat for the other two.

8) Replace the hose and the lid and its screws and rest assured that you did something that even the Whirlpool assemblers didn't do: install the baffle retaining screws.

Dave Land

Friday night discovered broken baffle, going out of town on Monday morning, wife is hysterical. Now if I can find the part today everything will be back to normal. Many thanks to pioneers like you that skin their knuckles before anyone else and share the experience.

Scott

[Nassau1969]

Dave right on the money is was a 15 minute fix that looked as if it was going to be a nightmare job, I would have took a sawzal to this thing if it wasn't for you, super thanks.



If you have not already finished this repair, here's good news: it's EASY. Go ahead and order those parts. Get the kit with all three baffles -- its likely that the plastic tabs on more than one of them have been damaged, because Whirlpool apparently never installed the retaining screws that hold the baffles in place. It appears to be a common problem.

1) Remove the three screws on the back of the washer for the lid.

2) Remove the lid.

3) A black rubber hose enters the outer drum top and center near the front. Gently remove it from the drum.

4) Through the resulting hole, you can reach the exact spot for inserting the retaining screws for the baffles.

5) One by one, replace the baffles (they drop into place, then need a little force to slide them forward into place) and rotate the inner drum so that the retaining screw hole is visible below the opening in the top of the outer drum.

6) (Without dropping the screws into the space between the drums like I did ), install the screws to retain the baffles.

7) Repeat for the other two.

8) Replace the hose and the lid and its screws and rest assured that you did something that even the Whirlpool assemblers didn't do: install the baffle retaining screws.

Dave Land[/quote]

[dbinns]

I concur with Nassau1969 - with your instructions it was child's play.

One must wonder why the people at Whirlpool did not figure out the correct part configuration in the first place, and then, having designed it with retaining screw holes, decided NOT to put them in. Reminds me of ALL THE DESIGN FAULTS OF MY NISSAN MURANO - but don't get me started.

Thanks so much for taking the time to provide this easy, 15 minute fix.

Doug

Originally Posted by dland

Lynn "skysentinel",

If you have not already finished this repair, here's good news: it's EASY. Go ahead and order those parts. Get the kit with all three baffles -- its likely that the plastic tabs on more than one of them have been damaged, because Whirlpool apparently never installed the retaining screws that hold the baffles in place. It appears to be a common problem.

1) Remove the three screws on the back of the washer for the lid.

2) Remove the lid.

3) A black rubber hose enters the outer drum top and center near the front. Gently remove it from the drum.

4) Through the resulting hole, you can reach the exact spot for inserting the retaining screws for the baffles.

5) One by one, replace the baffles (they drop into place, then need a little force to slide them forward into place) and rotate the inner drum so that the retaining screw hole is visible below the opening in the top of the outer drum.

6) (Without dropping the screws into the space between the drums like I did ), install the screws to retain the baffles.

7) Repeat for the other two.

8) Replace the hose and the lid and its screws and rest assured that you did something that even the Whirlpool assemblers didn't do: install the baffle retaining screws.

Dave Land

[y2kxmaskids]

So if I drop the screws, what do I do? More specifically, how do I retrieve the broken plastic tabs that came off the broken baffle? My washer sounds like there is a loose quarter or dime in it when it spins. I wonder if it is the old screw or the plastic tabs.

Thanks in advance for help,

Tanya

6) (Without dropping the screws into the space between the drums like I did ), install the screws to retain the baffles.