Should it spin freely (as if on ball bearings) or with some resistance? If the brakes are sticking will it be froze or very hard to turn? Keep in mind, I'm a pretty big guy (6'5") and have pretty good strength.

Okay I took off the brakes, the rollers looked great and pads were not worn much more than the new ones I had gotten, so I greased the rollers, emery clothed the drum and used the cloth on the shoe pads to take off the build up (just a little). I applied a little synthetic oil to the shoes as suggested and reassembled. I had rotated the brake cam several times before and after removal and both times brakes disengaged just fine.

I replaced the drive block only because it was on pretty tough and was a little banged up and corroded. Drive tube tabs fully engaged and nut fully tightened on to spin basket.

I had removed the basket and found the round filter was shreded and had chewed up part of the tub. I removed the rest of the filter (did not have replacement plugs) and scraped and smoothed the tub before replacing the basket and drive block nut.

I rotated the coupler on the tranny and with a couple of twists the basket started to spin. I did this several times. After installing the moter I turned the shaft and again the basket turned. I completed the reassembly.

Started the machine up and it spun like a champ. I would release the lid switch and the brakes engaged smoothly. I did this several times before letting it continue through the cycles. The next spin cycle did not work. I could not get it to spin again.

I took it all apart to make sure nothing had jambed or come loose. this time when I turned the coupler on the tranny it took many, many turns to engage the spin cycle, I almost gave up before it engaged. Also, should say that I noted a small amount of fluid leaking from the top of the tranny (breather hole?) when tipped. put it all back together double checking at every step.

Started it up and it seemed to run even better on the first spin cylce, smooth with little wobble and brakes quiet and smooth, but guess what, that first cyle is all it gave. It sounds like something is spinning and it sounds like the brakes engage when stopping, but the drive tube and basket don't move. The spinning and braking sound, if that is what it is, when the tub is stationary, is not quite as prevelent as it is when the basket spins.

I did not have time to take the enclosure off a third time and jump the lid switch and watch the clutch,brake, drive tube, from underneath. It was way late and I was pretty frustrated. Time to walk away for a bit.

Any more suggestions?

What Rich said, but it is somewhat of a mystery why it would work once.. With all that effort you deserved a better outcome!

The tranny did the trick, finally. Don't know why it would spin sometimes and not others but it's working great now. Guess igot a crash course on direct drive washer repair.

I really apprecitae your help guys!