I have a 5-6 year old Whirlpool Ultimate care washer (LSQ9659PW0) that agitates but does not spin. It has been diagnoses as having a bad clutch but the appliance repair company that I contacted to look at the washer has indicated that they will not repair the clutch without also replacing the basket drive. The total price for the repairs would be nearly $300 (labor and parts) in which case it might make more sense to buy a new washer but this seems a bit premature. I would like to do the repairs myself and to replace only the clutch but wanted to get a second opinion before diving in. Alternatively, is there any way I can examine the basket drive to make a visual determination if it too needs repaired? Any finally can I drop out the transmission from below on this washer so I don’t need to take out the entire basket??? Some information that I found online implied that this was possible indicating that the gearcase mounting bolts that could be removed from below.
Any advice or suggestions that you might have would be appreciated.
If the motor is running in spin, you just might have dragging brake shoes. Do the test in my “sticky” replacing direct drive brake shoes. Dragging brake shoes will wear out the clutch.
I just got back home from visiting relatives and pulled the basket out of the washer to check the drive block and spin tube per your suggestions in earlier posts. Both loooked great with no obvious signs of damage or wear.
The two major culprits left are the clutch and basket drive/brake assembly, which brings me back to my original problem of trying to determine if both need replaced or if I can get by with the clutch alone. I am pretty sure the clutch is bad. Before I took the basket out when I would turn the clutch from below it frequently slipped and would not grab the basket. Also, when I tried to turn the transmission spindle using the tranny coupler per richappy’s suggestion (“Replacing direct drive washer brake shoes”) it was hard to turn. Without pliers I needed to use both of hands (grabbing two separate tabs) to turn the spindle and I had the basket off at the time. In contrast I don’t have any evidence that the brakes are bad. There was never a problem with thumping noises or vibrations when the spin cycle ended. I have not taken the transmission off to get at the clutch yet but am planning to do so tomorrow. Do you think I will need to drop the spin tube and examine the brake pads and shoes or can I proceed with just the clutch repairs. I am worried that tearing into the brakes might be pushing it a bit for my skill level even with the instructions in the “Replacing direct drive washer brake shoes” post. I want to do the repairs as cheaply as possible because my wife is all for buying a new washer but I don’t want it to break again after just a few loads. Any advice? Is there a website with illustrations or photos that you can recommend?
Also, a few other questions…
The top half of the center post that the basket ifits over was pretty corroded. The paint has flaked off and there was some rusting of the metal. Is this just cosmetic?
The plastic fitting at the top of the basket (P/N 8519788) contains water that I can hear swishing around inside. Is this normal? There is a plug on the rim that loooks like it could be looosened with a phillips screw driver to drain the water but it indicates that the plug is not removable.
And (as an aside) for other do-it-your-selfers reading this post, the spanner nut was real easy to get off! I was worried that I was going to have to buy a spanner wrench but a hammer and a 3 inch socket wrench extension worked great (it gave a better angle than a screwdriver).
I dropped the transmission this morning and examined the clutch and basket drive per your sticky on replacing brake shoes. As expected the clutch ring was easy to turn in the housing (I could move it using just my pinkie finger) so I am probably going to need to get a new clutch. I have included a photo of the clutch assembly with this post.
The bottom of the basket drive looked fine (see photos) and the brake shoes did not seem to be sticking since the spin tube was easy to turn, using the plastic cam as a handle. I pulled the spin tube out enough to see the surface of the brake pads but I did not dissasemble it any further to examine the brake shoe rollers because I do not know where to find them at in the assembly. Do I need to examine these or can I focus my attention on the clutch repairs at this time without making any changes to the basket drive.
Also, since I am a newbie at this can you elaborate on what it means to check the brake shoe cam rollers for “excessive play” and is this possible to evaluate without taking the brake apart any further? The plastic cam had about 30 degrees of give to it (before pushing on the ‘release arms’ of the brake shoes. Is this a measure of the degree of play?
And one final question…
When I was removing the transmission and sliding the agitator shaft out of the spin tube a small brass pin dropped onto the floor. The pin is about 2 inches long and has a head like a nail and a small hole at the end of the shaft which was lubricated with a clear grease. Do you know where this came from on the washer? Does it fit in the end of the agitator shaft? I could not find anything like it in the parts diagrams for the washer. I did not think to take a picture but I could do so later today.
[SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]I pulled out the drive block and partly disassembled the brake to see the rollers. All I had to do was to take off the C clip and the plastic cam as shown in the photos. [/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]One of the rollers (of the outer/primary brake show) was somewhat difficult to see but I could get a better view and could rotate both rollers by pressing in on the brake pads. Neither roller had ‘excessive play’ as best as I could assess. There was good contact between the shoes and the roller when the drive block was out but when I put I back inside the drum the brake pad were pushed back in towards eachother a bit such that the release arms of the shoes no longer contacted the rollers and the plastic c am had a bit of give (moving 30 degrees before contacting the rollers and releasing the backs) but I can’t imagine that this is a problem.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]I have ordered a new clutch and will put it in early next week. My only remaining concern relates to the brass pin that fell out when I dropped the transmission as was mentioned in my earlier post. It is about two inches long and its shaft is flat on one side and rounded on the other with a hole at the end. It does not seem to fit in the end of the agitator spindle or the transmission. I have included a picture with this post. Any suggestions about where it belongs on the washer would be much appreciated. [/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Thanks and Happy New Year to others on the forum![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Mike[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] washer-repair 001.jpg (65.8 KB) washer-repair 002.jpg (57.9 KB) washer-repair 005.jpg (63.8 KB)
I’ve got the same pin that fell out. Mine had a broken motor/pump coupler - $30 fix. But now that I’ve got it all back together again, it still won’t agitate or spin. Pump works fine and this pin looks an awful lot like a retaining pin on car brakes. But I don’t see a loose spring, or obvious tension point where it would have been. I’m pulling it all back apart currently. Thanks for the insights on this post!! Bob N>>
Update: There were 2 of these pins. They are the shipping pins that fall out when then the original shipping strap is removed from the back of the washer. They are usually caught in the little clear plastic cups that are attached to the base. When you turn the washer over or invert it, the pins can end up anywhere.
Thanks for sharing the information about the pins. Did you have to call the company to figure this one out?
I was starting to get worried since I was under the impression that the loose pin had created new problems with your washer but I guess it was the same problems as before (no agitation or spin).
In any case, good luck with your repairs. It sounds like you are going to have to tear into the washer a bit further but on the positive side it was pretty easy to get apart at least in my case.
I actually printed out the .pdf service training manual that someone had listed on one of these blogs and on my 3rd time thru reading it, saw the diagram with the yellow strap that you pull out when uncrating the washer and it had 2 cotter pins on it. Those are what go thru the little holes on the end of the pins.
I’m pulling my washer apart again, and checking the brake. I did have a large load in it when the coupler broke. But after replacing the coupler, it still won’t spin or agitate. Motor runs to beat the band and the pump cycles water ok.
[quote=boselam;163233][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]I pulled out the drive block and partly disassembled the brake to see the rollers. All I had to do was to take off the C clip and the plastic cam as shown in the photos. [/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]One of the rollers (of the outer/primary brake show) was somewhat difficult to see but I could get a better view and could rotate both rollers by pressing in on the brake pads. Neither roller had ‘excessive play’ as best as I could assess. There was good contact between the shoes and the roller when the drive block was out but when I put I back inside the drum the brake pad were pushed back in towards eachother a bit such that the release arms of the shoes no longer contacted the rollers and the plastic c am had a bit of give (moving 30 degrees before contacting the rollers and releasing the backs) but I can’t imagine that this is a problem.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]I have ordered a new clutch and will put it in early next week. My only remaining concern relates to the brass pin that fell out when I dropped the transmission as was mentioned in my earlier post. It is about two inches long and its shaft is flat on one side and rounded on the other with a hole at the end. It does not seem to fit in the end of the agitator spindle or the transmission. I have included a picture with this post. Any suggestions about where it belongs on the washer would be much appreciated. [/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Thanks and Happy New Year to others on the forum![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Mike[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]
Mike, thanks for your photos. They are helping me with my job. I replaced the motor coupler two days ago. The same brass pin fellout of a short plastic tube mounted on the frame. I had the machine lying on its back. The plastic tube was just to the right of the tranny. I thought it might be a shear pin but it makes sense that it is a shipping pin.
Anyways, I just pulled the clutch out and am going to replace it next. AFter changing the coupler, it didn’t seem to agitate during rinse and it began smoking lightly. There is a little oil on the top of the tranny which might be burning on the motor coupler. Hopefully the clutch will improve things.
