Fixed lots of things just haven't posted . . . perhaps I'll back-post :)
Our Kenmore Oasis Elite top loading washer has had a completely off-balance spin cycle for about a year now. Now I admit that we have run probably several thousand loads of laundry through this washer (15-20 loads a week, no kidding) and except for the !@#$#% balance think it has worked really well.
The washer would try to balance itself by refilling the tub with water and agitating again, only to continue to have the same unbalance problem. After 3 refill and drain cycles it would quit.
It finally got so bad we had to manually attempt to balance the load each time and only place like items together in the washer to make it spin.
I read a few repair sites but I wasn't convinced what the problem was until I opened it up and looked at the suspension and ball joints that carry the weight of the washer.
I popped open the top by pressing in on the latches (about 2" from either side of the washer) and propped open the washer.
Initial inspection they looked fine, but when you got close, you could see uneven wear on the "bearing"
Both the plastic ball AND the steel cup were scuffed and worn. Essentially the steel cup rusted and the movement of the ball in the cup caused uneven wear on the ball.
This image is after the replacement cup was installed , , ,
I ordered the wash tub suspension kit from SearsPartsDirect.com ~69.00 delivered, with regular shipping. Bonus: The parts showed up 2 days earlier than scheduled!!
When the parts arrived the only difference between the old and new parts is the replacement insert for the cup that the top suspension ball is riding in. This eliminated the original rusty cup and replaced it with a plastic insert that should make the ball and joint wear the same.
Its easy to replace the rods (10 min) . . . it takes time to take the top of the washer all of the way off so you don't break the water inlets(10 min to take it on then 10 min to put it back on)
I had to remove all of the water hoses, drain hoses and power cord.
3 screws on the back held on the top control panel. Remove any wires to the control board and set it aside.
I also undid all of the wires going from the lower half of the washer to the top half of the washer.
I also unscrewed the 2 hinges on the back so I could remove and lift the top half of the washer off.
With the washer empty, remove and replace one suspension rod at a time so the wash tub doesn't fall in.
Reach in and grab the rod and lift the rod up and remove the top ball joint by rotating and pulling it off.
Lower the rod and reach in deeper and with your finger or a screwdriver press the lower cup out of the bottom half of the suspension. It will make sense when you see it.
Then remove the rod from the slot it rides in by moving it perpendicular to the tub. Try looking at the bottom suspension with a flashlight. Once you see it you'll understand it.
Now that the rod is out, press in the replacement top cup.
Place the new suspension rod back in the same way you took it out. NOTE: you'll need to pull up on the rod to snap the lower cup onto the lower mount.
Now do the last 3 . . . took me all of 5 minutes.
Put it back to together.
Show the wife how cool and handy you are!!!
The wife is sleeping with the Maytag Repairman TONIGHT!!!
Update: The washer balanced perfectly for a couple 100 more loads, then the basket/motor combination stopped being able to sense the clothes in the washer for the spin cycle(new problem).
We ended up going back to sears and ordering a new washer.
22 comments:
We are having the same problem and have the same washer as you. Could you better describe where the latches are to open the washer? We are having trouble locating them. Thanks!
Yep, it worked exactly as Todd described. Once I replaced the suspension rods / springs, washer works great! No more "UL" codes!
The latches are just under the lid in front about 4 inches in from both sides. I used a putty knife to depress them and then pulled up. Fairly difficult if it hasn't been raised in some time since rust / corrosion can accumulate under the lid. Be careful, the lid is heavy and can mash fingers!
Yea! After months of having to rebalance loads, only to eventually have them not balance no matter how we adjusted the load, load size, etc., and then just drying sopping wet clothes and towels (which takes FOREVER), and spending $30 at the laundrymat just to catch up... I bought the replacement springs and rods and just today replaced them -- VOILA!! Works like a charm! Amazing how much fun it is to wash clothes now! :) No more THUMP THUMP THUMP (especially annoying since our laundry is upstairs....) as the washer works to destroy itself.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for the tips and the how-to so that I could do it myself -- not a good time financially for us to spend on a service call, especially for something so simple!
A tip -- with the new springs, the new rods are tough to pull up into the new cups -- even with a helper holding the tup up. Try using the hook from the end of one of the old rods to hook into the top of the new rod to pull it up high enough to slip into the new cup. Easy!!
Also, buy proping the lid against the wall, I was able to do the replacement w o having to take the lid entirely off of the machine (so didnt have to disconnnect the wires or internal hoses or control panel, etc.)
Yes the clips are tough! Mine were rusted. I was able to reach in over the tup and inner ring to find them with my fingers so was better able to line up the putty knife. When I put them back after all done, I put some petroleum jelly over them so hopefully less likely to rust over should I have to open the lid again!
Thx again!
This absolutely fixed My Kenmore Oasis. Mine had gotten so bad it would not spin when empty. The design may have been flawed for wearing out so soon; however, its great for being easy to work on. It took me a bit longer than the article indicated, but it went in pretty easy. Its helpful to have a 3rd hand to hold the tub back while connecting the hanger rods on the bottom of the tub.
My washer is doing the same thing. I am nearly ready to chunk it in the yard. Does anyone have the part number for the washer suspension kit? when I checked searspartsdirect it appeared there were two different ones listed. I want to make sure I order the right one.
My Kenmore Oasis is a Model # 11027032603
The hanger Kit part # is 8564009. I think it fits several or all the 110 models but I would search for your exact model to be sure
Wow, this internet thing is great. Google search found this blog, Sears model number search found parts in stock at Sears store about 15 mi away, instructions spot on and wash machine fixed. Hardest part of the whole thing was the drive in traffic to get the parts.
Hint 1, make a loop out of an old shoe lace and use it to pull the new new rod up through the hole and into the new bushing.
Hint 2, use the model number search on Sears parts site and get exact part #'s based on your machine model.
Thanks for the help.
Terrific info thanks! I love my Kenmore Oasis. My favorite part is when it is in the reverse spin cycle and she just runs flat out and sounds like a jet engine just starting to idle up.
But I haven't been able to enjoy the jet engine sound lately. In the last six months or so it has been getting worse and worse about not being able to balance in the spin cycles. At first I could just adjust the clothing a bit and then it would balance. But lately I'll try that a dozen times and it still won't balance.
So I ordered the struts. I too am having trouble getting the lid latches to release. I can see them. It is definitely a bit rusty in there so I will just have to use more force.
I bought the washer used and shortly after I got it, it started giving the F1 code all the time when filling with water. A new control board fixed that issue but cost nearly what I paid for the entire machine.
Thank you so much for this Blog. My Oasis is fixed and the Job was simple. Wife is very happy and we can stop wasting water with it trying to resoak and spin again and again. You do not need to disconnect the top completely, you simply flip it over against the wall. I used this you tube reference. My parts were $46 shipped from Amazon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hnnda0FwKo
I was really glad to find this post, because my Oasis was exhibiting the exact same symptoms. I was skeptical that this was the fix for mine, but I decided to give it a try because I had gotten to the point where I was unable to ever finish a load of laundry. I was able to install the parts in under 30 minutes and am happy to say my washer is back in business. (Caveat: I had already gone through the pain a week earlier of unsticking and removing the inner basket to inspect everything, so the second time around it was quite easy to remove)
Thanks!!!
My washer was doing the same thing so I googled the problem. It led me to this site. We ordered the parts ($79 now) and my husband installed them yesterday. I washed a load of towels and what quite. I haven't experienced this for years. I thought it was part of the machine. Thank you for posing the step by step directions. The only problem my husband had was the tight space the washer is in. Hoping this will prolong the life of my washer.
Lucky for me I found this site. Thank you so much! At least i know there is a solution to this problem! Our washer is on the second floor and because of this problem, the whole second floor "flooring" squeeks with every step you take from an unbalanced washer that rocks the house!! Haha...still worth it doing laundry on the second floor I must say! ILL probably be back on here when I get to fixing it with frustrated questions OR to simply thank you again for your assistance!!
Thanks for the help, everyone. A couple of comments. First, as others have noted you do not need to remove the top to do this job. You can lift the lid from the front and you just need a way to KEEP it up. I wedged a tool into the space between the bottom of the back of the lid and the rest of the machine. Be careful--you DON'T want the lid slamming down on you! Having someone else hold it would be safest (my wife was out running around when I tackled it.) Second, the release clips for the front of the lid are 7 and 1/4 inches in from the outer edges of the machine (not just a few inches, as noted by others.) The clips are attached to the bottom of the machine, not to the lid. You'll need to pry the lid up off of these clips (the toughest part of the job for me, without marring the finish on the front of the machine.) The rest was pretty easy, and no problems with unbalanced loads ever since. Got the "suspension kit" from Amazon for $42 and change, part # EA8564009. Thanks again!
I have found the easiest way to "pry" the lid up (see previous post) is to slide a sturdy putty knife between the lid and base at the point of the clips and push the clip in by hitting the putty knife with the palm of your hand. Pushing the clip in this way usually results in the lid popping up easily without having to pry (maybe just a little).
Going this solves my problem... Check part numbers closely... My machine...kenmore md#110.27092602... After checking at Sears parts direct they show..8564009... With a substitution part# wh10820048... This is a Whirlpool number.. Manufacturer of Kenmore washers... Amazon has this part for$33 and as a prime product... That's free two day shipping...
Thank you so much for posting this and for all your comments. it encouraged me to go for it and my washer is working again. There is a great video with "show me" instructions on youtube. Thanks again!
I replaced the suspension rods with the kit that was mentioned but I am still getting the UL code when going into the spin cycle. Any suggestions on what else it could be? There had been some socks under the basket but I removed them.
I am posting this for those that are looking for a solution. This video provides step-by-step instructions and tips for install the suspension rods. I ordered mine from Appliance Pro Parts after Sears Direct sent me the wrong parts (rods were 3 inches shorter).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hnnda0FwKo
If you have trouble pulling up the rod through the hole, use the old rod and hook it to the new rod to give you leverage and pull it through the hole. Also, wear a rubber glove to give you more grip since the rods can be slippery.
Hope this helps people with UL code or errors.
Thank you for the useful information. I opened the lid of my washer and I did not have too much wear on my bushings. I must have caught things early. One by one I popped out each bushing, cleaned up each mating surface, applied some white lithium grease, and did a general clean-up.
Hey... I know I am late to this post, but we are getting ready to replace our suspension rods and I found a site (link posted) to find the model number on your appliance and the resulting mfg part number.
https://partsdr.com
I replaced the rods, an eBay seller had Whirlpool OEM replacement rods for $25, worked perfectly. When I pulled the old rods, the left rear rod bent easily; it had lost temper and was probably the major problem. I can wash anything again, including king size bedspreads.
PS I tried the swimming pool noodle fix; it failed miserably.
I'd like you to know your 10 year old post has saved my husband hundreds of dollars. This fixed our problem.
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