Washer won't spin. removed belt, very hard to spin manually. Bad Transmission?

[electric]

    My washer agitates fine, it won't spin.  It tries to spin but the motor overheats and the overload on the motor turns off the motor.
    When I remove the belt the motor works fine in both agitate and spin and uses way less than its rated amp draw.
    With the belt off, I have to use all my strength to manually rotate the transmission in the spin direction.
    Is the transmission bad? or are there some bearing that I can change? or are there clothes somehow jamb somewhere?
    Please help!
    Thank you

WCSR2090DAWW Parts List

[Repair-man]

Why not take the front panel off and raise the top panel so you can take the plastic cover off the tub? Maybe your thong is stuck down there between the spin basket and the outer tub

 If not, you may have bearing problems..

[electric]

    Thanks for the reply!  I could find no clothes in between the spin basket and the inner tub not even the proverbial thong (good joke). 
    you mentioned bearing problems.  Would that be the problem or would it be a transmission problem?
    How do I proceed to diagnose & fix the bearings and/or transmission?

[Repair-man]

I always replace them both when this occurs, as they are mating parts.

We don't provide instructions for complicated repairs like this, but you can find a service manual on the GE toploader yourself and get 'er done. Maybe for a  beer donation I will let you have a copy of mine

[JWWebster]

This washer design is the worst ever. The transmission is little more than a lawn mower quill.

[Repair-man]

This washer design is the worst ever. The transmission is little more than a lawn mower quill.

JW, that's not a very positive way to reflect on this customer's choice of appliances .

Actually, this is a very simple machine to repair, even more so than the Whirlpool direct drive. The whole tub and transmission simply tilts out of the cabinet for repair in a matter of minutes. Once you've done a few of them you will change your tune.

[gamateur]

I'm having the exact same problem with my General Electric (GE) WCSR2090DAWW and after taking my washing machine apart I have some additional info.  It is as if the motor does not have enough power to start the spin cycle.  When the machine goes into spin cycle, the motor gives a big jolt but not enough to kick into a spin.

I disassembled the agitator and loosened the large nut that holds the tub to the drive shaft.  This made the tub much easier to spin, and the motor was able to kick into the spin cycle.  However, it caused a lot of knocking because I assume the contact between tub and and drive shaft was not constant.

[Repair-man]

...and what part of "bad spin bearing" did you miss in the first few posts?