having difficulty replacing belt on Kenmore heavy duty 80 washer

[sonarcade]

hi.

while trying to replace a belt for my topload Kenmore washer, I found that I can't find a point of entry for the spin pulley. I used the instructions here: http://www.applianceaid.com/beltdrive-change.html and here: http://www.american-appliance.com/catalog/newsdesk_info.php?newsPath=16&newsdesk_id=144&osCsid=d2b8394d06bc35392915545cfaf1e677. I tried to completely remove the gearcase upon finding there being no way to hoop the belt around the spin pulley at all. But then the gearcase would not come off at all even upon having removed all three stud mounting bolts. I don't know if this is related to the spin clutch not engaging even after having rotated the drive pulley. Thanks.

Model 110.72784100

[schaffersapplian]

That's a OLD washer!  Before my time :-)  I bet one of our other tech's have been there, and done that.  Good luck with that thing. 

[sonarcade]

should I post this in the whirlpool section as well, since this washer's a rebadged whirlpool?

[john63]

It's best to *avoid* the installation instructions for installing a new 95405 DRIVE BELT.

The last time I replaced one of these belts was some years back,so I may be a bit rusty...

Tip the washer on its *front*

Loosen the two 9/16 nuts on the DRIVE MOTOR (slide motor to the left).

Remove the TENSION SPRING between the transmission case and the cluch plate (6 o'clock position on the trans).

Turn the transmission pulley by hand (largest diameter pulley) until the CONTROL MAGNET ASSY (also known as a WIG WAG) fully extends the left-side SPIN CAM *towards you*. You'll need to make sure that the PLUNGER is postioned to "grab" the SPIN CAM and move it upward while manually turning the largest pulley on the transmission.


Slide a phillips screwdriver thru the hole in the SPIN CAM.
Grab the screwdriver and pull the SPIN CAM until it passes thru a slot (CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT PIN). The PIN should now slide back & forth in its slot freely.
 
Remove the lowest TRANSMISSION BOLT (also 9/16) and slide out the steel spacer.

Remove two 1/2 inch PUMP BOLTS (move the pump lever away from the right-side DRAIN CAM).

Install the belt onto the motor pulley--then onto the largest pulley--near to the pump pulley--and then...

Slip the belt thru the gap where the steel spacer was located.
Slide the CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT PIN horizontally towards you to allow access for the BELT onto the SPIN PULLEY.
Slide the CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT PIN back to its original position.

Re-install the spacer & 9/16 bolt.
Re-install the PUMP 1/2 inch bolts--be certain that the pump LEVER is correctly positioned in the right-side DRAIN CAM slot.

Now...

We need to get the left-side SPIN CAM back into the CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT PIN slot.

It may be easier for you to remove the WIGWAG (5/16 bolt) and tap the SPIN CAM back into position carefully with a hammer and then re-install the WIGWAG.

Depending on year of manufacture--some CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT PINS used two steel spacers for adjusting the clutch. Older belt-drive washers had an adjusting-nut.
If your model has the spacers--be certain that they're back in position on the PIN.

You'll also notice that the CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT PIN has a *short slot* and a *long slot*.

When re-installing the SPIN CAM---be sure that the long slot side is facing upward.

If my memory is correct--we're largely done.

Check that the belt is on all pulleys---slide the motor to the left to tighten the belt (use an adjustable pliers to grip/pull the motor mounting plate).

Tighten the 9/16 motor bolt at the top first with an open-end wrench.

Check the belt tension--1/2 inch movement inward & outward at the spot between the motor pulley and largest trans pulley.

Tighten the other 9/16 motor bolt.

Double check that belt is on all pulleys.
The spring is re-installed.
The motor wires are fine.
The pump lever is in the cam slot
The spacers are in the pin slot.

Test washer.

















 

[JWWebster]

Great post John. One other thing. Their is a ball bearing that will tend to fall out if you back out the tranny bolts too far. It goes right under the drive shaft. You lose that and it won't spin. Just about the width of the belt is all you need. The trick is to turn the main drive pulley until the shift lever drops down low enough to get the belt on there. Nothing to it.

[john63]

That's why it's never a good idea to follow those instructions---countless do-it-yourselfers had successfully installed a new belt only to find that the tub will not spin.

A quick scan of the floor under the washer usually produces this little ball bearing.

On older Whirlpool belt drives---a brass collar was used instead of the ball bearing.
On these models (1960s vintage) it's okay to use the original installation instructions.

[Repair-man]

Let's refer to it as the T-bearing...uh-oh I gave away my age. It's actually a primitive form of what became the Maytag thrust bearing  concept later down the road. Get out your magnet and sweep the floor

[sonarcade]

thanks very much for the help.  I reviewed the instructions and there are a few parts that I don't really know about such as the plunger.  Not knowing about these parts have significantly hindered fully understanding how to proceed but I pulled the entire gearcase out and managed to slip on the belt that way onto the crank pulley. 

However, in the process, I had hastily pulled out the power connections to the wigwag and am now hesitant to reconnect them, fearing that I'll blow something up by connecting it incorrectly.  There are two wires in white and one yellow and one red.  From the perspective of a washer that is tipped on the front face, what is the sequence for the wires?

One other I noticed was the absence of a ball bearing in the T-bearing.  I checked in the cabinet as well as on the floor to no avail.  I'll try testing the washer upon reconnecting the wigwag, assuming that I simply overlooked the ball bearing that is still in its proper place and that the broken belt was the main and only culprit to the washer not spinning/agitating and draining.  Will doing so potentially damage the machine?

So in short, I'm looking for 1) a wiring color order (assuming that both white wires are interchangeable) and 2) advice on whether I should test the machine without having eyed the 3/16" ball bearing. 

Hopefully I won't have to ask the distant 3rd question: where do I get a replacement ball bearing?

[sonarcade]

also, I'm a very visual person so it's slightly been difficult for me to locate anything with the word "cam" in it, such as the cam slot and the spin cam.  My guess is that they're the thin bars that can be slided up and down around the wigwam.  I also don't think I quite know what the clutch adjustment pin is.

From the POV of myself looking at the washer on its front face from the bottom up, I think I figured out the color order as white-red-yellow-white.

[viking351]

ONE MORE IMPORTANT POINT!
don't leave the machine lying down to long. there is a weep hole in the top of the gearcase and the GEAR CASE OIL (FSP 350572) will drain out!

as far as the wigwag goes the white wires are common one goes to a terminal on each solenoid.
the left solenoid is the spin and the right is the agitate. double check with JW but if I remember correctly the red goes to the spin and the yellow to the agitate.
thats a OLD machine


WHIRLPOOL 350572 Gear Case Oil, AP3072960

[sonarcade]

thanks viking for the response.  I'm not sure how I can tell whether the wires are misconnected, but the washer now seems to agitate, which I don't know if it's the same as spinning.  So hopefully, that means that it works.  Ideally, I would like to know what a solenoid is and how that differs from a cam etc etc.  But I'm not that well-versed in parts nor can I find labeled diagrams that would help remedy this.  Also left and right is hard to contextualize for me, since there are some diagrams that have the entire gearcase pulled out and snapped from top-down than bottom-up, as I've been accustomed to viewing it.

With regard to the the gear case oil, what would be a way to measure a clear deficit of it?  I've only had it tilted front face down when needed upon noticing it leaking.  But it's been down for about 6 hours total, I believe, which is how much time I've spent so far puzzling over it.  Thanks.

[JWWebster]

Their are 2 white common wires on the wigwag and 2 other wires. If you got them 2 other wires crossed up the only thing would happen is it would spin in the wash mode and wash in the spin mode. In fact that was how techs used to determine if a timer was wank.