Tell me everything you know about a 1972 Lady Kenmore!

Dave -

Let me try to answer as many questions as I can for you:

First, if suds are coming up the agitator, that's a sign that water is rising up the centerpost, which is to be expected of machines of this era, actually of any worn belt-drive washer. The full-size centerpost models that were made up until 1978 are generally immune from flooding centerposts due to height of the post, but if water levels are frequently run too high, or as we AW.org members sometimes like to raise the water level, the post can still get flooded. To correct this, the agitator shaft and spin-tube seals need to be replaced. If you have bearings going bad, the spin tube seal will be replaced anyway during that job.

"The spin is a little noisy" - this is COMMON on early to 1977 belt-drive machines and is a sign of bearing wear, not necessarily from wet bearings, though water might exascerbate the problem. To fully correct this, new bearings and a new spin tube are in order.

The agitator not spinning freely with the basket is a sign that lubrication has fallen down onto the Tee-bearing that supports the spin tube. This happens as centerpost seals fail, OR it could have been put in that way after the machine was serviced. The agitator should turn exactly with the basket. The Vari-Flex agitators are heavy - if any agitator is going to get dragged down and not spin freely, it would be this one.

Water leaking onto the motor is usually a sign of a leaking tub or tub centerpost gasket, OR the airdome. You will seldom hear me make a derrogatory comment about Whirlpool, but why they put the airdome directly above the motor is beyond me. I know it needed to fit in a cabinet corner, but there are four of them!! The airdome is what controls air pressure to the level switch.

That disk thing IS a lint filter, and if you have a flat, flying saucer looking one, it's a replacement. The original was a cone or funnel shaped filter that seemed to either crack easily or get clogged, and this disk design is a long-ago designed service and production replacement which was used until the tub-mounted filters came about in the mid-70s. It could be leaking, especially if it has ever frozen as it usually always contains water unless the machine has been allowed (for years) to dry fully. Dolly carts and unscrupulous movers have been known to disturb these filters.

Do you hear the sounds of any of the dispenser solenoids working? Yours probably does not work due to clogs either in the supply hose from the pump, an innop. valve which is under the transmission, OR due to hoses at the dispenser being clogged. VERY CAREFULLY remove the dispenser from the machine for cleaning. There is brittle plastic there that gets more brittle with age and exposure to bleach and detergents. That is a $100 dispenser if you have to replace it.

The control panel light could be the switch (do you hear it click when you open the door?), the bulb, or the starter. Just start taking screws off the panel itself and see what you get - I don't remember exactly the configuration of mine to say how it came apart but it wasn't a challenge. Are you certain there is a bulb installed?

The front corner gusset of the machine being missing may present a challenge. These are not made anymore and they were welded onto the cabinet. Not sure what to tell you there, but look for leaks above that area that may have rusted the gusset out. The tear in the cabinet would not scare me, however these tend to make the cabinets wobbly and less supportive when moving machines. I had a 1982 machine back in the 90s that had a six-inch tear above the rear leg. I got some brackets from Home-Depot, drilled them onto the inside of the cabinet like a butterfly bandage, and it held well, though those damn screws were sharp if I ever reached inside after that.

Pulling the agitator is easy - pop the round shiny cap off with a flat blade screw driver. This should reveal a bolt that you can turn counter clockwise (while holding the agitator). Once the bolt is out, if the agitator is not rusted onto the splines, it should lift out with some force. Pull up from the skirt and with a variflex, you'll put the 'tator apart if you dont.

Once the agitator is out, you can take the basket out but you'll need a spanner wrench and a good hammer to do it. Check Robert's Lady K restoration pics - this procedure is well documented in there and it covers darn near every washer Whirlpool has ever made (DDs are even constructed the same way and use the same parts).

Pulling the top up is easy - put your fingers inside the lid well. Pull yourself up and out (in a northwest direction) and it should come right up.

Replacing the bearings and the spin tube may present a few challenges, and we'll go into that in greater detail when you get that far. The spin tube is an easy change, but you need either a very special basket drive assembly with the narrow-belt pulley, or you have to rebuild your current one with a new tube.

You have a lot of work cut-out for you on this machine, BUT, everything you do will more or less one-for-one transfer to the electronic set, so you'll be doing yourself learning-curve benefits.

GOOD LUCK!

Gordon


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Post# 393558 11/15/2009 at 22:36 (5,268 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes I think I may have done something stupid. Yesterday was my birthday so I decided to do something nice for myself. I splurged on a recent Craigslist ad I posted and for $10.00 I bought a Harvest Gold 1972 Lady Kenmore washer. Please bear in mind that I HATE harvest gold, but I had never seen a Keyboard Lady K and thought it could be fun to play with.

Post# 393559 , Reply# 1 11/15/2009 at 22:37 (5,268 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *Another pic with a flash:* This thing was HEAVY!

Post# 393560 , Reply# 2 11/15/2009 at 22:39 (5,268 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *Control panel.* All controls work, as does the timer.

Post# 393562 , Reply# 3 11/15/2009 at 22:43 (5,268 days old) by travlincub321 ()
Checkrate/Likes I'd take it, and love it like a new baby.. LoL I am a BD guy..What can i say..Maybe once i actually get to play with a center dial tag...

Post# 393564 , Reply# 4 11/15/2009 at 22:56 (5,268 days old) by lebron (Minnesota)
Checkrate/Likes Nice find! I have a 1971 Lady Kenmore, and absolutely love it. The machine is a workhorse and extremely flexible. Do you have a money shot for your machine? It looks like a different dispenser from my model How does your machine sound? With the quiet pak belt, mine has a wonderful low pitch hum to it... Kenmore at it's finest!

Post# 393565 , Reply# 5 11/15/2009 at 22:57 (5,268 days old) by lebron (Minnesota)
Checkrate/Likes

Post# 393566 , Reply# 6 11/15/2009 at 22:58 (5,268 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *Tub without a flash.* IT has the white Vari Flex agitator and the adjustment still works! The plastic lid for the detergent dispenser is broken.

Post# 393567 , Reply# 7 11/15/2009 at 22:58 (5,268 days old) by qsd-dan (West)
Checkrate/Likes *Please bear in mind that I HATE harvest gold* You'll be surprised how it'll grow on you. At least it did for me.

Post# 393568 , Reply# 8 11/15/2009 at 22:58 (5,268 days old) by lebron (Minnesota)
Checkrate/Likes

Post# 393582 , Reply# 15 11/16/2009 at 00:12 (5,268 days old) by qsd-dan (West)
Checkrate/Likes "The A206 needs a change of transmission oil and I am afraid of how difficult that task will be." I highly doubt the oil in the lower half is causing the problem. In all of the Maytag transmissions I have taken apart, the problem has ALWAYS been the upper bearing/shaft that's darn near frozen. There's no oil circulation up there and the oil that was soaked into wicking by Maytag when new turns to goo, then to grease. I couldn't even turn the upper shaft on the 702 trans as it was frozen (breaking trans belts). Once I got that bloody pin out of the gear on the upper half, I had to pound that upper shaft with a 10 pound sledge just to get it to budge. Once the shaft was removed and cleaned along with the bushings inside the trans, it turned with zero resistance. Just a little heads up.

Post# 393588 , Reply# 16 11/16/2009 at 00:28 (5,268 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *The 206 transmission.* I think the 40 year old oil may be turning to grease because the agitation is always sluggish to agitate. I fill it with hot water, let it sit for about 45 minutes to heat the cabinet and transmission oil and then it agitates more or less as it should. I want to change the oil, the O ring, and the gasket. I also want to change the spin bearing so I won't have to mess with it for another decade at least. It already has new belts and a new injector. Dave

Post# 393590 , Reply# 17 11/16/2009 at 00:43 (5,268 days old) by circlew (NE Cincinnati OH area)
Checkrate/Likes *Hey Dave,* Hope you had a nice Birthday. Not a bad looking Kenmore for only $10; hope you can get it's troubles ironed out without too much trouble. Tom

Post# 393671 , Reply# 20 11/16/2009 at 11:18 (5,268 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)
Checkrate/Likes *those keyboard kennies are among the coolest machines in the* A 30 minute soak and a long long wash, 20 minutes or more with the prewash selected, all in the the same nice hot sudsy water, awesome for whites, then the extra rinse, the glory of pressing 4 buttons for this maneuver. The buzzed water flush of the detergent, amazing. The variflex is the king of agitators. Yo mama's silks on low, an effortless breeze, and your grimiest dungareeeens on hi, kicks the b-Jesus outta them. Glad to see you have the "flaps" fully extended for a rough ride. Had one once ;->, a Keyboard, and one to come. Endless hours of fun and surprises. Did I mention the agitated cooldown and slo-mo agitated fill during refill for cooldown number two. Don't worry! The timer is not malfunctioning as I first thought when witnessing the event. It all part of Lady K's Keyboard Magic. So glad you got it. T E N B U C K S ---Wow, what a present.... what a deal!

Post# 393572 , Reply# 9 11/15/2009 at 23:11 (5,268 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *With a flash.* This one will need some work.

Post# 393573 , Reply# 10 11/15/2009 at 23:13 (5,268 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *The tub is damaged.* Huge chip, and then there's the rust...

Post# 393575 , Reply# 11 11/15/2009 at 23:21 (5,268 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *The back.* We have some moisture back here!

Post# 393576 , Reply# 12 11/15/2009 at 23:42 (5,268 days old) by 70series ( Connecticut.)
Checkrate/Likes Beautiful! I would tell you that you did not make a mistake here. It obviously needs a few things repaired/replaced, but should hopefully not be too much to bring back to life. BTW Couldn't help noticing the A206 in the background. Does it have the faux light fixture above the dial? Have a good one, James

Post# 393577 , Reply# 13 11/15/2009 at 23:47 (5,268 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *The initial analysis:* The seller said the machine was in working condition when stored a few months ago. When I loaded it into the truck, some water came out the drain hose. When I got it into the basement this morning, I was able to look over it more closely. It holds water! It agitates, spins, fills, and drains properly more or less. I think the water that does leak (just a tiny bit) is of great concern. The first issue I noticed was when I ran it a second time with no clothes and just a little Tide. I noticed some suds coming up through the agitator and out the top between the knob you lift and turn and the glossy center cap. Is there a seal in or below the agitator that has failed? The spin is a little noisy. I think that water has been getting to the center post and running down, causing the center post bearings to get noisy. Also, I thought WP/KM agitators spun with the tub, more or less, during spin (I know they are in a neutral position). My agitator will spin during the spin cycle only reluctantly and slowly. If the tub spins at 525 RPM, I think the agitator does about 100 RPM. The water leaks out the bottom in little drops toward the rear of the machine (thank goodness for the deflector on top of the motor!). There is also a disk with 2 hoses coming out of it in the bottom back left side (right in the pic through the rear hatch) that may also leak a little water. What is this? Is it the lint filter? The dispenser does not work! The control panel light doesn't work either. The cabinet is in pretty rough shape, although the top is almost perfect. The front left leg and bracket are missing, the left rear leg is bent, there is a small crack/tear in the middle of the bottom of the left side of the cabinet. Still, it balanced and spun an empty tub with no vibration. 1st, I want to pull the agitator and the inner tub so I can look at the condition of the outer tub. How do I do this? How do I lift the lid? If I need to replace the center post bearings, how do I do it? How do I replace the spin tube (since I probably ought to replace it too). Also, how do I get my hands on a regular capacity tub with good porcelain? Other than that, the washer is very quiet and works pretty well. Thanks for your input. Dave On top of all this, I still have a 1982 Lady K electronic pair that needs a complete restoration.

Post# 393578 , Reply# 14 11/15/2009 at 23:51 (5,268 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *James.* The A206 does indeed have the false pilot light above the control dial. The A206 is not my favorite machine though, I really miss my A208. The A206 needs a change of transmission oil and I am afraid of how difficult that task will be. Cheers, Dave

Post# 393593 , Reply# 18 11/16/2009 at 01:04 (5,268 days old) by mattl (Flushing, MI)
Checkrate/Likes *You'll have fun with it!* I had one for about 26 years, too bad I got rid of it before finding this site, I'd still have it. Near the end my agitator stripped out and I replaced it with whatever Sears was selling as a replacement at the time, no vari-flex. As for the dispenser, odds are it's just clogged. Pop the top and pull it out and soak it in some good hot water for a long while. If I recall correctly there are 3 separate hoses feeding and exiting it. The light needs a starter perhaps that is bad. Good luck and have fun with your find!

Post# 393665 , Reply# 19 11/16/2009 at 10:54 (5,268 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *Things to do.* The starter for the light is present, but might be bad. It is a small canister that sticks out the back of the control panel. It's actually easier to change the starter than to change the bulb! I like things that are easily accessible for repairs! How do I open the top so I can inspect things and clean the innards? I want to pull the agitator and inner tub. How do I do that? I'm still unsure about the cabinet. If anyone in the Cincinnati area is getting rid of a trashed BD machine with a cabinet that is not rusted to heck and missing legs, please let me know. Same for a regular capacity inner tub. Thanks everyone, Dave

Post# 393677 , Reply# 21 11/16/2009 at 11:34 (5,268 days old) by kenmoreguy64 (Charlotte, NC)
Checkrate/Likes Dave - Let me try to answer as many questions as I can for you: First, if suds are coming up the agitator, that's a sign that water is rising up the centerpost, which is to be expected of machines of this era, actually of any worn belt-drive washer. The full-size centerpost models that were made up until 1978 are generally immune from flooding centerposts due to height of the post, but if water levels are frequently run too high, or as we AW.org members sometimes like to raise the water level, the post can still get flooded. To correct this, the agitator shaft and spin-tube seals need to be replaced. If you have bearings going bad, the spin tube seal will be replaced anyway during that job. "The spin is a little noisy" - this is COMMON on early to 1977 belt-drive machines and is a sign of bearing wear, not necessarily from wet bearings, though water might exascerbate the problem. To fully correct this, new bearings and a new spin tube are in order. The agitator not spinning freely with the basket is a sign that lubrication has fallen down onto the Tee-bearing that supports the spin tube. This happens as centerpost seals fail, OR it could have been put in that way after the machine was serviced. The agitator should turn exactly with the basket. The Vari-Flex agitators are heavy - if any agitator is going to get dragged down and not spin freely, it would be this one. Water leaking onto the motor is usually a sign of a leaking tub or tub centerpost gasket, OR the airdome. You will seldom hear me make a derrogatory comment about Whirlpool, but why they put the airdome directly above the motor is beyond me. I know it needed to fit in a cabinet corner, but there are four of them!! The airdome is what controls air pressure to the level switch. That disk thing IS a lint filter, and if you have a flat, flying saucer looking one, it's a replacement. The original was a cone or funnel shaped filter that seemed to either crack easily or get clogged, and this disk design is a long-ago designed service and production replacement which was used until the tub-mounted filters came about in the mid-70s. It could be leaking, especially if it has ever frozen as it usually always contains water unless the machine has been allowed (for years) to dry fully. Dolly carts and unscrupulous movers have been known to disturb these filters. Do you hear the sounds of any of the dispenser solenoids working? Yours probably does not work due to clogs either in the supply hose from the pump, an innop. valve which is under the transmission, OR due to hoses at the dispenser being clogged. VERY CAREFULLY remove the dispenser from the machine for cleaning. There is brittle plastic there that gets more brittle with age and exposure to bleach and detergents. That is a $100 dispenser if you have to replace it. The control panel light could be the switch (do you hear it click when you open the door?), the bulb, or the starter. Just start taking screws off the panel itself and see what you get - I don't remember exactly the configuration of mine to say how it came apart but it wasn't a challenge. Are you certain there is a bulb installed? The front corner gusset of the machine being missing may present a challenge. These are not made anymore and they were welded onto the cabinet. Not sure what to tell you there, but look for leaks above that area that may have rusted the gusset out. The tear in the cabinet would not scare me, however these tend to make the cabinets wobbly and less supportive when moving machines. I had a 1982 machine back in the 90s that had a six-inch tear above the rear leg. I got some brackets from Home-Depot, drilled them onto the inside of the cabinet like a butterfly bandage, and it held well, though those damn screws were sharp if I ever reached inside after that. Pulling the agitator is easy - pop the round shiny cap off with a flat blade screw driver. This should reveal a bolt that you can turn counter clockwise (while holding the agitator). Once the bolt is out, if the agitator is not rusted onto the splines, it should lift out with some force. Pull up from the skirt and with a variflex, you'll put the 'tator apart if you dont. Once the agitator is out, you can take the basket out but you'll need a spanner wrench and a good hammer to do it. Check Robert's Lady K restoration pics - this procedure is well documented in there and it covers darn near every washer Whirlpool has ever made (DDs are even constructed the same way and use the same parts). Pulling the top up is easy - put your fingers inside the lid well. Pull yourself up and out (in a northwest direction) and it should come right up. Replacing the bearings and the spin tube may present a few challenges, and we'll go into that in greater detail when you get that far. The spin tube is an easy change, but you need either a very special basket drive assembly with the narrow-belt pulley, or you have to rebuild your current one with a new tube. You have a lot of work cut-out for you on this machine, BUT, everything you do will more or less one-for-one transfer to the electronic set, so you'll be doing yourself learning-curve benefits. GOOD LUCK! Gordon

Post# 393691 , Reply# 22 11/16/2009 at 12:19 (5,268 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *Thanks Gordon,* I don't want to break anything in this process. Yes, the lint filter is a replacement. The light bulb is present and I do hear the switch click when opening and closing the garage door. I cannot hear the solenoids buzz for the dispenser. I'll do some more condition assessment and post what I find. Thanks a bunch, Dave

Post# 393841 , Reply# 23 11/16/2009 at 21:02 (5,267 days old) by supremewhirlpol ()
Checkrate/Likes Hey Dave, When you came up, did I give you a clothes basket?

Post# 393867 , Reply# 24 11/16/2009 at 21:54 (5,267 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *Sort of.* You gave me one to put int the 1982 Lady K Electronic. It's a different size basket than the one this machine needs. I need a Regular (12) pound capacity tub for the tall center post. Mine is white with 2 rows of continuous holes around the bottom. I won't be picky for color though. Please let me know if you find a BD with a non-rusted out cabinet with bad guts. I might need a new cabinet for this one. Dave

Post# 393871 , Reply# 25 11/16/2009 at 22:03 (5,267 days old) by supremewhirlpol ()
Checkrate/Likes Maybe the cabinet of the Kenmore in this picture may work for you. CLICK HERE TO GO TO supremewhirlpol's LINK on Dayton Craigslist

Post# 393877 , Reply# 26 11/16/2009 at 22:30 (5,267 days old) by volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *That looks pretty good.* Unfortunately, I am about to go visit my family back in VA and will not have a chance to get it. ANYONE OUT THERE WANT A DIRT CHEAP PRE 1972 KM BELT DRIVE???? Go save it! Dave