Kenmore BD Portable Questions

Hi, I have a question about the tub centering on the machine. My tub is not centered, it is listing very far towards the front of the cabinet enough to cause it to smack the front panel and move the machine in almost every spin cycle, which is annoying. It has smacked the front enough to knock the control panel trim loose, it's also not only annoying, but it's allowing water to stand in the front of the tub for periods of time as well as causing pitching during washing as there is not much resistance to keep the tub from sloshing forward. The machine has always had a lean to the tub, but it seems much more pronounced now and it worries me as I like this little machine a lot.

My next question is how does this suspension system work? Also how does the cabinet come fully off of the base. I've never had it all the way off. Do you have to unhook all of the wires or are there connectors to ease in this? Any literature on this would be greatly appreciated. I've gotten the top off to repair some rust, but the cabinet looks daunting. I know there seems to be no snubber setup like on a bigger KM. If you all need pics let me know, I assume there is a broken or weak spring in there somewhere.

Thanks

-Tim


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Post# 431593 4/27/2010 at 15:14 (5,112 days old) by macboy91si (Frankfort, KY)
Checkrate/Likes Hi, I have a question about the tub centering on the machine. My tub is not centered, it is listing very far towards the front of the cabinet enough to cause it to smack the front panel and move the machine in almost every spin cycle, which is annoying. It has smacked the front enough to knock the control panel trim loose, it's also not only annoying, but it's allowing water to stand in the front of the tub for periods of time as well as causing pitching during washing as there is not much resistance to keep the tub from sloshing forward. The machine has always had a lean to the tub, but it seems much more pronounced now and it worries me as I like this little machine a lot. My next question is how does this suspension system work? Also how does the cabinet come fully off of the base. I've never had it all the way off. Do you have to unhook all of the wires or are there connectors to ease in this? Any literature on this would be greatly appreciated. I've gotten the top off to repair some rust, but the cabinet looks daunting. I know there seems to be no snubber setup like on a bigger KM. If you all need pics let me know, I assume there is a broken or weak spring in there somewhere. Thanks -Tim

Post# 431603 , Reply# 1 4/27/2010 at 17:01 (5,112 days old) by yogitunes (New Jersey)
Checkrate/Likes Yeah Tim you probably have a bad spring or 2......there should be plugs in the harness to disconnect and don't forget the pressure hose, and the whole body should lift off..... I had this on a belt drive and a direct drive portables, the spring just rusted thru the base plate and a few large washers allowed me to put it back in place and secured down, also I took foam pad, the type for a bed that looks like an egg crate, and wrapped this around the outter tub, secured with duct tape, and then replaced the body, cuts down on noise, vibration, and keeps the tub centered, reduces the twisting on the mechanism....

Post# 431604 , Reply# 2 4/27/2010 at 17:15 (5,112 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)
Checkrate/Likes *Paging Laundress!!* Our own esteemed Laundress just had one of these overhauled in the last few months. Perhaps some insight from the Big Apple is called for.

Post# 431613 , Reply# 3 4/27/2010 at 18:49 (5,112 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)
Checkrate/Likes The Front control panelled 24" BD Whirlies we had in AU, used the same suspension as the normal machines. AU only had 24" cabinets never any bigger in the Whirlpools Did all the 24" Whirlpools in the US have a different suspension system to the full size ones?

Post# 431618 , Reply# 4 4/27/2010 at 20:13 (5,112 days old) by kenmoreman ( Southern NH)
Checkrate/Likes *Springs* The suspension on these portables were supported by springs of different strengths. If anyone took them off and did not put them back in the same position then the machine would lean to one side. If you look at the parts list you will see different part #'s on the springs. Hope this helps. Regards Kenmoreman

Post# 431653 , Reply# 5 4/27/2010 at 22:46 (5,112 days old) by macboy91si (Frankfort, KY)
Checkrate/Likes *Springs* Is there anyway to tell what would go where. APP lists these springs as NLA? -Tim

Post# 432097 , Reply# 6 4/30/2010 at 11:55 (5,110 days old) by macboy91si (Frankfort, KY)
Checkrate/Likes *Figured It Out* I'm making a new post on my discoveries, it will be very helpful for a few I think. -Tim