A while ago I was given a Whirlpool FL, AWM 285-800. It had been a towel washer in a restaurant and had been sadly mistreated. The dispenser drawer was completely blocked with excess detergent, soapy water had been flowing down the front of the washer and rusted the front panel. I removed the panel, cleaned it, rust-busted it, and resprayed it. I used it a few times and it was fine - a good basic front loader, about 5 years old. I found it a new home with a friend of a friend, and delivered it a few weeks ago. Just before Christmas I got a phone call that it was making terrible banging noises on spin. I took over another Whirlpool I had fixed up (AWM 5100) and brought this one home for investigation. It has a cracked drum spider, the accumulated detergent has eaten through the aluminium arm and it cracked through in two places. A new drum and spider asssembly (not sold separately) is prohibitively exxy. The plastic outer drum assembly is still perfect. Moulded into the plastic is the brand "INSIT". I now wonder if this is made by Indesit?? Not the machine but perhaps the drum assembly? This is of interest because the recycle centre has an Indesit washer also about 5 yr old, its base is so rusted that the suspension strut has broken off the chassis with a bit of rusty metal attached, but presumably the drum is fine. It would be a nice coincidence if the drums are interchangeable. Anyone in AU, UK or Europe know if the Whirlpool front loaders made in ITALY use an Indesit drum assembly???
OK so I'm clutching at straws but it would be nice...