Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Whirlpool stylemaster washer goes bang, bang, bang...HELP!

Hi I have a Whirlpool model LA5668xtw1 stylemaster top load washer that is giving me trouble. I just recently had to replace the drive coupling and the rubber bushing because the plastic drive parts broke. I replaced them and it worked fine for a couple of weeks and now I get a loud bang, bang, bang sound when the washer is running in spin mode (but it does spin) and I can reach in the drum and hold the agitator still at the bottom of the drum if I want to. I am not sure if it makes the noise when I it's just in wash mode, I just didn't want to fill it with water again to test it, but I sure will if I have to. I pulled off the cover and peeked under the drum and nothing seems obviously broken like it did when the drive pieces broke. Thanks in advance! What are you thinking? Clutch assy at the bottom of the drum? Here is where I am looking at exploded assemblies - Whirlpool Product Literature Search Results (http://shared.whirlpoolcorp.com/product_literature/search_results.jsp?searchTerm=la5668xtw1&siteCd=WHRCOM)

Thanks-
Scott

Try spinning it empty and see if you get noise. Usually a loud banging noise is from load out of balance and tub hitting the sides,

I sure did try this too. Bangs like heck whether there is something in there or not. It came all of a sudden too, and started with a very small load. Thanks for the fast reply!
Scott

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o157/ScottyP5947/th_moto_0596.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o157/ScottyP5947/?action=view&current=moto_0596.flv)

Here is a small video of how it sounds, empty.

Scott

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o157/ScottyP5947/th_moto_0596.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o157/ScottyP5947/?action=view&current=moto_0596.flv)

Someone said that vid didn't work. Here's another attempt.
Thanks again!
Scott

bump!I am thinking I may just have to tear it apart!
:wall:

Make sure all the springs are in place 3 around tub and 1 balance spring in back from tub to lower frame. Next I wpuld take basket out to see if anything is under it. Never have heard that noise before. but sounds like something rubbing basket.
PS Try taking cabinet off and spinning it.
will have to jump lid switch, May be able to see something that way. Will give instructions if needed to take cabinet off. DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE BACK

Ill take a look at the springs, etc. I did spin it with the door switch jumped and it still made the noise. I tried the old listen thru a screwdriver trick to see if it was the trans and it is not. It seems to be coming out of the bottom of the drum, where it connects to the trans. How hard is it to remove the drum? Thanks again! Scott

Not hard at all but you need a spanner wrench you can get at any appliance repair store. Will give detailed instructions if you want.

basket drive perhaps. would like to have seen what the basket and clutch were doing when it was making that noise

David - it was spinning like it should in there. As for the clutcxh you can't really see it, I did peek at it from under the basket when I had the cover off, but again not much to see. I will tear open tonight when I get home. Thanks gents!

Hi so I am trying to take the basket off and I can't get it off. I got the spanner nut off easily and from the exploded view diqagrams I have it looks like the basket should come off at this point by sliding off. This is after disconnecting the springs and the upper pump hose. Am I right that it should come off now? any advice you could offer would be great. All springs were in place and nothing else is messes up. I could turn the outer clutch one direction and when I turned it in the other it stopped with a click. I think I will get a better idea when I get this drum off.
Thanks!

you dont need to remove the springs and the hose to get the basket out.

after the spanner nut is removed take your spanner wrench and set it lengthwise on top of the drive block and hit with a hammer. this will usually release the basket from the block.

i dont recommend removing the outer tub. remove the gearcase to get to the basket drive and clutch

Lifting up basket while hitting the basket hub with a rubber hammer will free it up sometimes. Basket hub is stuck on drive block with old soap.

So I got that sucker off. I have worked on cars from the snowbelt that came apart easier than that drum. Here I have been thinking that soap is a lubricant! I have it out and does nothing for the mystery. It still makes the noise, in time with the shaft turning and not turning. So to get to the clutch you suggest taking off the gearbox from the bottom rather than the top? I see in the exploded diagram that there is also a brake. What are the chances that one or the other is out? Can I get to both from the bottom? Am I wasting my time? I would really like to save myself the money of buying a new washer, but am I at a point where this is beyond typical maintenance? Thanks again guys, I'm somewhat new to this appliance fixing thing. Beer 4U2

basket drive perhaps. would like to have seen what the basket and clutch were doing when it was making that noise

Ahh, now I know what 'basket drive' means. It includes the brake shoes, is this what you think it is, or is this an expensive and not worth it repair due to having to replace the whole basket drive?

Scott

All the rest of the parts come out the bottom. Do not remove tub will not help. With all the parts you have off basket drive is not hard to replace, Gearcase has to come out anyway to see what's wrong. Look inside drive block and see if the if the drive lugs are rounded off or square. Top part that connects to drive lugs on basket drive.

Well thanks for the help guys. I abandoned the idea of fixing it and bought a Kenmore toploader series or model 90 'heavy duty' machine that cost me 163.00 with tax from a used place that gives a 60 day warranty. From the looks of it from the bottom, it was the same machine as my whirlpool in a lot of ways. I opened up my whirlpool and the clutch was worn as was the 'brake', that's where I decided that I was nuts to try and fix it. The dog ears were squared off in the upper agitator too. The parts list was long and I took the easy way out!

See ya around here!
Scott Beer 4U2

It is the same machine under the skin. Timer, controls and sometimes a different motor.