OT: I done bad when I done good. (???)

Except for a couple of times we've been on vacations our washer and dryer have been doing 2 or 3 loads of laundry a day for the past 12 years so they're just about broke in.

For some reason SWMBO wants to replace them with some fancy-shmancy set she's been eyeing off-and-on for a few months now.

Well, the drier started making a squealing sound a few weeks ago. I said something to her about looking at it (as if I know anything about washers or driers). She said not to bother because she wanted to replace it soon anyhow.

A few days ago the squealing stopped only to be replaced by a thud, thud, thud, thud the whole time it's running.

I had a vacation day today without anything really planned so I looked at the drier. Three hours later I had run out for parts twice and spent $25 but the drier is running so smooth it's like it's new. I was pumped.

I told the little woman to come into the laundry room and see what I had done. I showed her the drier and turned it on. After I said something about how quiet it is I said it would probably last at least another couple of years. In a very unenthusiastic voice she said, "Great."

Later our older son came by. After he left, my wife was all happy again. She told me that she told our son he and his girl friend could have our washer and drier when we buy our new set in a few weeks.

She's happy again and I learned something about driers.

[PHiers]

Yup, and you learned something about women too. They never take their eye off of the target! Nice of you to fix up that dryer like new for your son!



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Paul in NE Ohio

[wierdscience]

Abuddy of mine has the right idea,move the washer and drier outside onto a small concrete pad with a single post in the middle holding up the roof.
He did that beause like me he is rather large and working on them in the house was a PITA.Since the move neither machine has missed a beat in 26 years except for a couple belts!

[JRouche]

Gotta look a broken drier as a blessing, three fold.

1) The better and prettier half gets what she wants and she's happy (good thing).

2) You will be able to push that new purchase (Tools) through the budgeting dept. alot easier.

3) That "broken" drier definitely has some useable goodies inside (motors, heater (gas/electric), pulleys, bearings and abunch of other "stuff".

Oh yeah, I need a broken drier about now. JRouche

[mrennie]

I know the feeling..........in the past 6 months, both our washer and dryer have crapped out.

I thought I was a hero when I replaced the $8 thermal fuse on the dryer and the $15 drive coupler on the washer, since it was my first time working on appliances. Wrong!

Apparently my wife was wishing and hoping this would happen since she really wants the new style front loading washer. Oops!

She got really mad last year when I replaced the burnt out door switch on our black microwave, since she wanted to get a new white one. Little does she know I have a box of about 10 microswitches and unless the magnetron craps out we'll have it forever.

Women...

[winchman]

When you go looking for the new washer and dryer, be sure to look at the Fisher & Paykel brand. They're made in Australia. We bought a set last July, and we're really happy with them.

No connections to the company, just a happy customer.
Roger

[Mike P]

So...what was causing the squealing and thudding? Was it the rollers that support the drum?? Squealing during the bearing wear-out stage and thudding once the little tires flat spotted?

My dryer is in the squealing stage right now and I've been too busy to fix it.

Are there just two of those rollers under there, towards the front of the drum?

Mike P

[pgmrdan]

Mike P,

The tire didn't get a flat spot but the shaft it rides on did. The roller wobbled and caused the thudding.

Wearing out bearing = squealing.
Wobbling roller = thudding.

Only happened on one but I should have replaced the other support roller too.

At least the second replacement will go faster and smoother.

The rollers support the back of the drum so I had to pull out the drum far enough to let it drop down to give better access. Try to replace the roller before the shaft gets damaged. In my case the roller was $20 and the shaft was $5.

[psomero]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by mrennie:
She got really mad last year when I replaced the burnt out door switch on our black microwave, since she wanted to get a new white one. Little does she know I have a box of about 10 microswitches and unless the magnetron craps out we'll have it forever.
</font>

you, sir, just made my day...

[Lynn Standish]

About the only thing I have learned about women is that if they keep repeating the same question, it means you haven't given them the right answer yet. That, and the fact that what you learned from the last one won't help a bit with the next one.

[Boucher]

Designed Obsolence is a well developed science in the Appliance Industry. They could be made to last a life time if they wanted to. I guess the women folk want something new to look at. We live in a Throw away society when the batery runs down get a whole new unit.