Went to a used appliance warehouse in Denver and noticed something odd

I stopped by a big used appliance place off I-70 last week to pick up a used dryer for a rental property. What caught my eye was how many of the washers had stripped or broken transmission splines, especially the older Whirlpool direct drives. The guy running the place said he sees it all the time when people move heavy machines without removing the transit bolts first. Has anyone else noticed a specific failure pattern in used units coming from a certain area or moving company?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylor.hayden9d ago

The 2005-2010 Whirlpool direct drives I see on Craigslist are actually less likely to have stripped transmission splines than any other brand in that price range. That transit bolt theory sounds like the guy is making excuses for selling junk. The real reason those machines fail is the plastic tub support ring cracks and the drum drops onto the transmission, not moving them without bolts. I've moved dozens of those machines myself without transit bolts by just taking the door off and bracing the drum with cardboard, never had a spline strip. The failed units usually come from apartment complexes where people overload them with concrete patio blocks or heavy comforters, not from moving companies. If you want a used Whirlpool that lasts, look for a 2011 or newer model with the metal pully instead of the plastic one.

drewgonzalez9d ago

Check if those machines came from a specific rental agency that skips using transit bolts.

wesley1815d ago

That bit about "plastic tub support ring cracks" actually clicked for me. I used to be one of those guys who blamed everything on transit bolts too, but now I see what you're saying. I've pulled apart a few older Whirlpools and noticed the drum sagging on the transmission, never connected it to the plastic support cracking first though. And yeah @drewgonzalez, you're right to ask about the rental agency thing, I bet a lot of those machines come from property management companies that run them into the ground. I'm definitely gonna look for that 2011 or newer metal pulley now when I'm shopping used.