Threw a belt on GE washer

[blueboss]

How hard is it to change a belt on a GE top load washer? Or should I "call the man"?

[dan_bgblue]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWMO_TBT38U&feature=player_detailpage

[dan_bgblue]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOLtjRJXr_I&feature=player_detailpage

[dan_bgblue]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2EVR1QA1gM&feature=player_detailpage

[dan_bgblue]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n6fs_hPKG4&feature=player_detailpage

[blueboss]

Thanks a million, I guess Home Depot has the belts since they carry GE appliances.

[dan_bgblue]

Actually HD does not list any parts like that on their web site. Here at home there are 2 locally owned stores that sell almost every kind of appliance part a person would ever need.

[blueboss]

It looks like the Sears part center will have them....Thanks again.

[kingcat]

My wife did it once while I was at work. She is pretty good at such things. Her and I then did one together a year or so back.

Can be pretty frustrating if you try to rush it though.

[CitizenBBN]

Did you kick it really hard a couple of times and cuss? Sometimes that works.

[blueboss]

I generally start these projects with a BFH

[dan_bgblue]

I generally start these projects with a BFH

I can put up some videos of sheet metal dent repair if you would like.

[blueboss]

Okay, the hardest thing about this job was procuring the belt, you would think the most widely replaced part on a washing machine would be hanging around any appliance parts counter. The local Sears closed their parts store two weeks ago, which when I called the service center for info they might have mentioned that. I drove over and was told the only way to order any parts from Sears is through the web site which includes mowers, tools, appliances etc. so the guy at the store kiosk went through the the deal on the computer, got the p/n and ordered my belt along with a new chute for my trim mower. It popped up on the screen that the mower part would arrive in a day or two but the washer belt would be almost three weeks 3/12....Really? No laundry for three weeks? It's February so the mower part is available but washer belt will be three weeks....I left disgusted dreading the conversation with Mrs. boss

On a whim I stopped by a mom & pop appliance repair shop, the guy told me there are so many different varieties that they don't keep very many of them on the shelf but he could order me one. I told him I was going to try to find one so I could get it replaced quicker than ordering one, he said hang on and opened like a junk drawer and started digging around and pulled out a belt and asked if it looked like the right one, I looked at it it was in pristine shape with the p/n clearly stamped on it which was a match. The guy told me he had no idea where he got it or how much it cost, he said give me five bucks and call it a day.

The replacement was a snap, two things of note...the guy said it helps to use a zip tie to hold the belt in place before rotating the wheel, great tip. The other thing was he cautioned there are sharp metal edges and recommended gloves, after a pretty good cut on my hand I went and got the gloves off the tool bench. Three minuets later Mrs. boss was loading it up to check my work.

Thanks for all the help...no BFH needed.

[CitizenBBN]

You lucked out for sure to find one that way. It's very hard to get parts these days for much of anything, esp. by just going out and buying one. Several times a year I lament the loss of the Radio Shacks with their racks of parts and pieces ideal for fixing and making things. Now with Sears shutting down I'm not sure there is really any source for basic parts for things any more. Of course most Americans would never even think to try to fix something themselves. Growing up it never occurred to any of us to call anyone other than a veterinarian.

[blueboss]

Yep, I felt pretty lucky walking out with the belt especially since it was kind of an after thought to even walk in the joint. While I was spinning the belt on like you'd put your bicycle chain back on I was wondering how much it would have cost to have the repairman make the call for the repair....just guessing, but probably something like this.
Service Call $35.00 ( just to show up and evaluate)
Parts $20.50 (that particular belt was 11.00 on line, but after repairman mark up)
Labor $60.00 ( 1 hour minimum)
Misc. shop towels, gloves, fuel surcharge $20.00

total $135.50

It literally took me 10 minutes from start to finish and it's the first time I've ever taken a panel off of a washing machine for anything.

[kingcat]

Some models are a little harder. The first one my wife worked on which was a Kenmore was not so bad. The last one, a MayTag, we pretty much had to disassemble the whole thing, unattach the tub. There was a belt guard or something which went on before the tub was attached or the like. Took about two and a half hour altogether as I recall.

Glad you got'er done!

[PedroDaGr8]

You lucked out for sure to find one that way. It's very hard to get parts these days for much of anything, esp. by just going out and buying one. Several times a year I lament the loss of the Radio Shacks with their racks of parts and pieces ideal for fixing and making things. Now with Sears shutting down I'm not sure there is really any source for basic parts for things any more. Of course most Americans would never even think to try to fix something themselves. Growing up it never occurred to any of us to call anyone other than a veterinarian.

Oddly enough, another company has kept their parts department well and in tact, Frys. Unfortunately, you guys don't have one near you. This company is what RadioShack should have worked to become. It's like Best Buy and Radio Shack had a baby that kept all the good parts. It's like a geeks paradise. Multimeters, DSLR cameras, Networking equipment, Fuses and electronic components and parts, Tools, Books and learning materials, Washing machines, refrigerators, audio components, etc. They also seem to know their target audiences well.

[CitizenBBN]

I've heard good things about Frys, but yep there's not one anywhere close I don't think. Radio Shack stuck with a small store model when everything needed to go big box to work. Everything went big, the mom and pop hardware store became home depot, the local TV/appliance store became best buy, etc. Walmart may need a mention there too lol. Sounds like Frys did what Radio Shack didn't.

[KSRBEvans]

Allow me to take this opportunity to go on a little rant about GE:

We bought a house in 2009 from a guy who's in GE management, so of course all of his appliances were GE. Here's the list of issues we've had since we moved in:

--GE Washer: Catastrophic motor failure 1 week after move in. Cost to repair almost as much as getting a new one, so we got a Bosch (which we love);

--GE Refrigerator, Part I: Circuit board failed, causing the refrigerator to stop keeping food cold;

--GE Refrigerator, Part II: Condenser to the freezer failed, causing the freezer to stop keeping food cold;

--GE Refrigerator, Part III: Water valve failed while we were gone on vacation, resulting in water damaging our kitchen floor, running through the subfloor and down into the basement where it damaged the drywall on one wall and the carpet in 2 rooms. Total cost to put everything back to Square 1, plus fix refrigerator: $17,000. (Thankfully, our homeowners insurer picked it up, less the deductible);

--GE Refrigerator, Part IV (see a trend here?*): Water/ice dispenser quit dispensing water and ice. Have to reach into the ice maker to pull out the ice. (We still haven't fixed this one because it's just a minor nuisance--but still....);

--GE Water Treatment System: Bladder inside the reservoir failed, causing water to stop flowing for more than a tablespoon at a time--had to be replaced;

--GE Stove: Circuit board failed, causing the stove to stop working--had to replace the circuit board;

--GE Water Softener: A gasket failed, causing the water softener to stop working. (Thankfully this was an easy fix that I could do for about $5);

So here's a list of our GE applicances that haven't failed in the last 4 1/2 years;

--Dryer.

That's it. The GE Appliance Park is here in Louisville so I wish they weren't so bad, but these appliances suck.



*--You might wonder why we kept this fridge after so many issues. Let's just say I was overruled by the boss. The boss likes the way it looks and prefers to fix it as we go. I figure 1 or 2 more service calls and we'll basically have a new fridge, anyway.

[CitizenBBN]

lol, wow that's a heck of an ad for made in America.

the only GE stuff I have is my beloved stove, which is a stainless 48" inch Monogram gas with electric convection ovens and the griddle. Also their range hood. I got it b/c I got a complete steal on the stove, it was a scratch and dent from the dealer, coudn't turn down the price for such pro grade stove. So far so good, but I don't think it has a circuit board or anything, very few moving parts. I assume it has a thermostat for the ovens, not sure if it's digital or not. I didn't see anything like that when we installed it.

The hood is just a couple of fan motors and a switch and a bunch of stainless steel. lost a light on it but so far I'm lucky.

[blueboss]

The washer and dryer are the only two GE items I own. My house was built in the 20's and the stairwell going to the basement is more narrow than I guess what code is today. I had purchased a set of W-pool's and when they delivered them is when I found out they didn't fit. I never really thought about measuring the stairwell when I was buying appliances, anyway GE was the only ones we could find that were narrow enough to fit.

When I bought this house it had been completely remodeled (which is why I bought it) so we had to buy all new appliances. I went to a well known family appliance store in Louisville and noticed they didn't carry anything with GE on it. I asked one of the family members there with Louisville being a GE town and his family business locally owned for over 100 years why he didn't support home made goods....he told me his uncle worked for GE for 30 years and retired from GE and even he would never have anything with GE on it in his house, which to me spoke volumes.

In defense of GE I know people that have GE stuff and swear buy it, and this belt thing is the first thing that's ever gone wrong (oh no, I just said it out loud) with either the washer or dryer. It could have been the guy you bought the house from got left over stuff off the factory floor that they offer to employees for little or nothing.

You might consider taking that fridge out to the Knob Creek Gun Range for the machine gun shoot, they'd be glad to have it. Hell you could even throw down a few bucks and take a flame thrower or a mini gun to it yourself.

[blueboss]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOLtjRJXr_I&feature=player_detailpage

Do you suppose after taking the front cover off the top cover piece which houses the lid just lifts off? It appears there is a rubber "rope" on each of the four corners of the tub that are affixed to the four corners of the frame/cabinet. I suppose they provide balance and alignment while offering the tub flexibility while it goes through all the different cycles. Anyway I heard some thumping going on while on a "super duty" load and I discovered the front left "rubber rope" support is broken which more than likely happened when the belt broke back when.

[blueboss]

Look what I found ...thanks Dan_bg!!

http://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/b3p11/GE-Washing-Machine-Shock-Dampening-Device/WH1X2727/2289#repairHelpVideoTabs

[dan_bgblue]

Look what I found ...thanks Dan_bg!!

http://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/b3p11/GE-Washing-Machine-Shock-Dampening-Device/WH1X2727/2289#repairHelpVideoTabs

:happy0001: