Do-It-Yourself Story

Disassembled & found a poorly made spindle (spider) that was broken on each of 3 spokes. Heavy corrosion after 12 years of usage so can't complain. The removal of the spider bolts were difficult due to the seized up bolts causing the nuts in the lifter assemblies to strip & spin inside the plastic housing. Easily removed but now I had to order new lifters delaying the repair. The drum wore a groove inside the tub housing that almost cut it in half. I was able to clean up the grooves & fill by using Lord Fusor EZ100 epoxy. Just like new & saved big $. Took all the hoses off & cleaned out more plastic shavings. Bearings were still in good shape but 12 years old, so I replaced those as well as an investment. Always spray some "Knocker Loose" or similar penetrating spray & allow to soak bearings overnight if possible. Choose the best aids to secure the assembly & use a 4 lb sledge equally popping from East - West & North - South. I used a couple of 6" PVC couplers stacked to support the tub to knock out bearings. Cleaning the stainless steel drum is not bad if you use a good cloth or micofiber with stainless cleaner & a lot of elbow grease.