Whirlpool WP3976308 Outer Tub Ring Seal OEM Part

First off I have to say that Appliance Parts Pro's saved me from hiring a repair person, and quite possibly just getting rid of my washing machine. Their video's helped out SOOOOOOOO much and the advice one of their agents gave me over their online chat helped me trouble shoot something when I got stuck. On top of this they shipped my parts fast enough that less than 12 hrs later they arrived, which allowed me to get my machine up and running way faster than the other options I had available. When we purchased and moved into our house it came with a 10yr old washer/dryer which was working fine so we didn't replace them. After the first few uses we realized that the washing machine smelled absolutely foul. We tried using vinegar and other cleaning solutions to fix the foul smell and all it ever did was cover up the real problem for a few days or weeks. With the help of google we were able to learn that the real problem was built up residue, mold, rust and matted in pet hair. The repair involved removing the inner and outer tub and all of the hoses. The 2 tubs and the hoses were cleaned with a power washer outside and finished off with by hand with cleaning rags and a household cleaner/degreaser. The motor/rest of the machine were vacuumed and wiped down as well. Once everything was cleaned the machine was put back together again. The hardest part of the repair (besides the disgusting cleaning) was separating the inner and outer tub from each other. Our machine was about 10yrs old and the two tubs were fused together by rust, gunk and calcium. I watched the following YouTube video to get them separated: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6iyR8KcqMQ It's important to remember that there's a good chance you'll need to order replacement parts once you have it apart and can see everything up close. I ordered a couple replacements such as the outer tub ring seal, and new springs. If I had ordered replacement hoses it would've saved time during the cleaning stage. All in all the repair wasn't overly difficult, but it was time consuming. That said I can't even imagine how much it would've cost for an appliance repair person to do the repair, and I'm certain that they wouldn't have been as meticulous as I was. I hope this review helps someone else out :)

This was the second attempt at fixing this problem. The first repair and parts were generated by listing the problem and reviewing the potential corrections, listed on the web site. From making repairs on other clothes washers, I was confident that some of those potential causes could have been the cause. Unfortunately the counterbalance spring and suspension springs were not the cause as they were attached as intended and in good condition. I reached out for Appliance Parts Pros input from Customer Service. After they did a little searching they provided some additional possibilities that I would have never considered, I added several additional items too just to be on the safe side. All during the time I was on hold, they were very effective and thorough. The operators name was Sharon and the duration of the call was 28 minutes. This washer is located at an occasional use home far from telephone and any delivery service so I wanted to order any part that could be an issue knowing that I could return unused parts at any time during the next year (thanks to their generous return policy). AppliancePartsPros.com has an awesome web site that it so helpful and if you are uncertain with either the videos or their list of possible corrective actions to be taken their Customer Service is there to assist in answering any questions as well as making detailed suggestions of additional measures that could be followed. This should be your first and only stop to solve your appliance parts needs!

I watched the instructional video 3 or 4 times then followed the directions step by step. My machine is older and had a few issues and without the video I never would have been able to fix it.

Replaced the Washer Motor Coupling for the agitator, and will be replaceing the Bleach Dispenser Hose & the Ring-Tub when it arrives, so that the Bleach Dispenser will be working properly again. All the repair directions videos shows how easy it is to make the repairs yourself.

Replaced ring balance & tub ring didn't need seal for tub ring.