[SOLVED] Washing machine spin problem on direct drive kenmore whirlpool top load washer

After replacing the clutch band (part #285790) and seeing no change or improvement I'd assumed that this ruled out the clutch as being the cause of the problem. Turns out that the new clutch band/pads/spring with the original clutch housing (the metal cup that the band sits in) did not solve the problem.

The solution was to replace the entire clutch (part #285785 which I got for $10 from Luna Parts on ebay). As soon as I did this, the problem resolved completely and the washer spins faster than it ever has before (clothes come out bone dry).

Kenmore Series 80 Model #11024862300 Direct Drive Top Load Washer
Link to the manual : https://www.searspartsdirect.com/mode...

This washing machine has been working fine for years. In the past I've replaced a failed lid switch but otherwise it's needed no service. Recently it began failing to spin the clothes dry at the end of the wash. Though I didn't know it, it was also failing to spin the clothes after the wash agitation and before the rinse fill.

Initially before digging too deeply into the cause, I replaced the motor coupler and the clutch band as two parts which often fail, are cheap and easy to replace. This didn't fix the problem.

Here's what happens :

Start the washer
Washer fills the tub. This works fine.
Washer enters agitation mode. The motor spins, transferring power to the transmission via the motor coupler, the transmission turns that rotation from the motor into agitation movement on the shaft which in turn moves the agitator in the basket. This works fine.
Washer drains the tub. The motor spins in the opposite direction, the transmission enters neutral drain mode, the basket doesn't spin or agitate and the water pump drains the tub. This works fine.
The drain finishes, the motor stops, the timer counts down about 20 seconds

Now here's the problem

The motor starts back up and the basket begins to spin but just barely. The motor spins, the transmission causes the clutch drum to spin but the basket doesn't come up to speed

What should happen

The motor should start back up and the basket should begin to spin, slowly at first and eventually at full speed

Here's the workaround that I've discovered that hopefully says something about the root cause of the problem

If, once the washer is trying to spin but just not getting up to speed, I stop the wash cycle
Then manually push the basket around a bit, forward and backward
Then start the wash cycle back up, the basket begins to spin and successfully comes up to speed.

Since there are two points in the wash cycle where a spin occurs, I'll continue to describe what happens

The first spin which comes after the wash agitation and before the rinse fill finishes
The motor stops, and the tub begins to fill with cold rinse water. This works fine
Once the tub is full, the motor starts and rinse agitation occurs. This works fine
After rinse agitation, the motor stops, the timer counts, the motor starts back up, transmission in neutral and drains the tub with the water pump
The drain finishes, the motor stops, the timer counts down about 20 seconds

The same symptoms occur now for the second time, during the final spin to dry the clothes. The workaround described above is the same and once done, allows the spin to run successfully.