Problem
The Samsung front loader washing machine (model WF8802RSW) began making a clunking sound as the drum span around, and clothes weren’t spinning dry. Some damage was visible on the rubber door seal gasket where the drum had been rubbing, but thankfully it hadn’t worn through.
Before opening up the machine, I searched for others with the same problem and found the “spider arm” would often break. This part joins the washing drum to the fly wheel which is then driven by the motor.
I thought the broken arm may be due to overloading with too many clothes (it’s has an 8 kg rating), however after opening the washing machine I soon found what many others had discovered – the spider arm had corroded and broken apart:
I’m not sure why spider arms would be manufactured with aluminium, which corrodes in alkaline environments, without any form of protection. I once added caustic soda solution to an aluminium saucepan and it began bubbling with hydrogen gas – not a good idea!
Repair
I tried repairing the broken arm by applying an epoxy, however it was not strong enough and broke apart while seating in the wash drum (some remaining epoxy can still be seen on the photo above). When I had trouble locating a new replacement part, I had considered using fibreglass to repair the spider arm.
Replacement
The replacement part (Samsung Spider Assembly Flange Shaft: DC97-14370E) was ordered through eBay and arrived the following week. So this is what a nice, shiny spider arm looks like:
To prevent the same issue of corrosion, I decided to wash and paint the new spider arm before reassembling the front loader:
- Spider arm was washed with degreaser and rinsed with the Karcher pressure washer:
- Painted with two coats of Septone Super Etch Primer:
- Painted with two coats of Septone Hammer Tone Finish (Charcoal):
Balance was checked during the process by seating the spider arm in the wash drum and spinning on the bearings. There was no wobbling so everything looked well balanced.
The spider arm was then installed on the drum:
The screw holes were even painted with hammer tone to prevent corrosion:
Although I allowed a day to dry (including sunlight and rest above the wood heater), the first few washes smelt like petrol (i.e. gasoline). That soon disappeared as the clothes freshened up on the clothes line outside. Perhaps a few empty wash cycles would have been a good idea!
Next
If I get time, I would like to open everything up in a few months to inspect the paint and confirm how well the hammer tone paint is protecting the aluminium from corrosion.
how long did it takes to replace the spider?
Hi Henri, it would have taken an hour or two to replace the spider arm, plus a few hours to wash, etch and paint it.
The spider is not made from aluminum, it is made from a metal called zinc. Zinc corrodes easily and disintegrates. It is deliberately designed to fail after a period of time. Someone should start a class-action lawsuit about it.
Our household is being held hostage by the Samsung Spider Arm of death as well. Unfortunately, the spider arm is not offered without the drum assembly for our extra large 5.2 cu WF56G9100 model, a $600+ part.
I’ve learned that the spider arm is an alloy that has a high Zinc content which is (extremely) sensitive to Galvanic shock as the arm becomes the sacrificial anode and dissolves away even under the best conditions. Samsung probably considered this a safety feature, thinking breaking the arm vs the motor should a failure occur is the lessor of two evils. So… what am I & the Mrs gonna do?
Since we can wash %70 of our clothes still as only the towel and heavier loads allow the spin cycle to complete, I’m going to wash everything in sight and tear it apart (carefully). If I find that the spider arm is just cracked, I may try to repair it by welding/brazing or with this super incredible epoxy I use that fixes Everything! It’s called PC-7, a sticky metal putty epoxy developed to glue highway reflectors on foreva. You can actually fabricate previously metal parts with this stuff. I used it to make climbing walls under bridge abutments, to affixing all of my 1/2″ iron pipe towel racks onto my new bathroom tile job vs drilling all those hole. If you give it 24 hours, it will be there forever. PC-7 (PC-11 for marine applications).
It would be nice is Samsung made a repair door and sacrificial zincs that can be routinely replaced similar to those on outboard boat motors.
If I can’t fix it, I will have to buy a new machine. Since they are pretty much all made “China-cheap”, I hate to buy a new residential front loader.
Why don’t any if the commercial laundromat front loaders have spider arm failures? They are not made in China. At least they weren’t when they were made, and they’re still washing clothes
Thanks for sharing your experiences, I’d like to hear how you go repairing the spider arm with PC-7 – this may end up being a better option than replacing it. In my case some good epoxy might have held the broken arm together, I must have been using an inferior epoxy.
I am looking at a new spider bracket. The casting reads “Al – Fe” below the triangular recycling symbol. That indicates it is a aluminum – iron alloy.
Extremely revealing conversation, us to eight years after purchasing Samsung front load replaced spider, but didn’t coat the arm. Have been looking online to where I can buy Septune paint products. No where in the US so far. In Septunes address I did see something about Illinois.
We are up to around 10 to 12 years now and getting the classic symptoms. Back in and engaged to find Septune Products.
Any update on how your paint job has held up? I am pondering a Stainless Steel custom fab Spider as a permanent fix but am concerned about the cost. Your idea seems like a good cost effective solution and is certainly better than a new raw aluminum spider.
Hi Washer Joe, there have been no issues at all after one year (see comments below for Stephen). We have a family of seven so it definitely gets a good workout too!
Stainless steel would be nice but expensive as you mentioned. I don’t know how long the previous owner had the washing machine for, but if the painted spider arm does fail I’ll aim to add comments here.
Nice article. I’m trying a similar thing now with my Samsung washer spider arm? Is that Rustoleum Hammered paint you are referring to that you used? I don’t see any paint called hammer tone here in USA. I was looking for 2 part epoxy paint but hard to find that in small quantities.
Thanks Johnson, I used a paint called Septone Hammer Finish Silver which they describe as follows:
Hi
I have the same problem with the same washing machine (WF8802RSW/XSA). I’ve just ordered a new spider using your ebay link.
Do the spider replacements tend to come with the fixing bolts as well? The ones that were holding the original spider are also corroded. In fact I couldn’t get one of the bolts because it was so hard to move that I rounded the bolt head and will have to cut the bolt out and replace it.
Thanks
Hi Beau, the spider didn’t come with fixing bolts so I re-used the old bolts. Maybe you could loosen it up by soaking in some WD-40 or RP7 to see if that helps. You could also bring the replacement spider arm into a hardware shop specialising in bolts to match up new ones with the correct thread.
My LG front loader WM2277HW Spider did not come with bolts. They must be bought separately. All my bolts took extreme force to remove almost to the last thread. The threads appear to be filled with either old aluminum or White Loctite, (if there is such a thing). WD-40 is a waste of time, although I kept soaking for days, and still rounded off some heads.
I had to resort to Irwin Bolt Grip, (the only Bolt remover at my store – other makers will do the same. Mine took a 10 mm socket that gets pounded down & its threads make a new Head – as it cuts into the old head. The bolts aren’t cheap 7.50 a piece at Sears Appliance Repairs but went ahead anyway to finish my order of parts. Afterwards I noticed everyone else was selling them a 5.50 some a piece. I stuck with OEM as others may break and then you will have more problems removing & buying paddles which holds the Spider. On a Note use BLUE Loctite when replacing the bolts. Do Not use Red as it is meant to be semi-permanent and removal will be next to impossible. Summary: Spider, Tub Gasket, Rear Seal (bearing to Spider Shaft), Spider Bolts, Taxes and Shipping 141.50 +++ Pumice Powder, detergent, self-etching primer designed for aluminum, the epoxy coat, if you want to take it further, still beats a thousand to 1,200.00 repair job or the cost of a new machine. (PS: My spider lasted exactly 14 years to the day.)
Hi demaX, thanks for sharing your repair journey and providing this detailed information. It encourages others to see that it is possible and they might have a go at it too!
Some sellers offer bolts, some don’t. If not, order them. Most folks snap the bolts removing then as you have found out.
Any update? I have a fresh new spider flange and thinking of painting it.
Hi Stephen, yes I would recommend you paint your new spider flange. My painted spider arm is still going strong exactly one year later. We also try to remember to open the door after each wash to dry it out and prevent corrosion, although it doesn’t always happen. Minimal washing powder is also used for each wash because we drip our grey water on to the veggie patch.
By the way, I apologise to everyone for my late replies – this site was hit by spam so I hadn’t read all of these legitimate replies until today.
you would expect it to take longer than a year to fail again. My machine was 8 years old when it failed
To paint or powder coat a new spider is a good idea to against corrosion. However I wish to make sure that these cured painting material is safe and there will be no toxic substance released to the water and clothes. Especially the washer may use warm or hot water.
That is a great question. I found the material data safety sheet here, although it only seems to cover the liquid paint but not the cured paint: http://www.septone.com.au/pdf/msds/Septone%20Hammer%20Finish.pdf
I have haier hds1000txve, its spider broke after been corroded. Could please give a link i can get its replacement
Hi Simon, you could try on eBay perhaps.
The MSDS is for the liquid paint. We care for whether there is any chemical problem on cured paint.
I would LOVE to know how it’s holding up. Have you had a chance to look??
I’m about to put in a new spider arm for the same reason and i am all over the Internet trying to figure out what the best coating would be. I’m looking at powder coating at the moment. If this does the job though, it’d save me a lot of $$.
Hi Elliott, thanks for your question. Although I have not pulled the washing machine apart to inspect it since installing the new spider arm, everything is still going well about 18 months later. Powder coating could be a good option too if it’s not much more expensive, although I enjoyed the process of painting it myself!
I’m considering powdercoat ……definitely will paint! before mine goes back together, this is the worst design portion of the machine. Raw aluminum and they will all corrode and break down. As mentioned above a custom stainless part would be ideal and I use software to create a 3d model and prints but the shop cost would be extremely high. My machine lasted 10 years bare, so I think a good paint job should last another 10, if the computer lasts that long
These machines are designed for LIQUID laundry detergent as the powered stuff just causes corrosion and will never rinse out.
First off – thanks to OP for this thread. I am in South Africa.
My machine has had this failure at 6 years old – always had liquid detergent, so would seem to make no difference what detergent type one uses.
I called a repair man and he said if it is the spider arm, I’m better off buying a new machine. thoughts?
Hi Anne, I paid AU $139.99 for this on eBay on 13 May 2016 from http://stores.ebay.com.au/ozispareparts/ although it looks like they don’t sell part DC97-14370D any longer. I was blessed that the unbalanced drum hadn’t caused further damage when the spider arm broke, so the only other cost was the paint.
If you’re handy with repairs, you could also look for a second hand washing machine of the same model, so can use the current machine for spare parts, although the spider arm on your new machine may break too unless it’s protected!
Hi
What age was the machine when spider arm broke
Mine is 7 1/2 years and I suspect broken
Or bearings
Hi Jerome, I was given the washing machine second hand so I’m not sure of the age.
Mine was 14 years old. Bought in early 2004, today Nov 25, 2018
9 years for mine. Reading through the posts now to see how the painting worked.
The spider assembly in my samsung failed in less than 3 years from new. I thought it was a samsung problem but seems to affect most front loaders. I stopped using bleach with the new spider. So far so good but I know that this will just buy time but not prevent the corrosion entirely.
Did your new spider arm/flange come with the new main shaft bolt (not the 6 spider arm bolts)?
I had to cut the seized main shaft bolt that goes through the rotor magnet thing in the back.
I contacted the appliance place and they say it should have come with them. there isn’t a part listed.
Thank you in advance
Hi Michael, my spider arm came without any nuts or bolts – just the central shaft and three arms coming out from the centre. I was able to reuse the bolts from the old one, however the bolts at the ends of the three arms were corroded slightly which made it more difficult to remove them.
Apparently the corrosion is also due to chemical reaction with the stronger stainless steel. The spider acts as sacrificial plate. So even though you painted it if the metal around the screws is still in contact with SS then electrons will still migrate causing corrosion. Just FYI.
Hi Colin, thanks for your feedback. I’m hoping that even though the soapy water is in contact with the stainless steel, it won’t cause any corrosion if the soapy water cannot touch the aluminium. Time will tell I guess!
This is exactly what I tried to explain to my wife. At some point, however minute, there has to be and will be an unpainted contact point. Even with paint, contact points will have friction the very first use. That will cause even the slightest contact. This is going to lead to the chemical reaction that causes the corrosion. The differing charge itself will find the weak point in the plate and fracture at that point. If on even one of the three arms, it will still be enough to cause a failure.
Samsung engineers failed at this. They are trying to make initial cost as cheap as possible but if in after market painting was feasible, they would sell them painted. It isn’t, they don’t. Stainless arms is the solution but too costly for them.
My LG is 25 years old. No failure.
Solution is never buy another Samsung product period.
In fact the engineers succeeded quite well in completing the task required of them. The manufacturers want to sell product. The appliances of 1970s-80s were bad for business, they lasted too long. The spider is not made from aluminium as people think, aluminium would actually a better metal to use and would last a longer. The spider is made from a much more inferior metal – zinc. Zinc is referred to as being a sacrificial metal , google zinc anode and look down the list until you find an explanation. So instead of installing an actual zinc anode in the washer that would be a good thing, they make a crucial mechanical part out of this easily corroded sacrificial metal that lasts just long enough. This is planned obsolescence. Do you still think that the engineers failed?
Hi. I am having same spider arm issue. My obvious question is why dont they paint the part in the factory to make it last longer? I know washer companies want to make more money but it would save a lot of unnecessary stuff going into land fills. Which is where mine is going as i do not have the skills to make the repairs.
Hi Amy, I appreciate your thoughts on this topic. It is a pity that some manufacturers don’t put more effort into creating products that last, so the time and effort to repair an appliance can be greater than the cost to repair it.
Hello everyone. Recently, my washing machine was not draining water in the spin cycle. Thinking the problem was the door boot/gasket, I ordered a new one. While disassembling the washer (Kenmore Elite front loading Model #592-49087), I discovered the spider arm completely corroded and the washer front quarter semi tub so worn out that it ended up with a fissure around the tub. I searched all over the internet for a replacement part for the tub, but without success. The part number for the tub is DC61-02268A. Does anyone knows where I can find one? Thank you.
Hi, would you happen to have measured the shaft and spider arms length? I’m trying to figure out if that part model fits my washer, my washer’s original spider it has a 6kg rating, which I think sucks, so I would like to see if the DC97-14370E with the 8kg rating will fit also mine, by looking at the pictures I found over the internet I can tell they are exactly the same, I just want to make sure its dimensions.
Found a cheaper source, and you can get the arm bolts too
https://spares.bigwarehouse.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=143_624_94411&products_id=1681364
Now we just have to work out how to dismantle the machine to get at it….
Hi Monique, that’s great to see you can still buy the replacements online at a good price – thanks for sharing!
Mines just broken also, will also be changing the shaft seal etc
Same spider issue on Samsung front load – sounds like a freight train!
Was told by repairman that the spider was part of an assembly and in order to replace it I would also need to replace the entire drum. He said it would be cheaper to buy a new washer.
Are there units that come as a single assembly or was I getting the runaround?
Hi George, I was able to buy the spider arm separately. Perhaps if the drum was damaged too then it could be better to buy a whole new washing machine.
I think the painting is a good idea. I wonder why the manufacturers don’t powder coat or paint the spider? It seems that these machines are engineered to predictably fail due to galvanic corrosion after a few years. And since the spider is a fairly labour intensive part to replace most folks will opt to buy new. If I knew this was an issue with my Samsung I would have taken it apart while it was still new and painted the spider. I’m wondering if installing thin rubber washers between the wash drum and the spider would also help minimize the contact between the stainless steel drum and aluminum spider?
Hi Steve, it could just be a design and manufacturing oversight, although that’s a bit hard to believe when you see all the other engineering that is involved. I agree, the vast majority of people would just find the washing machine had broken after a few years and fork out for a new one. A sacrificial anode could be another option, like what they put on the boats that go into salt water.
I just replaced mine. I wish I hadn’t and bought a whole new machine. The parts were $150 spider, bolts $40 and $10 for the seal. Add some shipping costs on and you’re over $200 on a 10 yr old machine. The actual repair wasn’t too bad but definitely not for a novice.
Email me if you have questions.
davesandquist@frontiernet.net
I went to do a washing load and I heard a terrible noise from my washing machine… I knew it was the shaft that was broken. It could spin by itself but without any force so today I fixed my Spider Arm/Shaft on my Samsung machine. Using the video below It’s not that difficult at all it just takes time.
Purchased the part (DC97-12528A) at: https://electropiecescowansville.com…aft-et-spider/
Helpful Video to disassemble the part: https://youtu.be/gTXoKMHHpLs
I gave 2 Coat of Rust-Oleum Specialty Appliance Epoxy Paint on the shaft.
https://i.imgur.com/RR5U10s.png
Here are the results:
Before & After
https://i.imgur.com/9Q82ooN.jpg
Broken
https://i.imgur.com/VAjEXCI.jpg
New part + Paint
https://i.imgur.com/1pZIqeD.jpg
Let’s see how this stands out
Hi Anthony, thank you for sharing the results of your repair, including your own photos. It’s great to see you were able to save another washing machine from the landfill!
The video you found is very helpful for anyone wanting to attempt this repair themselves. I noticed the video showed the arm had corroded and broken apart similar to the experience of everyone who has posted here.
My washing machine is still going well after more than two and a half years since the repair.
God bless!
Just tore into my 8 year old machine. The center shaft was completely corroded from the Spider arm. There were chunks of aluminum in the drain boot and fragments drain line filter. Purchased a new Spider arm, Pump and drum gasket. I have decided to powder coat the spider because it’s more durable and I will not have to worry about ant paint flaking off in the future.
It’s too bad that Samsung, LG, Kenmore and others continue to use this part without adding some dielectric between the spider and the stainless drum. The only logical reason for them to continue use of this part in its raw state would be for a controlled MTBF (mean time between failure). Pre-designed failure is how manufactures ensure that they sell parts in the future.
Hi Steve, perhaps the more people are made aware of manufacturing issues (deliberate or accidental), the more pressure we can apply to manufacturers to build quality into all their components and reduce unnecessary waste.
I had the same problem and I poured the new spider from the aluminum so that it was smooth and full and then I painted it with powder coating enters the oven at a cost of 110 USD
It is time for a class action suit to get those manufacturers to face this “planned obsolescence” and provide asolution to fix it once and for all. They have gotten away with it for too long.
Indeed. Furthermore, their shady design also results in aluminum entering our water supply… seems to me this is a serious environmental issue and EPA should investigate.
Have fun enjoying nice industrial-grade chemicals in your clothes. The entire design is flawed from the beginning because the flange shaft arm is constantly exposed to wash water and being degraded, corroded, and undergoing electrolysis being attacked to the stainless steel drum. Samsung needs to recall all of these washers for this horrible, horrible mold-brewing design and reimburse people for the countless hours of torment at the hands of their terrible boat anchor.
Good day to all,
I’m Del from Malaysia and I just want to ask if my washing machine model still have the spider arm online? My Samsung model No. is WF8802RPA.
Thank you
Hi Del, it’s been a while since I bought my spider arm from eBay. I’d suggest a search online to see what’s avaiable in your region.
Hi Matthias,
So it has been 4 years since your painting of the spider arm.
How many years did you get out of the unpainted arm?
Any chance you’d like to take it apart to check it’s status :)?
Thanks for the post I hand thought about painting it and just googled “samsung spider arm paint” and found your site, thanks for posting.
Hi James, I haven’t had a chance to pull the front loader apart to check the painted spider arm for signs of corrosion, however there are no signs of the drum wobbling so everything seems to be still going strong. I’d definitely want to protect the spider arm on any new washing machine we buy though!
You’d do humanity a great service if you do take it apart to document the current state of the arm. I’d hazard a guess and say you would be the first to do it too (at least to publish it).
Although I fully understand that it ain’t a job you’d do when everything seems to be working allright. Then again, all arms (painted or not) work just fine until they fail, so that its working now doesnt mean it aint corroded. Obviously I hope its still in prestine condition 🙂
I actually need to replace the door rubber boot at some stage, so when I do that I can have a look it the condition of the spider arm. If I can get photos I’ll be sure to post them here.
So, I just talked to a guy from a place that does powder coatings and he thought the best way to go was with an epoxy. He said they do stuff with military contracts and coat inside of tanks and even though I was the 1st person that was bringing a spider to him, he seemed to be pretty knowledgeable about what was needed and agreed that it should add life to it. He also said,and this was most important to me, that it would be totally inert and safe for washing clothes in. That is something that I have not been able to find confirmation of anywhere on the internet and without that bit of info., who wants to wash clothes in something that is toxic and in good conscious add it to waste water? After I have it done, I will see if I can get the exact name of the chemicals used & post an update. Feel free to remind me if I dont.
They had a $125 min. charge for any work they do though so I should bring in any thing else I might want to do. A bit costly but for the sake of science and the opportunity to defeat planned obsolescence and the raping of the planet, I will give it a try.
Military grade epoxy powder coating sounds like the way to go, that should make your spider arm bulletproof against the corrosion normally caused by the alkaline washing powders! I’d be interested to hear back to get your impression of the coating finish and also to see how you go long term – I expect it would be more robust than the hammertone paint I used.
I have a failed spider on an LG washer. I am not exactly sure of the age. There was about 60% of it left, but all three arms were cracked or broken in two. In the process of shopping for a new spider today on the internet I ran a cross a few LG spiders that were painted black. There was a CA warning symbol on this spider indicating that it contained some known cancer producing materials. I can’t believe it was the pot metal so it must have referred to the paint that was used. In talking with LG customer service on one of these painted spiders they indicated that it would not fit my machine (I already knew that), but they also said that was because it was for a “commercial grade” LG front loader. I don’t know if this problem is due to galvanic corrosion, washing conditions, maintenance, or misuse of the washing chemicals we use, but a good chemical coating of the spider looks like it may help. I intend to grit blast (not bead blast), the pot metal and paint with a tenacious polymer metal coating like Gun Kote. Once properly applied and baked in the kitchen oven the only way it comes off it more grit blasting. POR 15 might also be another good option.
Soooo..my guess is that LG knows how to fix this problem for their commercial customers, but are leaving retail customers to suffer with this high repair expense hoping most will buy new machines. If this is true, shame on LG.
https://lgparts.com/item/10733573/LG/4434ER0002H/
Anodizing the aluminum is another method to improve the corrosion resistance without impacting the balance and weight of the part.
Recently my Samsung washer failed for the same reason. As the part worked out about £70 I junked the machine and bought a new one. The spider arm rotted and broke, coincidentally at fill level for the machine, ie where the water and air meet.
I have two theories:
#1: Galvanic corrosion. Seems daft that the bolt an alloy arm to a stainless steel body. However, this doesn’t entirely explain why the arm broke at the point it did. Perhaps some sacrificial anodes would solve this, if it is an issue?
#2: Biofilms: I initially dismissed this idea, but the spider arm did appear to have some sort of growth on it. It would also explain why the arm broke at the point it did because biofilms are, I think, formed on the surface of water, where the oxygen and water meet. A biocide would solve this but I’m having problems finding a biocide that doesn’t attack aluminium or rubber!! Vinegar apparently is a good biocide but it rots rubber over time!
I’m running a few tests using metal samples in test tubes and so far it’s looking like fabric conditioner *may* be the culprit. Does anyone out there not use fabric conditioner?
With regards protecting the part I guess epoxy would be the best bet?
I replaced the spider bracket I believe last year. Ran great, til a few weeks ago and it’s starting to sound very loud and doing the shake again. Is this common once it goes they need replaced about every year or 2??
Hi Carol, my washing machine was still going fine until a few months ago when the door solenoid burnt out. So the spider arm that I painted has lasted over seven years!