Can underside of washer top panel be coated/treated with anti-rust treatment?

[JoeBoy]

Model Number: 11022642100
Brand: Sears Kenmore
Age: More than 10 years

Hello,

I have a Sears Kenmore washer, model # 110-22642100, built in 2001, that still works great. I've been advised by several repair people that this particular model is very well-built and sturdy (I know, and may keep them in business...), more so than most washing machines being made and sold today. However, the top panel, particularly around the bleach dispenser, is rusting very badly--so much so that chunks of it frequently fall off into the washer. I think the existing panel is beyond "repair," so I went searching for a replacement online, and I found PartsDr.com, among other parts sites. While looking around, PartsDr.com appeared to have the best price for a replacement top panel (Part PD00026025 (Mfg #WP3949958)):
http://partsdr.com/part/3949958-top-powder-porc-wht-27/

The one drawback: in the pictures, the bottom of the PartsDr panel appears to be unpainted/unfinished. I wondered if anyone else had experience with these and knew if they could be treated with an anti-rust treatment like Rust-Oleum, etc.? I'd really like to avoid dealing with more rusting out of this machine in the future.

Thanks,
--Joe

[Doc Ryan]

Hi Joe,

Yes I think you could certainly paint or coat the underside of this part to prevent corrosion. I can't think of any reason why it wouldn't work. I think they just leave them uncoated from the factory as a cost savings.

[JoeBoy]

Thanks Ryan!

It's interesting because on another site (no names...!), the picture of the top panel appears to show the underside painted. I suppose different manufacturers do different things, though... Anyway, I will likely make the purchase and attempt the swap-out myself. Any suggestions for keeping the original manufacturers label intact (the thing that displays the model, serial and other numbers), as it is on this part, or...?

Thanks,
--Joe

[Doc Ryan]

Thanks Ryan!

It's interesting because on another site (no names...!), the picture of the top panel appears to show the underside painted. I suppose different manufacturers do different things, though... Anyway, I will likely make the purchase and attempt the swap-out myself. Any suggestions for keeping the original manufacturers label intact (the thing that displays the model, serial and other numbers), as it is on this part, or...?

Thanks,
--Joe

Hi Joe,

After looking more closely, the underside of this part does appear to have a coating on it, but the coating is not the same color as the top of the part. From my experience of looking at other Whirlpool washer tops, is they usually have a coating on both sides, but the bottom coating is not done as well as the top and it may have not have a finish coating 100% of the bottom side. I see that one of our competitors shows the part having a white coating on the bottom, my guess is that the picture that they are displaying is an older version of the part. The picture on our website was photographed about 5 months ago, so it is a very recent picture.

[Doc Ryan]

Oh, and for the model and serial number tag, I would try to peel it off and stick it in a safe place on a piece of paper. I would also take a picture of it before you try to peel if it off in case it gets destroyed.