We have been in this house for 17 years and over past year we have had a string of failed appliances.  We needed a new water heater last summer, then in the fall the computer in the oven failed and the parts are not longer available and we purchased a new one that does not have a computer (we don't care if the oven doesn't know what time it is).  Then the refrigerator failed in the late summer - followed by the furnace!  That was followed up by the replacement of 5 panels in the concrete driveway that had cracked and were heaving.

There was one remaining item that was acting up, and this was on my "Honey Do" list for a while - I was really not wanting to tackle this job.  I delayed it for a while by claiming I was waiting for a cold, rainy winter day to do the work.......that day finally came!  Our washing machine was getting really noisy, and on the spin cycle it was starting to sound like a Space Shuttle launch.  I didn't want to buy a new one - I was seriously concerned about all the good motorcycle money that was being spent on the appliances!  I watched a YouTube video and it looked like the bearing could be replaced - however it was not a quick job and I expected it would take an entire day.

Here is where the project was at the end of the first day.  The washing machine had been taken apart and the drum removed.  The housing around the drum had been separated and all parts were pressure washed to remove the old soap scum from the parts.  The shaft had been cleaned up and made ready for the new bearings.  The bearings fought really hard to come out of the plastic housing - there is a steel insert that holds the bearings and it was rusty and holding the bearings tightly.  I had to drag 6x6 wood blocks, a piece of steel pipe cut and a 1" thick block of steel to hold the housing while the bearings were pounded out!  I had put the new bearings in the freezer and used a hair blow dryer to heat up the housing so the bearings would go back in easier.  I stopped for the day around 8PM when the assembly was ready to go back into the washing machine.

This is the bearing nearest the drum and just behind the seal.  Evidently the seals fails and allows water into the bearings....and the trouble begins.  This bearing was a disaster and very rusty and loose.

I shot our freezer once, all the gas came out of it.   It was beyond repair.

Sometimes you get to have more fun than other times.

You could have used ceramic bearings, that don't oxidize and give less friction.
I would also have installed a large pump if I were you and a larger soap dish.

With some sodium percarbonate and borax in the detergent it washes much more powerfully.
For even more washing power, you can add a boiler.

I felt this job was within my ability - as it really was just a "wheel bearing" replacement.....something I have done before on cars/motorcycles/trailers.  The unknown for me was the sheet metal and wiring inside the package, and the way things were assembled and fastened together.

It turned out to be "doable" - just a bit time consuming.

Unfortunately appliances are becoming more of a "throw away" construction and they are not meant to be repaired.  The bearings I got for this did not come from Bosch - they don't have the parts available.  I saw posts for other washing machines that have the drums bonded together and you can't get them apart to replace the bearings.

When our fridge went out the folks that sold us a new one told us that 8-10 years is the "normal" life for the new ones (they advised to avoid Samsung and LG).  The Avocado fridge my mother had lasted 40 years!

Nice job Dave !  

That's why your the Super Dave !  

Honestly , I might have been looking for a new washing machine ?

zevenenergie wrote on 12/22/24 at 11:59:49:


Just what you need a hot-rodded washing machine.

I've done minor repairs, usually glides, rollers, temp sensors and heating elements on dryers. Last year my son's washer gearbox locked up. That was beyond what I wanted to try to work on. My current washer and dryer are getting up there in age. If anything serious happened (like the washer gearbox), they would probably get replaced. That would be too bad. These things have mechanical timers (which I like). All the new stuff seems to have gone electronic.