I need to replace the bearing on my WDS1183W Zanussi Washer-dryer. I've read a few posts about doing it, and I still think I'd like to give it a shot!
Lots of people have said that the whole drum needs to be removed. Is this something that is easy enough if taken systematically, or would it require special tools/knowledge?
Then there are the bearings themselves - lots of people are saying that you need special tools to remove them - although some have said you can knock them out, if careful. What about putting the new ones back in - do they need to be forced into place?
I'm usually pretty good with this type of thing, but a washing machine is new territory, and I'm still deciding whether or not to give it a go! Any advice appreciated. If I do go ahead I will probably do a photo guide of the whole escapade.
This type of job is best done with a proper extraction tool, but these can be hired for a few pennies so don't have to be something that will lie around in your toolbox doing nothing for years.
An extraction tool looks sort of like an umbrella frame, only a lot more robust. It has shaped legs which swivel on a central ring so they can fit behind, or in front of, the bearing, ready to pull, or push, when the bolt in the middle is turned with a spanner. Nothing you need to know degree physics for, but it does make the job a hell of a lot easier than pounding with a hammer and cold chisel. Especially on modern machines with nylon drums.
I've recently replaced the bearings on my Zanussi myself. Assuming your model is similar to mine then yes, you need to take the whole drum out and then split the outer drum leaving you with the inner drum and the back half of the outer.
Removing the inner drum from the back outer drum is the hardest part. Remove the pulley from the back and then screw a suitable screw/bolt fully into the hole to protect the shaft/hole (I used an allen screw - it was a strange thread). You can then either get someone to hold the whole thing up by the outer drum or support the outer drum above the ground on blocks so that you can knock the two apart. This was very hard to do. Be careful not to damage the shaft. Once apart, removing the inner bearing was also difficult because the shaft was very rusty. Despite cleaning it very thoroughly, I couldn't pull the bearing off (even using my trusty "octopus" - an ancient but brilliant bearing puller - a top 5 tool in fact). Eventually, I smashed the outer race with a hammer and then just cut through the inner race with a grinderette to remove it. I put the bearings into the outer drum first and used a big nut & bolt with suitable sized washers to pull the bearings together tightly into the drum. I then used a longer allen screw, washer and a big socket to draw the shaft through the bearings by tightening the screw - hard to describe but the socket fitted around the bearing housing and the end of the shaft was drawn into the end of the socket. If this makes no sense and you still need help let me know and I'll do a diagram. It was remarkably easy.
When I picked up a bearing set from my local repair place they also recommended a gasket for between the 2 halves of the outer drum. In the end I decided the extra cost was probably worth it to save me having to open it up again but a few weeks after, (when I had to open it up again to remove a stone which had got jammed between the drums), I didn't bother replacing it and it still sealed fine. YMMV.
It certainly sounds similar - I've seen some others talk about having to split the inner and outer drums for my model, so I would imagine it would be the same.
Wow - thanks for the detailed reply Alan! This is really helpful, as it has given me a lot of pointers. I'm not sure whether this is an evening job, or whether I should leave it to a weekend, when I don't have to rush! I think I will probably leave it until Saturday.
The bearing set came with two metal bearings and a rubber seal - is this what you mean by the gasket, or is that something extra?
Will do - I may take the back off the washer in the meantime to have a good look, and 'familiarise' myself with everything - may come back with questions after that if you don't mind! :-)
No, there is a seal between the two halves of the outer drum - it is like a big O ring the diameter of the drum. See item 7523479780 on ebay. If I were doing it again, I wouldn't bother buying one and risk having to take everything apart again - you may make a different decision.
everything else is quite straight forward. The only other tricky bit is hanging the drum when you put it back in. It is hard to hook the springs into the metal casing. I eventually used a long cable tie round the hook on the spring, threaded it through the hole and pulled the spring up through the hole and hooked it over.
Feel free to mail me directly with any questions. I check my email every evening. You can post any useful information to the group later for posterity.
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