Nasty rumblings during the last few washes. Looks like the drum bearings are kaput. Under a tenner to buy new bearings online but any major issues fitting them? Can't be that hard for a race engine builder surely?
If you build engines then no, nothing new. But what a PITA job. I had to build a special tool to get the bearings in and out with. (Mine was likely a different hotpoint model)
Did my ancient hotpoint last year. No major problems, make sure the shaft isn't scored too badly for the seals. With decent tools it will be easier than I found it to remove the old bearings. To fit the new ones I heated the drum and froze the new bearings. Fell into place they did. A little fiddly refitting the drum front IIRC but it's now going as good as new, which must have been about 25 years ago.
One thing that's not obvious is how to get the rear pully off. You undo the lock-nut, and then the pully unscrews from the end of the shaft. If there's only one of you, easiest thing is to lock the pully at the back with a large spanner handle, and then turn the drum at the front to unscrew it. Don't wack the pully, as I suspect the casting might break.
Always buy and fit a new [front] drum seal too. It's a lot less hassel than trying to get the old compressed one sealing again.
The failure sequence goes something like... Bearing seal starts to leak. Water and detergent gets past seal along shaft. Initially, this drains out through a drain hole under the bearing, but eventually this blocks with dirt. The path out now is through the bearing, and the detergent quickly washes out the grease, leading to rapid rusting and collapse. Also, the drum shaft will eventually rust, making it impossible to get the bearing off it. In this case, you need a new drum spider too.
Genuine Hotpoint parts are all available very cheaply from good suppliers. Bearing kit was about £5 last time I bought one, which includes both bearings and the bearing seal. Even a whole new drum spider including bearing kit was something like £20. Can't recall cost of drum seal, but probably less than £5. CPC is a good supplier.
Also, clean the bearing drain hole when changing the bearings. This is something that might benefit from occasional routine cleaning too and you can easily poke something through this to clear it from the back of the machine just by removing the belt-change access panel.
My machine is still working, but has gone beyond bearing replacement. The bearing had siezed and started spinning in the bearing holder, and this is now worn too big to hold the bearing tightly. It's still working, but there's so much slop now that it can't be long before the inner and outer drums actually make contact. Machine is nearly 25 years old though.
Last one I did was with an enamelled outer drum and had a problem sealing it again but newer machines often have plastic drums so less of a problem. With your expertise Dave, I can't imaging you would have a problem. Whilst you have the thing in bits, might be worth checking motor brushes as a bit of preventative maintenance.
Good Luck
Bob
I used a new shaft too...the entire kit was fairly cheap from CPC.
I did that too. Got the old ones out all right; made a wooden 'punch' to get the new ones in (although they were loose due to the heat/freeze).
Left hand thread, isn't it? I believe so.
Yes, about £20. Given the hassle of doing it all again, I opted for the lot. I believe you're supposed to soak the phosphor bronze bit of the shaft in oil; I made a little dam out of Blu-Tak or something.
New machines, you have to replace the whole drum .-( - cost so much that it was cheaper to get the Hotpoint man in on a fixed fee! I'll get a different make next time...this was a distress purchase as it packed up just before a Christmas.
I've also heard rumours that current models aren't designed to be repairable. I'd like to know which ones are still repairable. Having been very happy with my last Hotpoint, I would have gone for another one, except for this (rumoured) issued of now being much less repairable. Secondly another reason for going for Hotpoint was that they were made in UK and I like to support UK jobs where possible and where they make a good product. However, Hotpoint recently closed down their UK manufacturing, so they don't get any bonus points from me there anymore either. (AFAIK, no one makes washing machines in the UK anymore.)
Do they make any in Abingdon? (Miele)
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