Tricity Bendix washing machine: bearing replacement?

shamwari

Our 9 year old Tricity Bendix washing machine has run faultlessly in all the time we have owned it. Lately though, the drum bearing are beginning to sound quite noisy. I reckon I am up to the job of replacing the bearings provided no special tools are needed. I've changed wheel bearings in cars before and I reckon the broad principles are the same. Can only one give me any pointers for things to look out for, or any special tools that might be needed. In doing this job, I propose to proactively change the carbon brushes in the motor too as these will probably be worn anyway.

crosstownk

I've changed wheel bearings in cars myself but I've no idea how to change a washing machine bearing.

In the past I've used a company called Powerlogic in Dublin. I found them quite good. I don't have a number for them but they are in the Golden Pages.

Some info here that may be of help to you.

Avns1s

The main issue in changing the bearings is the amount of stripping required. You really will have all of the machine in bits. You must take out the drum, and remove the bearings from the spindle. There are 2, one large and one small. Replace both, though it's likely only to be the larger of the 2 which is corroded and causing the noise.

MOST IMPORTANT is that you replace the seal which prevents the water and detergent getting into the bearings during the wash. The reason a bearing will fail is because of wear on this seal. Otherwise they would last forever. If you don't replace this seal, you will be replacing bearings again in a month or two!.

Generally no special tools are required apart from various screwdrivers and sockes. A lot of patience is however, required!

BTW Unless you can do this job yourself, I wouldn't incur the cost of an engineer doing the job on a 9 year old machine that may well have other bits going in a short time. Purely for the economics of it!

Finally, I have never seen brushes on the Washine Machine motor to give trouble so unless you have a specific reason for replacing them, I'd leave well enough alone.

Avns1s

crosstownk wrote: »

Some info here that may be of help to you.

Excellent link Crosstownk.

crosstownk

Avns1s wrote: »

Excellent link Crosstownk.

Yeah - I've always found that whitegoods site to be very helpful. Well worth bookmarking if your into repairing your own appliances.

byte

Indeed. Handy way for them to promote their supposedly great ISE washing machines too!

shamwari

Avns1s wrote: »

The main issue in changing the bearings is the amount of stripping required. You really will have all of the machine in bits. You must take out the drum, and remove the bearings from the spindle. There are 2, one large and one small. Replace both, though it's likely only to be the larger of the 2 which is corroded and causing the noise.

MOST IMPORTANT is that you replace the seal which prevents the water and detergent getting into the bearings during the wash. The reason a bearing will fail is because of wear on this seal. Otherwise they would last forever. If you don't replace this seal, you will be replacing bearings again in a month or two!.

Generally no special tools are required apart from various screwdrivers and sockes. A lot of patience is however, required!

BTW Unless you can do this job yourself, I wouldn't incur the cost of an engineer doing the job on a 9 year old machine that may well have other bits going in a short time. Purely for the economics of it!

Finally, I have never seen brushes on the Washine Machine motor to give trouble so unless you have a specific reason for replacing them, I'd leave well enough alone.

How are the bearings removed from the spindle? Do they simply lift off or is a certain amount of brute force required? And when you say that the drum has to be removed, I presume you take the drum out completely from the back of the washing machine?

Thanks to all concerned for your advice!

Avns1s

shamwari wrote: »

How are the bearings removed from the spindle? Do they simply lift off or is a certain amount of brute force required? And when you say that the drum has to be removed, I presume you take the drum out completely from the back of the washing machine?

Thanks to all concerned for your advice!

The bearings can be tapped off the spindle of the drum or from the housing in the centre of the "outer tank", whichever one of these they end up on. Generally they should remain in the housing of the tank. Not too much brute force and ensure you dont damage the spindle!

New bearings will tap into the housing using a small amount of force and again you must ensure that these go in dead straight and undamaged. The seal will tap in outside the main (bigger generally) bearing.

The removal of the drum will be determined by the actual machine and I'm not familiar with the Tricity but I do know that the Zanussi as an example, needs the outer white "cabinet" of the machine splits into two. Then you can disconnect the "tank from its springs and dampers and carefully remove it. (After disconnecting everything of course).

It's not a small jobs and you will need to be a reasonable DIY mechanis to do it successfully.