How I modified my sealed tub on my Whirlpool washing machine to replace the bearings
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- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- I modified the plastic welded tub in my Whirlpool washing machine.
The bearing needed replacement after just over four years. I was quoted a repair price of the same value as the washing machine when I bought it. So I decided to fix the washing machine by opening the plastic welded tub and replace the bearings.
The modification includes:
1. cutting the plastic welded tub open
2. preparing the tub to be joined together after bearing replacement
3. sealing (waterproof) the tub
4. mechanical fix to hold cut halves of tub together
5. short test - to see if everything works properly
Since I do not address the removal of the tub from the washing machine, replacement of the bearings and remounting the tub into the washing machine in this video, I strongly recommend looking at the video prepared by eSpares.com here:
bearing replacement in washing machine: • How to Replace Washing...
If you want to know how to identify and fix other noises in your washing machine, then eSpares.com has a good video on this as well:
- how to prevent a washing machine spinning noisily: • How to Prevent a Washi...
If you have a cracked balance weight that needs repairs, have a look at my video here: • How to fix a washing m...
I have shared this for the sole purpose of showing what I did.
I accept no responsible for trying this modification and the consequences of you trying this fix.
This is very tidy work. I am impressed!
Your thorough cleaning and anti-rust paint on the machine base reminds me of the time I changed the bearings on my first washing machine, only to realise that the motor was noisy due to a slight electrical fault (previously this had been masked by the drum noise). I didn't bother cleaning the tub too thoroughly (except in essential places) when I next came to change a bearing, guess I started to get lazy.
I would question the effectiveness of WD40 as a rust inhibitor as I do know an engineer who has nothing good to say about it - he would have recommended a silicone grease or silicone oil for this application (something I'd be tempted to put on the shaft seals as well) - but I'm sure you'll live.
Thank you for posting this video.
Glad to hear (from your comment made on my video) that this works well! Please keep us updated as to how long it lasts (hopefully as long as the rest of the machine).
+John Bull Thx for your kind words. I too am curious as to how long it will last. So far so good i.e. 4 weeks since I completed the job. Washing machine is used twice a day and no problems. I plan to do a check at the end of this month to see if there are any signs of movement/leakage at the joint.
Cannot but agree with you on the WD40 - seemed a good idea at the time, but definitely not a long term solution.
Funny you should mention the motor noise - I thought that I was getting paranoid, but have noticed some motor noises too. I guess that will be another strip down to:
1. change the brushes as there is definitely a difference in the brush noise depending on which way round the motor is turning. I could here it when the motor was out and I just spun the motor round
2. in the spin direction there seems to be additional noise (under load) like a metal scratch noise. I cannot see any metal debris anywhere, to that is why I decided not to do anything when I was working on the tub. But there is definitely a sound that seems to be "an extra". My first notion is that it is the belt causing the noise, which I will change before I split the motor open.
+Robert Sababady Sounds better than mine. I think I had a dead bit on the commutator, but it seemed to work still, so okay.
I wouldn't worry too much about the shaft - by the time enough water gets to the shaft to cause significant rust, the bearings will have failed, I'm just not convinced that WD prevents rust, may even do the opposite, according to my friend anyway.
In any case, surely shaft and bearings are all on the dry side of the seal. One thing I did notice is that the drain hole (if there is one) in the plastic between the two bearings is sometimes not quite at the bottom of the section, meaning that a very minor leak will still cause water to sit in the bearings. I did drill a new hole in a more appropriate position last time I changed drum bearings on a machine. Sadly I sold that machine, so I have no idea how well it lasted (and the person to whom I sold it had a bouncy laminate floor and wouldn't level the machine properly, so it probably broke anyway).
Brilliant idea with drilling a drain hole. I might do that anyway!
+Robert Sababady
additionally of the drain hol why not fill the bearings and the space between them with teflon marine grease and use the "drain" hole for periodically refiling?
Just a quick update to.let everyone know that my repair job is still working well and the washing machine is washing well.
i.e. 1 and 1.2 yrs later after the repair was carried out. The washing machines runs on average 15 cycles a week!
do u mind telling me where did you buy the bearings please?
Only watching this now that was a brilliant video and very well explained thank you👍
Thank you.
Glad you found it useful.
I think it's better to drill the holes for the bolts before cutting open the tub assembly, it makes alignment way easier.
I agree - that is definitely a cleverer way to do it!
thanks Robert for uploading this. The sealed tub assembly on my 2011 Whirlpool was replaced by Whirlpool for bearing failure at just under two years (under warranty), they went again after two more years and I used your video as a guide to change them. My first tip: use Silcoflex Building Silicone Neutral Cure. Unfortunately they went again after just 4 more months! The problem is they have been running in water (I'm not sure why the drum spindle isn't sealing) and were rusty and free of lubricant! My new tips: use better bearings (SKF this time), 'help' the spindle seal to seal with a dash of silicone where it fits into the drum, and try out the drain hole idea mentioned by another contributor (I hope that works!)
Thx for your comment Dave. Really glad you found the video useful. Very strange that the seal is the culprit. As dumb as this sounds, if the seal was Monte the wrong way, then it either ran dry and started leaking or it was the wrong size in the first place.
I think you really need to pack the space between the bearing and the seal with good water proof grease.
The hole to let water out is definately a good idea.
I hope your drum runs for more then 4 months. that is a bumer to have to break it down after such a short time.
Thx for your comment Dave. Really glad you found the video useful. Very strange that the seal is the culprit. As dumb as this sounds, if the seal was Monte the wrong way, then it either ran dry and started leaking or it was the wrong size in the first place.
I think you really need to pack the space between the bearing and the seal with good water proof grease.
The hole to let water out is definately a good idea.
I hope your drum runs for more then 4 months. that is a bumer to have to break it down after such a short time.
You'd probably have found that the pulley jams against the back of the smaller bearing and would prevent any rattle even if the shaft was slightly loose in the bearing, but the use of some kind of sealant to take up the play probably helps centralise the shaft and can hardly do any harm. After all, the last thing you want (if the new seals are to last a long time) is play or running out of true relative to the seal.
Thats very kind robert and thanks for replying too...the washing machine is a bosch exxcel 7...model number is WAQ24460gb/06fd.....any advise would be greatly appreciated.
cant you just use solvent weld like on pvc pipes?
Quick update. After two years of running, the bearings went again.
Seems to be the exact same problem i.e. the seal gets damaged by the detergents and then water gets into the bearings.
What I have realised is that the water that gets into the bearings has detergent in it, so the detergent rinses out the lubricant in the bearing causing it to run dry and start wearing away quickly.
I could have replaced the bearings and seal again, but this time decided to buy a new washing machine that:
1. uses less power
2. is quiter
3. allows to pause washing, open the door, add stuff and continue the washing cycle.
The last point was very important for me as my wife and I constantly missed out on a sock or some other color matched item in a batch of washing!
This time we purchased a BOSCH Eco silent 8 series that washes up to 9kgs at a time and uses half the energy and half the amount of water that the Whirpool did.
Use sealed bearings ! SKF 2RS type.
But you technically could just replace the bearings, right?
Yes I did. I fitted new ones and new seals.
@@RobertSababady where did you get the seals?
I initially wanted to get them from SKF, but they did not have any locally. I eventually got them from a car spares shop online. If you are in the UK, try eSpares.com
key term: Planned Obsolescence
hmmmmm I would like to think not, but the thought did cross my mind!
Even if it's not planned obsolescence it's poor design so prevent a simple wearable part to be replaced through normal methods of disassembly.
No doubt all manufacturers will go down this path so it won't even be possible to buy one that is repairable :-(
I have an indesit machine to deal with, I won't be buying another, will at least try another brand even if it does end up being the same inside.
@@spidereyes6290 We all know Miele won't! They still haven't switched to the plastic tub!
@@spidereyes6290 It's not poor design, it's quite brilliant. It saves a lot in the manufacturers costs, saving a few bucks on bolts and nuts over several thousand machines increases margins for the same desired effect. Of course, losing the ability for repair, which many people don't even dare to attempt at.
Just wondering why you waited until you took the drum apart to drill the holes? Surely if you drilled the holes before you took it apart it would eliminate the need for clamps and lining up marks.
Because I was doing it for the first time..... teathing problems if I may :) I would definatelly drill the holes before cutting the plastic weld of the casing if i were to do it again.
@@RobertSababady I see, did the repair work?
Hi Robert.You seem to have your new bearings at hand..can you explain how you worked out the type and size of the new bearings..im having problems trying to obtain bearings before i attempt cutting my drum...bosch are not exactly being helpful!..all they tell me is that i need a complete drum assembly!...thanks...and a really good video.
Good question. I took mine out first and then identified them on the SKF site.
The problem is that if the drum is plastic, then the parts books don't have the bearing numbers nor the size.
I do not not know of any other way to identify te bearing type and size without removing them..... unless someone has already changed them. What is your washing machine type and service code - I will fish around locally and see if I come up with anything.
Ya ,I have the same problem with identifying the bearing sizes for a Whirlpool AWO/D 7140. If I strip it down and cut it open I might have trouble finding bearings to fit it. I would be grateful for any information you might have. Thanks. Good video by the way.
@Paul W - to choose the bearings I used the SKF bearing designation desription on the SKF website. You can also find the equivalents by googling it or using this website: www.nodeshk.com/
You might want to protect the spider tri-arm. It is probably going to rot out like mine did on a GE front loader I had. Search online for spider failure and you will see a bunch.
+tatersinc thx for watching. How does one protect the spider tri-arm other then cleaning the washing machine from time to time with a commercial washing machine cleaner?
use epoxy spray primer paint like BRUNOX EPOXY
Hotpoint, Indesit, Whirlpool sono da evitare al 100% e ti dico anche il perché. Nelle lavatrici i componenti con maggior usura e più esposti a rottura sono crociera e cuscinetti. I marchi che ho menzionato non forniscono questi ricambi singoli come quasi tutti gli altri marchi.. Ma in caso di rottura della crociera o dei cuscinetti vendono solo il gruppo vasca completo e il costo è davvero elevato.. Il costo della riparazione supera quello originale della lavatrice stessa. Quando invece la maggior parte dei marchi come Bosch, LG, Samsung producono lavatrici con vasche bullonate facilmente apribili e forniscono i ricambi singolarmente come la crociera e i cuscinetti a basso costo. €30 max €40 per tutto.. Quindi quando scegliete una lavatrice informatevi se la vasca e apribile e se forniscono crociera e cuscinetti. Evitiamo il consumismo e l'inquinamento da rottami,come certe aziende cercano di farci fare.
Hi Robert, i wanted to know what size drill bit did you used, i cannot find a long 4mm drill bit
That plastic hub is 100% PP, not PVC. I'm surprised this seal still holding up because ordinary sealants won't stick to the PP or PE, these plastics are low energy plastic and you need special(expensive) glue for them or do a special surface treatment before using ordinary glue.
Did he ever show the glue he used? I missed that, but tbh I just couldn't listen to all the filibustering. So irritating!
@@S0RINUK I did perform this repair and it was successfully done, water hold just fine, I have used a standard neutral(you can use acidic) white silicone, but it doesn't matter, tube is made of PP plastic, and it's almost impossible to glue it together properly because it's low energy plastic, hard to bond, 3M have one superexpensive glue for this purpose or you can use some Flame treatment(google it), but that will be waste of money, just use a standard silicone + lots of screws and it will be fine. But in my case, during the 5th washing cycle, the electric motor controller broke down. The washing machine flew to the scrap yard with the speed of light.
impressed,good job
Thanks John.
Always change the bearing sealing for a new one or else it wont last long
omg I can't believe they weld these shut! I have a 7yo Beko and just opened it up to change the bearings only to realize now I have to saw it open... **** all companies and their tricks to make money.
@ Robert Sababady. i watch this video awhile back, i wanted to know if the drum is still water tight. and how long ago was the experiment. kind regards crow
Sorry mas crow - I didn't notice your comment. Yes the tub is still very firm and water tight.
Hi, job well done. just cut open a whirlpool wwdc1720 and am having probs sourcing the bearing as the bearings don't need to be made for this machine as the bearings aren't replacable!! where do you get yours especially with a seal?.....
+Ray Andrew
Ray, Don't look in the standard washing machine spares shops. Depending what country you are in, there will be different ways. I would definitely start off with espares in the UK - those guys are very down to earth and very responsive.
This is the way I did it.
1. Took out the bearings and seal and wrote down the numbers
2. Got onsite and asked the main washing machine spare parts shops - they were not useful.
3. Went down to my local mechanic and asked him where to source bearings from (has to be a mechanic who actually knows about sourcing parts and not just a dealer who has the dealer part nos and nothing else)
4. Went to the bearing wholesale place and they had a huge catalog of bearings and seals from different manufacturers. They had to place an order with SKF to get the bearings as they did not have them in stock
5. waited 3 days and received the delivery at home.
I live in Poland and got onto the skf web site. The have a bearing searcher:
www.skf.com/pl/products/bearings-units-housings/ball-bearings/index.html
Worth trying
Alternatively you could also google a bearing warehouse - they will ask for a number or the size of the bearing.
If you have problems identifying your bearings - give the nos and manufacturer. I will help you.
Hope this will be useful!
Robert
+Robert Sababady Thank for your help Bob, love the vid, found the bearing shop and e-mailed them, thank you very much for your help......
+Ray Andrew Let us know when you are back up and running!
Just don't tighten the concrete weights to tight - they crack easily. I cracked mine when assembling my washing machine after the modification. :( Had to do another fix : ua-cam.com/video/3XqwsEEXtZo/v-deo.html on the balance weight.
+Ray Andrew Hey there, Could you please tell me the measurements for the bearings, oil seal and where did you get them from?
+Claudiu Racovita had a look in my book and for some reason seemed not to have recorded those details, google Bolton Bearings, they can supply for around £12, but they need the bearings to measure off + the seal.
Have you ever looked at the Staber washer?
Hi Roger. Personally no I have not. Maybe someone else here has and will be able to help out.
Very impressed with your efforts, I am now facing a smilar job. Did you have any trouble with the silicone spreading and blocking the water-level offtake? It seems one would have to be careful to use as little silicone there as possible. I need to check with another browser, but your video seems to have repeats in it, and doesn't get to the sealing-up stage (stops at 17:12).
Hi Martin - thankyou. I used very little silicon. I used just enough to make a seal between the twó halves as the stainless steel bolts and nuts really gave the mechanical strength. I will check the film out again - maybe google has chopped then end off dues to its length - but definitely had the drum replacement and the initial test (no noise from the bearings :) )
btw, if I were to do anything different, I would drill the holes for the bolts to clamp the two halves together before cutting the drum open. That will save a lot of time having to join the two halves just to drill the holes !
Wow! That was quick! Thanks for the clarification re the silicone, and enough other people had suggested drilling the holes first that I felt you hardly needed to hear that again. I'd like to think I would have thought of that myself, but who knows? The real question is whether my wife will tolerate the delay in the laundry service while I take it apart and try to re-assemble. Attempts to source an identical used washer to cannibalise are on-going. There must be a pile of WMEF 742P(UK) drums lying about somewhere.
That is what I thought. I even went to a shop that sells washing machines and asked them how they recycle the old washing machines - it turns out that they contract that service out to a company that literally recycles all the separate materials and melts down the plastic bits, removes copper, separates rubber from plastic etc....... quite amazing. Gone are days of fixing things. Recycling seems to be a big business!
My wife wasn't happy - she tolerated the 5 days of a lack of a washing machine only because she too was annoyed by the fact that the washing machine died on us a couple of days after the warranty expired!!!! She too felt cheated!
Im doing the same project did it stay sealed. Im kinda nervous haha
So how did it go?
@Robert Sababady well i cut it apart. Made such a mess i ended up buying a new washer and dryer hahaha
@@Savagewoodworker Oooops......maybe that is the way it was meant to be. Since doing the first tub, I did another one, but this time I drilled the holes before cutting the welding....in this way I had all the holes alligned before cutting the welding....which made it a lot easier!
Wich glue is a best too use for sealing a tub ?
I used silicone (the bathroom type that is antibacterial). However, it is the screws and nuts that mechanically hold the two halves of the tub together. The silicone is a very thin layer in the form of a gasket to ensure the tub does not leak.
Thanks
wich bearing and sealing part do i use
+Coen Mulders
I had to source them directly from a bearing shop as whirlpool part dealers donot sell the parts for the sealed drum.
If you are in the UK, then try eSpares: bit.ly/5ET67ij
I chose skf for my tub. Your best bet is to remove the existing bearings and seal and take the part nos. directly from them - in this way you will get the correct parts.
There is a really good comment from +Gimi This will save a bit of time when it comes to assembling the unit.
+Robert Sababady
using appropriate screws and nuts will be sufficient strong to keep parts tight, so i think by using simple white silicone sealant (cheeper), or automobile engine Head Gasket Sealant will be easier to reopen with a cuter if necessary... :)
www.ebay.com/itm/1-Pint-Head-Gasket-Sealant-Roadside-Res-Q-16-Fl-Oz-/131773761210?hash=item1eae5406ba:g:21MAAOSwgApXBUJo&vxp=mtr
+Isidoros Sklivanos Thx. you are probably right. The silicon has the role of a gasket, so it's adhesive properties do not have to be relevant!
Where u bought the bearings?
I had to go online to find them at the distributor for SKF bearings. They have a large selection of bearings and seals. I friend of mine told me that he spoke with his local mechanic who also sourced them from his bearing and seal suppliers. So there a few options :)
Robert Sababady i already sesrching for days but cannkt find for my hotpoint ariston i already cutted and have my old bearings to replace it but noone seems to helpe or can tell me where i can bye it
Where are you based?
I find eSpares.com very useful and they can ship anywhere in Europe.
Should have drilled the holes first before sawing it that way you don't need clamps
Yes. You are right. I know that now and hopefully will remember it the next time :)
Happy to say thet I fixed my Whirlpool AWO/C 7808 (Service #: 859231326010) following this video.
My tub was sealed by the company and thus it was impossible to find genuine replacement parts (bearings, bearings seal etc).
I cut the tub and used these instructions to screw it back.
Thank you very much.
I am glad that the video helped!
I'm joing my friends comment on this one. It was impossible to find genuine replacement parts.. for the moment i am stuck as the drum shaft won't fully go trough till the end. Maybe i have to knock 1 of the bearing better at is place. Let' see. Thank you for your sharing
its not rust in the shaft, its where the bearing has heated up,
May well be Tony. However there were no signs of heating on the shaft when I dismantled it and took the bearing off. i.e. no familiar blur black stain on the metal from heating.
The rust seems to have appeared after I washed everything and left the individual parts out to dry.
it isnt rust, when a bearing heats up on a shaft you always get this kind of oxidisation due to the different types of steels, and thats why the shaft was damaged also, you should have replaced the Spyder too.
ok. Tony. Thnks for the insight.
Hi can you sending the size of the rolling bearing both of them and the size of the (seal) waterproofing please?
Because my bering and seal are disaster.
MY whirlpoll are 9kg i hope not have promblem.
I am not sure this is the right way to do it as my model may have different bearings and seals then yours. I will help you though. Give me the bearing nos. and I will get measurements for you. You may want to try yourself using the SKF catalogue here: www.skf.com/group/products/product-tables/index.html
Are you in the UK by any chance, because there is a really good spare parts shop I can recommend.
THANKS FOR HELP ME.the bearings the big have desaster i can not read what writing.
the small is SKF BB1-0724B/+.
The seal i have count it and i have see that is 65mm caliber errand the inner is 30mm.iam from GREECEΕ.thnaks.
I had a problem reading mine - so I took a photo and enlarged the photo on my smartphone - that is the easiest way to read the number.
can you send me your email to send you foto because i can not read anythuing.thanks.
Have a look at this site - they may deliver to Greece at a good price or search locally for a Greek bearing dealer:
Bearing: www.wychbearings.co.uk/E2-6204-2Z-C3_SKF.html
Seal: www.wychbearings.co.uk/30x65x10-r21-nbr_oil_seal.html
For the other bearing, please let me have your washing machine model no. I will see if can identify the bearing. Otherwise, you will need to take a picture of the number and enlarge it to read.
For sealing the tub, can i use a Valve Cover selant like this one : datenblatt.reinz.de/web1/en/produkte/Dichtmassen/reinzoplast/td_reinzoplast_e.pdf?bct=21 ?
It supports temperatures from - 50ºC to 300ºC , water and oil resistant.
just use clamps that came with machine
Hello i live in the Netherlands and i am having severe problems finding the right product to close and seal the PP tube. I have read that you guys use this Builders Silicone ? When i ask the people here they just look at me. It seems not many product just stick to the PP plastic. And almost al product need a primer, i have no luck with this shitty Whirlpool, no seal for the shaft no spiders for sale. Yes i could buy a complete tube drum spider for 350 euros.
Maybe this is the solution:
PE en PP Lijm - PP1 Acralock madev for PP p[lastic and other kinds no primer needed. You do need that glue mixing pistol.
Hi Sonata.
I think I used the same type of silicone that I use to seal the shower. i.e. it has adhesive characteristics and is tolerant to algae and bacteria.
I did not use primer per day, but I did clean the surfaces with alcohol to remove and grease that would cause the silicone not to stick to the tub and result in a leak. Remember that the silicone works more like a gasket as the two halves of the tub will be mechanically secured by the stainless steel bolts and nuts.
@@RobertSababady Yes thank you Robert, i did follow you up on the vid and i did make a lot of holes each 10 cm when possible. I do realize that the bolts are making the strenght happining. I have searched for that famous Builders Silicone but they do not sell that in the Netherlands. When i did a deeper search on one Builders Sil;icone product is said: Not for PP . So i am confused and i still havent bought any products. Can i assume that you think your kit sticked to the PP or did you really test that ? I do understand that is only needs to seal the tube from leaking not breaking open. If the silicone does not stick the silicone could just slip away between the 2 layers of PP and start leaking. From what i understand there is no silicone that sticks to PP plastic.
I did email the Reinzoplast people and asked them if their product will stick to PP because that is not clear in the pdf.
datenblatt.reinz.de/web1/en/produkte/Dichtmassen/reinzoplast/td_reinzoplast_e.pdf?bct=21%20?
I did spent a whole lot of money on the bearings and i bought the wifey a new washing machine, this was the only way to get her horny again.( 123bearings website i can recommend them) and then the issue with the spiderarm came clear to me, it is totally rotten away. I spent nothing on the Fertan ( rust liquid hater) 35 euros on Epoxy 2K primer for boats i need to paint the epoxy layer and i found some Polyutheran DD paint 2K. I have grinded and sanded and drilled the spider arm to bear metal removing as much of the gunk that was infesting the spiderarm. Then i soaked the spiderarm in the anti rust liquid, for days on. And last i need to buy that sealant for the tube, 75 euros for a ini mini tiny tube glue. !!!
Worst part of this al is i cant buy a new spiderarm the seal ion the radial shaft is not an exact copy of the original ... the only solution i can think of is finding a complete tube that fits my machine or a complete spiderarm assembly that will fit on my stainless drum. I have seen complete spiderarms for 50 euros !! With bearings ands seal !!
Does anyone has any clue what the sizes these spiderarms are in which sizes they come ?
For now i will finish this project but my eyes are wide open for a replacement tube or spiderarm, this machine will keep on washing for another 20 years.
great job, impressive effort, for more sightseeing fun checkout eureka waschbottich here on youtube :-)
You guys are PROs!. I did this work as an amature and documented the work as an amature. Thanks for dropping by.
this is so ugly that whirpool chose this ugly solution! gorenje is assembled with screws and has a gasket.
It is all about the technology. Plastic welding has become so popular in the manufacturing industry as you get robots to do the work in a repetitive manner. Gaskets, screws and matching pieces together is far more complicated.
What annoys me is not that I had to make the modification - it is the fact that the bearings and seal deteriorated so quickly - all went bad just after the guarantee expired. That is the annoying part.
Robert Sababady hi would you mind telling me if the washing machine is still holding up cheers
Bosch/Siemens also use screws and gasket. I just bought a cheap Bosch machine and was pleasantly surprised that doesn't have a sealed tub, but one that can be fairly easily be taken apart. It's still no Miele with a stainless steel tub though, but for 200£ you can't really ask for more.
@Mihal Well, Gorenje doesn’t always use tubs that can be easily taken apart. My new Gorenje WE743P (as well as probably the whole series) uses a welded tub. Knock on wood I won’t have to take it apart in the next 10 years …
Müll.