How and with what to lubricate a bearing in a washing machine
The noise coming from the washing machine after some time of operation may be due to wear of the bearings. There may not be a breakdown yet, but you shouldn’t delay lubricating such an important part. Timely lubrication of bearings, and mainly oil seals, will extend their service life. However, you need to know what to lubricate them with and how to do it.
Choosing a lubricant
There are several types of lubricant that are used for bearings and seals. They all have different properties, so you need to choose carefully. The lubricant must meet the following requirements:
must be moisture resistant. An oil seal is a sealing ring that fits onto a bearing rotating on a shaft, thanks to which water does not penetrate inside the bearing. Therefore, the lubricant on the oil seal should not be washed out with water during operation.;
be heat resistant. When water is heated to a high temperature and the shaft is heated during rapid rotation of the drum, the oil seal and bearing also heat up, the lubricant must not lose its properties, otherwise water will get inside the bearing;
should be suitable for rubber and not be aggressive. Due to poor-quality lubrication, the seals can become “stiff” or, on the contrary, become very soft, as a result of which the seal will be compromised;
should be thick. The grease will not leak out while the machine is in use.
Important! It is better not to use automotive lubricants such as Litol-24, Azmol and others. They are extremely inefficient and very soon you will have to change the bearings in your washing machine.
In service centers to lubricate oil seals, they most often use:
AMPLIFON is an Italian-made waterproof lubricant from MERLONI.
Anderoll is a special lubricant recommended by Indesit manufacturers, sold in 100-gram jars or in double-portion syringes.
STABURAGS NBU 12 is another lubricant that is also waterproof and heat resistant.
LIQUI MOLY “Silicon-Fett” is a German-made silicone grease, sold in 50 gram tubes, quite expensive, but effective for lubricating oil seals.
Huskey Lube-O-Seal PTFE Grease is a water-resistant lubricant Suitable for both bearings and seals.
Bearings or seal?
Few people ask the question of how to lubricate a bearing in a washing machine, believing that this is not necessary. Most people buy a new set of bearings and seals, and when installing, only lubricate the seal and bushing. As for bearings, they usually already contain lubricant.
If the bearings were purchased from a store that orders original spare parts from the manufacturer, then you can safely put such bearings in the washing machine. In bearings of questionable quality, it is better to renew the lubricant; in most cases, they are filled with cheap low-performance lubricant.
Therefore, the answer to the question of what needs to be lubricated, bearings or oil seals, is this – that’s all. The main thing is that it is one lubricant; mixing different lubricants is unacceptable. In this case, it is better to lubricate only the oil seal and bushing.
Removing the tank
Now let's talk about how to lubricate such important parts of the washing machine. Let us warn you right away that this process is very labor-intensive, since it will require almost complete disassembly of the machine in order to remove the tank and drum from it. Before starting work, disconnect the machine from the water supply, drain and electricity, and then place it so that it can be accessed from all sides. Prepare screwdrivers and pliers, then follow the instructions:
remove the top cover of the case by unscrewing the two bolts at the back;
take out the powder receptacle;
disconnect the control panel by disconnecting the wires from the board;
remove the cuff using a slotted screwdriver; to do this, bend the spring and remove the retaining clamp, and tuck the edges of the cuff into the drum;
remove the bottom panel of the washing machine, which is held on by latches;
We unscrew the bolts holding the front panel, usually they are located behind the powder receptacle, under the lower and upper panels;
remove the front wall of the machine body;
Important! Don't forget to disconnect the wires going from the control unit to the hatch locking device.
disconnect all pipes from the tank, wires from the heating element, pump, engine and sensors;
remove the top panel by unscrewing it from the body, as well as unscrewing the pressure switch from the panel and removing the wires;
unscrew the upper and lower counterweights and remove them;
check that all pipes and wires are disconnected from the tank;
unscrew the shock absorbers and remove the tank from the springs, place it with the pulley up;
remove the belt from the engine and pulley, and then unscrew the engine.
During this work, you can record the stages with a camera. The pictures will help you assemble the washing machine correctly, without confusing the connections of wires and pipes.
Let's finish
After removing the tub from the washing machine, inspect it. It can be collapsible or integral. Non-separable tanks are found on Hotpoint-Ariston and other washing machines. To get to the bearings in such a tank, you will have to saw it along the joint seam. If you do this very carefully, you can connect the halves back together using bolts and sealant.
The halves of the collapsible tank are connected with bolts and special latches.After the tank is disassembled, you need to knock the bearing out of its seat; detailed instructions for this are provided in our article How to properly remove a bearing from a drum.
After removing the bearings, inspect them for damage. Typically, a washing machine is disassembled when the bearings have already failed; it is unlikely that anyone will disassemble the equipment to check the lubrication and lubricate the part. So, if the bearing is damaged, then you need to purchase a set of new bearings and an oil seal, which it is reasonable to replace immediately.
If the bearing can still be used, it needs to be lubricated. First, it is cleaned of dirt using WD-40 penetrating lubricant and wiped with a clean cloth, and then lubricated. In a dismountable bearing, use a scalpel to remove the protective cover and apply lubricant. Lubricating a non-separable bearing is a little more difficult, but it is possible, the video below shows how to do it.
If the new bearing does not need to be lubricated, then the oil seal must be lubricated. The lubricant is spread in an even layer along the inner ring, which is in direct contact with the bushing. After installing the bearings, the oil seal is installed. All components of the washing machine are assembled in the reverse order.
As you can see, the process of lubrication of bearings and seals is simple, but to get to the parts themselves, you will have to do a lot of work. That is why most often they turn to a professional craftsman for such work. But if you have the time and desire to work, do the repairs yourself, good luck!
In general, it’s cool: in order to just lubricate the bearing, you will need to cut the tank. Why didn't the manufacturer make it easy to access for lubrication?
Because this way they will earn more money. After all, no authorized service center will undertake such repairs. Either do it yourself, or call a handicraftsman who will not give a guarantee, or buy a new washing machine.
It was because of this bearing that I had to buy a new washing machine. That's why they make it beyond repair. Although they offered to cut and replace the bearing. However, no one gave a guarantee. The craftsmen themselves admitted that after such repairs the tank often begins to leak.
Remove the back cover of the washing machine, remove the belt from the motor and pulley, and check again without the motor. If it’s just as tight, it’s the bearings. If not, the motor.
On a zanusi (vertical) you do not need to remove the tank and disassemble the entire car, only the side walls. Unscrew the hubs and replace with new ones.
I wish I could drill a hole in the area between the two bearings and screw in the grease fitting from the outside. Once every three months I opened the lid from the back, syringed it and let it continue to work.
Thank you for the article. I’m a newbie, can you tell me: after what period of operation of the Indesit washing machine does it need to be lubricated? Although we don't do laundry every day. And what is better to lubricate: the oil seal or the motor? Sorry if I asked something unclear.
The noise coming from the washing machine after some time of operation may be due to wear of the bearings. There may not be a breakdown yet, but you shouldn’t delay lubricating such an important part. Timely lubrication of bearings, and mainly oil seals, will extend their service life. However, you need to know what to lubricate them with and how to do it.
In general, it’s cool: in order to just lubricate the bearing, you will need to cut the tank. Why didn't the manufacturer make it easy to access for lubrication?
Because this way they will earn more money. After all, no authorized service center will undertake such repairs. Either do it yourself, or call a handicraftsman who will not give a guarantee, or buy a new washing machine.
It was because of this bearing that I had to buy a new washing machine. That's why they make it beyond repair. Although they offered to cut and replace the bearing. However, no one gave a guarantee. The craftsmen themselves admitted that after such repairs the tank often begins to leak.
With such a technological chain, there is no point in lubricating bearings until they break. The author apparently sells lubricants.
What to do if the drum is difficult to spin even by hand?
Remove the back cover of the washing machine, remove the belt from the motor and pulley, and check again without the motor. If it’s just as tight, it’s the bearings. If not, the motor.
On a zanusi (vertical) you do not need to remove the tank and disassemble the entire car, only the side walls. Unscrew the hubs and replace with new ones.
I wish I could drill a hole in the area between the two bearings and screw in the grease fitting from the outside. Once every three months I opened the lid from the back, syringed it and let it continue to work.
Thank you for the article. I’m a newbie, can you tell me: after what period of operation of the Indesit washing machine does it need to be lubricated? Although we don't do laundry every day. And what is better to lubricate: the oil seal or the motor? Sorry if I asked something unclear.