How to change a bearing in an Indesit washing machine
Sooner or later, many people have to ask themselves the question of how to change the bearing in an Indesit automatic washing machine, because this breakdown is considered quite serious and can lead to the machine breaking down completely. Communicating with technology purely on a first-name basis, you should not take on such work, nothing good will come of it. But if you have had to repair various equipment yourself, you should try changing the bearings yourself, strictly following the instructions of the specialists.
Getting ready for repairs
The process of replacing a bearing in an Indesit automatic washing machine is preceded by some preparation. First of all, you need to purchase original bearings and seals for the Indesit machine, because, firstly, when purchasing original spare parts for a washing machine, you have a guarantee that they will fit. Secondly, if you change bearings, you also need to change the seals, because in most cases bearings break precisely because of faulty seals - one failure leads to another.
Continuing the process of preparing to repair the Indesit washing machine, you need to select the appropriate tool. By the way, nothing special; such tools can be found in the pantry of any good owner. We will need:
- two Phillips screwdrivers, one with a long shaft, the other with a short one;
- small hammer;
- wooden block;
- set of open-end wrenches and sockets;
- hex wrench;
- WD-40 liquid;
- pliers.
Let’s put the tools and components aside for now and start preparing the workplace. You should not work in a cramped space; there should be enough free space to comfortably place the machine with all the parts removed from it. Lay out the removed parts so as not to lose anything, not a single fastener, not a single contact or wiring. Once the place is prepared, you can begin the renovation.
We carry out repairs: step-by-step instructions
First, you need to correctly remove the front and back walls of the Indesit washing machine without damaging any of the sealing rubber. First, remove the top cover of the Indesit washing machine by unscrewing several bolts. After this, removing the back wall will not be difficult, just unscrew a few fasteners, but with the front wall the situation is more complicated. How to remove it correctly?
- First, we remove the powder cuvette of the washing machine, which you need to pull towards you until it stops, then lift it up and pull it out.
- We find and unscrew the fasteners that hold the front panel.
- Now we have access to all the screws holding the front wall of the washing machine, unscrew them.
- We remove the rubber cuff, then remove the bolts holding the hatch blocking element and dismantle the front wall of the washing machine.
So, we got access to the “insides” of the Indesit machine. Now replacement of oil seals and bearings will be carried out freely. First of all, you need to remove the belts from the drum pulley and motor drive. Then you need to securely fix the pulley by inserting a block of wood into it and unscrew the main fastening element that holds this drum pulley.
The next step is very important; you need to carefully pull off the drum pulley.The fact is that it sits quite tightly on the axis along with the drum, and if you try to tear it off with tools, you can easily harm it. If the drum pulley was successfully torn off, you can begin dismantling the spacer bar. Next, unscrew the fastening elements of all counterweights and carefully pull them out.
We disconnect all wires from the electrical elements of the washing machine, and then unscrew the fastening elements of the moving drum assembly. Most likely, the screws will be rusty and “stick” to the metal, so before unscrewing you need to spray them with WD-40.
Important! If the screws are difficult to unscrew even after applying lubricant, do not apply excessive force, otherwise you will tear off the heads. It’s better to try slightly heating them with a blowtorch, and then cool them down, only then can you unscrew them.
We proceed to the next important stage - disassembling the drum and replacing damaged parts. Here you need to adhere to a strict procedure.
- Remove the clamps that hold the tank cover.
- Carefully remove the seals and the lid covering the tank.
- We take out the drum along with the moving unit where the bearings are located.
- We check the gasket on which the moving unit rests; if the rubber has deteriorated, then you need to throw away the old gasket and replace it with a new one.
- We load the moving part with the remains of the drum into the washing machine and take it to the nearest washing machine service center, where we ask the mechanics to press out the bearings. It is possible to do this work on your own, but it is very risky, because this requires skills + equipment that we do not have.
- We install new bearings and seals, and then reassemble the Indesit washing machine in the reverse order.
By the way, there are a lot of good videos about assembling and disassembling a washing machine.And if you are interested in information about the features of replacing bearings in washing machines of other brands, then this will help you This article.
Mistakes made during replacement
As part of this paragraph, we decided to outline the warnings of specialists regarding all stages of repairing an Indesit washing machine. Some errors can be easily corrected, but some are too expensive and lead to the need to replace entire units of the “washing machine” being repaired. What typical mistakes do our “homemade” people make and how to avoid them?
- They break the pulley trying to pull it off the drum axis. To remove the pulley, you need skill; force will not help the matter, you can only do harm. Try rocking it from side to side and pulling at the same time. But under no circumstances hammer along the axle.
- The heads of the fasteners are torn off. If one of the bolts could not withstand your pressure and broke, this is not a fatal mistake on your part, but it will require additional fuss. You will need to drill out the broken bolts and then cut new threads in the seats.
- They break the temperature sensor, including breaking its wire. There is only one recipe for this problem - be careful with the tank cap. Otherwise you will have to buy a new temperature sensor.
- Damage to the moving unit during artisanal pressing. In this case, we have already advised you to contact a washing machine service, because doing this work with improvised means is 10 times more difficult.
- They forget to replace the gasket on which the moving unit is located. The carelessness of the technician who looked at the rubber gasket may result in repeated repairs of the moving unit.
Important! Before installing the rear and front walls of the Indesit washing machine, do not forget to connect all sensors and electrical units.It will be a shame to disassemble the machine again because of one dangling wiring.
Signs of bearing failure
Disassembling and assembling an Indesit washing machine is still a rather labor-intensive process that requires time. Therefore, without urgent need, no one will do such work with their own hands. How can you be sure that it’s really time to replace a machine’s bearing without climbing into its body? In this case, blind diagnostic techniques will help us. What should be done?
- First, we need to achieve rotation of the drum at maximum speed. To do this, set the appropriate spin mode (for example, 1000 rpm) and listen carefully to the sounds made by the machine - the bearing will give itself away.
- Next, you need to make sure that this is really a bearing; to do this, unplug the machine, remove things from the drum and try to twist it with your finger, now in one direction, then in the other. Hear a knock or metallic grinding sound - another indirect evidence in favor of bearing failure.
- Regularly check the space under the bottom of your Indesit washing machine for moisture. If puddles regularly appear there, it is possible that the problem is in the moving element of the drum.
In conclusion, we note that anyone who is familiar with working with equipment can replace the bearing in a “washing machine” from Indesit. The main thing in this matter is to do without amateur activities and act strictly according to the instructions, then everything will probably work out. If some stage of the work remains unclear to you, you can watch a video on this topic, where bearing replacement is illustrated in more detail.
Interesting:
10 reader comments
thank you very useful video
Great video
Everything is fine, but the author forgot (maybe on purpose!) that the screws can be with left-hand threads! for example on the w 84 tx model!
How to disassemble the top-loading Indesit lid? Thank you in advance!
Thank you, everything is very clear.
How do you press a bearing out of the crosspiece?
Well done, thanks
I like it.
Nothing! The main issues are not covered. How to press out bearings and installation. And the child knows how to remove the lids.
Thank you, I’ll try to repair it myself, if it doesn’t work, I’ll buy a new one... what do we have to lose?
Great, thanks!