How to remove the shaft from the drum of a washing machine?
It may be necessary to remove the shaft from the drum of the washing machine, for example, when replacing bearings and oil seals. Automatic washing machine service technicians encounter this problem quite often. Let’s figure out what signs you can use to understand that equipment needs repair, and how to fix a “home assistant” with your own hands.
Why does this problem occur?
The drum of the washing machine is driven by a shaft with a cross and bearings. When any part of the mechanism fails, extraneous sounds appear during operation of the machine. This may be a strong grinding or knocking noise during the main wash and spin cycle.
If broken bearings are not replaced in a timely manner, the shaft cross will soon fail, and this is a more expensive repair.
The most common causes of damage to the crosspiece are:
too hard tap water;
wear of the bearing unit;
poor-quality repair of a part;
use of aggressive cleaning agents;
manufacturing defects;
bushing corrosion;
poor quality lubricant.
If the spider bearings are damaged, service center specialists usually suggest replacing the entire shaft. However, such repairs will result in a large sum; with this money you can almost buy a new washing machine. Therefore, many users try to dismantle worn-out parts and install new ones with their own hands.
The process of replacing spider bearings is quite labor-intensive. But even a “newbie” who is far from repairing washing machines can cope with such a task. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions for action.
Shaft dismantling
To remove worn-out elements, you will have to almost completely disassemble the washing machine body. To dismantle the bearings, you will need to gain access to the drum of the automatic machine. Let's figure out how to get to the shaft. To remove the MCA shaft you must:
turn off the power to the machine, disconnect it from communications;
remove the top panel of the case by unscrewing a pair of bolts holding it;
remove the back wall of the case;
remove the drive belt from the drum pulley and motor;
pull out the powder receptacle;
Unscrew the screws around the perimeter of the control panel, carefully hang the “tidy” on the side of the machine;
remove the rubber cuff of the hatch, removing the two clamps securing it;
remove the bolts holding the hatch locking device;
remove the front panel of the case;
disconnect the drain pipe from the tank. There may be water left in the tube; it must be drained into a previously prepared container;
disconnect all wiring connected to the tank;
remove the counterweight blocks;
disconnect the electric motor from the tank by unscrewing several screws securing the motor;
unscrew the shock-absorbing elements;
Unhook the tank from the spring and pull it out.
Pulling out the tank alone can be difficult, so it is better to enlist an assistant.
It is much easier to remove the plastic tank from the case with four hands. To get to the crosspiece, the tank will have to be disassembled. We'll tell you how to do this.
Half the tank
To gain access to the crosspiece and bearing assembly, it is necessary to disassemble the tank. If the washing machine is equipped with a collapsible tank, you just need to unscrew the fasteners around the perimeter, release the latches and halve it. There are models with a cast tank - it will have to be carefully sawed along the weld seam.
After disassembling the tank, all that remains is to remove the drum from it.The metal container should be knocked out from the outside. You can use a hammer, but you need to act very carefully.
It is important that the shaft is not damaged during the process of removing the drum from the tank.
Bearing unit repair
It is often difficult to remove worn bearings from their seat. Sometimes they stick very tightly to the shaft, and effort must be made to dismantle them. You cannot hit the broken rings with a hammer - the shaft is made of soft metal, so it will be easily damaged if you miss.
To remove old bearings you need to:
arm yourself with a grinder;
make slots on the sides of the bearing;
insert the tip of the chisel into the bearing slot and remove the ring from the shaft.
This method of removing bearings minimizes the risk of shaft deformation. Remove both the outer and inner rings. It is also necessary to remove the old oil seal, even if it appears intact.
Seals are always replaced along with bearings. If you install new rings, but leave the old seal, then during further operation of the machine, deformation of the bushing may occur. The technicians will not undertake to repair this part; you will have to buy and install a new drum entirely.
Next, you need to clean the seat from dirt and rust. It can be treated with sandpaper or wiped with a napkin soaked in a special descaling agent. Having prepared the area, you can install new bearings. It is important to buy bearings and oil seals that are exactly the same as those removed. To do this, you can focus on the model and serial number of the automatic machine or bring dismantled elements to the store. Then the manager will help you select components according to the sample.
Press the inner and outer bearings into place alternately and treat them with a special water-repellent lubricant. Place the oil seal on top and reassemble the tank in reverse order. When connecting the halves of the plastic tank to each other, apply silicone sealant in the joint area, then secure the parts of the tank with fastening bolts.
Repairing the shaft of an automatic machine is a labor-intensive process. The main difficulty is not even in the installation of new components, but in the painstaking disassembly of the washing machine. But by spending your personal time, you can save a lot on paying for the services of a specialist.
It may be necessary to remove the shaft from the drum of the washing machine, for example, when replacing bearings and oil seals. Automatic washing machine service technicians encounter this problem quite often. Let’s figure out what signs you can use to understand that equipment needs repair, and how to fix a “home assistant” with your own hands.
The process is very labor-intensive and requires good tools. Therefore, just buy a new machine, your repair will end with this anyway.