Replacing Bearings... (Tricity Bendix WDR1020)

[johndo78]

Hi there,

I've had a look around and I'm very impressed with the level of detail on this forum, but cannot find the answer to my problem.

I'm in the process of trying to replace the drumbearings on my Tricity Bendix WDR1020 washer drier. Having spoken to an ex-machine engineer, he gave me the important pointers of what to do once I get the drum out of the machine (he is now away on holiday for a month). However, I have only reached the stage where i've unplummed the machine and taken the top off it, and I'm totally stumped as to how I get access to the drum. I naievely assumed that there would be a panel to remove from the back of the machine, but alas no, the outer casing is all one piece at the back.

Any tips or pointers on getting access to the drum? Do I lay the machine on its front and access it from the bottom?

Many thanks in advance.

John

 

[Sleepyhead]

Look at the sides of the machine, there should be a joint line and at the bottom a plastic plug. Remove the plug and take out the hidden screws. Take the screws off the back and from the brackets on top, the case will now split in two. If you're really unlucky it's a one piece case and you have to remove the tub through the top.

 

[johndo78]

Hi Sleepyhead

Thanks for the reply. I had managed to get the rear half of the case off without too many problems last night. Drum is now out of the machine and the belt wheel is off the back of the drum. What's the next thing on the list in the quest to get to the bearings? Do i just undo all the bolts around the outer drum and then seperate the two plastic halves?

Job for tonight!

 

[Sleepyhead]

Yep, that's next step. Hard part to come, getting the inner tub out from the rear half.

 

[johndo78]

You never know, it might just fall out......

All been pretty plain sailing so far, things can only get more difficult! And the wife is being particularly tollerant of the kitchen being overrun with washing machine parts!!

 

[johndo78]

Right. Now at the stage where I need to remove the bearings!! I can obviously see the outer bearings, but not sure which way they come out. Should they come out the rear of the plastic drum, or go through and out the same side as the inner drum? What should I be hammering, the outer bearing race (just inside the outer grey ring with the 29 on it), or the drum shaft itself (obviously watching not to damage the shaft or the thread)?

Photo of what I see below (I have now removed the black seal):

greatful for any hints/tips

Thanks in advance.

 

[Sleepyhead]

You may have to buy another pulley bolt.
Put the pulley bolt back in and hit that with a lump hammer to knock the drum through. If the bearings have siezed onto the shaft it's almost certain you'll need a new inner drum with spider.
Once the drums out you knock out the rear bearing from the inside and the inner bearing from the outside.

 

[johndo78]

Thanks! The shaft isn't siezed onto the outer bearing, as it has started to move by about half a centimetre after my original hammering attempts, but I obviously won't know about the inner bearings until i get the shaft out.

Will there be a spider attached to the inner drum when I get it out?

Also, the concrete weight on the front of the drum is cracked/broken in two places. A friend suggested using some sort of epoxy resin to bond it back together. Any ideas what sort of product I would need to use and where I might get some?

Thanks again for all the tips!

 

[johndo78]

The quest continues!

Got the inner drum out last night and hammered out the rear bearing from the inside. Inner bearing had collapsed and there were balls everywhere!! Got the outer case of the inner bearing out with some strategic chisel work.

But, the inner race of the bearing is stuck onto the shaft! I've soaked it in WD40 last night and again this morning, and I'll give it another go tonight, but I'm not convinced it's going anywhere! Is in not just possible to buy a new spider, as it gas 2 bolts on each arm where it attaches to the drum?

Also need to order two new nets of bearings today and presumably a new seal for the shaft? And need to get some adhesive to fix the cracked concrete weight on the drum. Would the new tough "no more nails" be any use, or is something more industrial required??

Cheers,

John

 

[breezer]

I think you are flogging a dead horse.

Its commendable what you are doing, but the cost is going up and up all the time, you still have to get the new bearings in flat.

I would suggest new spider and new weight (more cost) vibration will only crack weight again

 

[johndo78]

More like flogging a dead washing machine!

I'm really just looking for a quick and cheapish fix to the problem as we are likely to be moving out of the house in the next 6-12 months and don't plan to take the machine with us (planning to buy a new property with fitted appliances). So it's really just to keep us going till then. If it dies in 8 months time then so be it, but I'm not really looking to spend a fortune on the machine if I can avoid it. Hence the effort I've gone to so far

 

[Sleepyhead]

You'll need a bearing kit complete with seal. You'll also need a new tub seal and a new spider. (Yes you can get it seperately).
As to the no more nails, I glued a concrete block with it a few years ago, bit of an experiment, and it's been in place with no problems. It's worth a try to reduce your costs.

 

[johndo78]

No need for a new spider, managed to get the old bearings off ( heated with a hairdrier and they eventually came off)!

Do I definitely need a new tub seal. Old one still looks fine and intact, no cracking and still well seated in the outer edge of the tub??

 

[breezer]

no idea about yours but if its rubber they get compressed and dont re seal too well. as you are flogging a dead horse take seal out and rub it in both hands as if you were cold) do this all the way round, it gets any crud off, and slightly reshapes seal

 

[Sleepyhead]

If you don't fit a new seal you risk a leak which will destroy the motor and module.
Wouldn't that make the job a total waste of time and effort for all of us?
Stretch your budget to include a tub seal.
It's bad enough that the concrete block is to be bodged and that a damaged drum shaft is going to be reused. (I know it's damaged because the front bearing was rusted onto it so there's pitting there for a start, possibly grooving and damage to the bronze bush).
If you're really lucky and everything holds together you may just get the 6 to 12 months you're looking for out of the machine before the shaft rips the bearing seal and lets water into the bearings.