WM55 Bearings

[GrandadFixit]

Hi Folks, I have changed bearing's in the past, mostly those held by 'spiders' (or Fords :->), I am about to change the bearing in the above WM where the bearing is held in the plastic outer drum.

Any hints or tips before I start, please?

Incidentally this fault has just started today and there or no rust drips so I am confident it should be straight forward, but I am a bit wary of the plastic housing, holding the outer bearing shell.

Thanks for any advice

 

[breezer]

what have you got to tke the barings out with?

and did you get a new spider (drum support) if you didnt dont bother changing bearings

 

[GrandadFixit]

Hi, I haven't made myself clear, sorry.
This wm does not have a spider, the bearings are pressed into the rear of the outer drum housing.

Previous machines have had spiders and I have managed to swap the bearings on these without renewing the whole assembly, lucky'suppose.

I am a semi retired Electronic Eng' and have all the necessary tools including pullers and pressers, torque wrenches etc.

I have always advocated buying good tools and they will repay you with a long life and your collection will build up over the years.......

OK OK I'll get off my soap box......

 

[breezer]

you said it was a wm55, i took that to be a hotpoint wm55

 

[tiredengineer]

I take it you've changed the external spiders that house the bearings.
The Hotpoint WM series have a spider and shaft on the rear of the inner drum. This is bolted to the inner drum and it is this piece that you will need along with the bearings.
Bearing changes on the WM are easy enough but the odd one crops up where the front bearing has collapsed and the shell won't come out.


Unplug your appliance before working on it.

 

[GrandadFixit]

This now gets interesting, it definitely does not have a spider.
But it is definitely a Hotpoint wm55.

However we got it from a friend minus the motor (long story can relate if req'd)
When we got the motor and after a return to the shop to check it WAS the right one, it obviously would not fit as expected.

I simply used a bracket from my rubbish draw and opened out the bolt tube very slightly.

It worked and ran very quietly without any unexpected vibration.and has done for about 2 years.

When the bearing started whistling today it wasn't unexpected as "the boss-ess" is always overloading the thing.

Has anyone come across this bogus drum situation maybe????

I have done a spider bearing before, fairly straight forward, this just has the rear outer drum with the spindle sticking out of the bearing with the drive belt pulley fixed to it. definitely no spider!!!!!

(add afterthought..... the previous spider I worked on had a large panel at the rear that meant the spider could be wriggled out......this one has a circular (roughly) 7" inspection plate where the central spindle is)

Does this forum permit pictures as I can post a couple later (Sunday)

My biggest worry is that if I go and get the bearings for a WM55 they will be wrong.

Thanks for the interest so far.

 

[breezer]

I think we are talking cross purposes here.

your m/c does have a spider, as i said assuming its a hotpoint, which we now know it is, a spider is the drum support which you call "spindle"

and yes you can post pictures, for more info how to do it see "forum information"

 

[GrandadFixit]

Hi Breezer, let me bounce this idea.

Previously I understood a spider to generally be a 3 legged frame bolted by its legs at the outer edge of the outer drum. At the centre of which the bearing is fitted through which is the inner drum axle which I callled a spindle. The spider is visible when the back panel of the WM is removed.

This assembly the outer drum is the typical tough nylon drum shaped case with a 3/4" hole in the central read surface and a bearing fitted in this hole. the spindle/axle runs through this bearing and presumably connects to the inner stainless wash drum. There is no visible sign of any support for the bearing other than the nylon casing of the outer drum.

With respect are you saying there maybe a spider between the inner and outer drums.

If this is the case I apologise and will investigate. When the fault appearred this afternoon it wasn't too severe so she finished the washing so I haven't removed the drum yet.

I hope this makes sense, I thought you could see the spider with the top or back off, in this sense there is not one to be seen?

 

[GrandadFixit]

I have just read though the replies again.
Re tiredengineers post......
Sorry breezer I will have the drum out in the morning and see if its inside as suggested.

Opp sorry all.
I will return tomorrow with an apology oooooor a real puzzle.

Thanks so far
Goodnight.

 

[breezer]

no worries, i gues its just the terminonlogy

i used to work for hp and the most odd name was

bannana = pressure chamber

 

[GrandadFixit]

Hi Folks,
Indeed I you all an APOLOGY, the spider is between the inner and outer drum.

I now have the bearing out and will be getting a set this week.

The "oil" seal was a right b*gger to get out had to knock it out with the inner bearing, there must be an easier way???

I will post when there is a happy conclusion, (just for the records).

Thanks to all concerned for the help todate, nice not being flamed for being a bozo
Cheers

 

[breezer]

for what its worth

as a hp engineer we had "special tool" which was basicaly a high tensile nut and long bolt, a couple of "washers" and a short tube. it made life very easy to get bearings out and in

i strongly recomend you get a new spider as if you put the old one back it will make short work of your bearing seal

 

[tiredengineer]

Breezer, how on earth could you get that lumps of metal to work. I've never managed to pull the bearings out with it. And if it's just the race left it's useless. (Mind you could be me that's useless )
We weren't flaming you fixit, we're just really nice people that try hard to help.


Unplug your appliance before working on it.

 

[GrandadFixit]

Breezer;
I have a similar piece of studding with home made washers from thick ally' it works a treat at getting bearings into wheel hubs this will be the first try on a washing m/c.
Its far to big to get bearings out but I could see how, provided there is something to push against, how you could get them out.

Tired;
I didn't imply you were flaming just that it would have been easy to and you refrained.
I frequently contribute to an electronic forum and it would be so easy for me too roll my eyes and say "here we go again" but, and I am sure you will agree, that is not the way to encourage and help people who want to learn.

Furthermore as your footnote states.....just why do nearly all manufacturers run the mains straight to the exposed legs of the filter/smoothing cap.

Probably some design guru sits and thinks "Now were will he rest his arm? ahhhhh yes just here at the back while he's got hold of that frame at the side"

Regards
GF

 

[breezer]

the bit of kit we had as hp engineers was made specialy for us.

as i said it was a high tensile steel nut and bolt

assuming tub is empty

you put bolt with small washer in from the back

put wide tube on

put very big washer on bolt over tube

put a tea towel in back of tub (from the front)

get socket set and put onto nut from outside of back of tub

do bolt up

as bolt tightens it pulls against big washer (this isn't going no where yet)

keep tightening as you do you are actually pulling bearing out

when it goes loose you here a thud

thud is tube, bolt, waser and old bearing landing on t towel

t towel is to stop you breaking heater support

remove nut and washer and put bigger washer on

repeat process but big tube is now on the back (no t towel reqd)

both bearings now out

put washer on bolt

put bearing on bolt

poke through form inside to back

put other bearing on and big washer

make sure both are level

tighten bolt

it pulls both bearings back in at the same time

change spider on inner drom

re assemmble job done

they only allowed us 45 mins to do this

(i never did it in 45 mins more like 1 hour, as you have to get everything out change bearings and put it all back