WM64 banging and rattling on spin

[Softus]

I'm sure I'm not the first person ever to have this problem, but I can't get the forum search function to work well enough to lead me to any topic that cover it, so I'd be grateful for some help.

WM64, age >= 6 years, works apparently OK but making a horrific noise on the spin cycle. It's in a utility room outside the main part of the house, and I usually start a cycle when going out, so I've no idea how long it's been happening.

When I look through the glass door as the drum is spinning down (after hastily stabbing the off switch), I can see the centre of the rear face of the drum is not staying in the centre. My first guesses are that the bearing mounting is loose or that the bearing is [very] worn.

Questions:

1. Is there any maintenance documentation available for this machine?
2. Does anyone know the cause of this problem, or do you need more information?
3. Does anyone know the remedy to this problem, or do you need more information?

Tia
Softus

 

[breezer]

because its you.


see this

but to expand on that, bearings have gone, specialisst tool required to remove and pulll in new bearings, cheaper to get new m/c

 

[Softus]

Thanks breezer, but, Mary mother of all things holy - I can't afford a new machine.

If I hire a puller then surely this is eminently mendable, isn't it?

Are bearings expensive? Are they easily available?

 

[Sleepyhead]

Bearing change on the WM series is quite straightforward.
You'll need a set of bearings and bearing seal along with a tub seal and while it's in bits best replace the spider and door seal if it looks remotely dodgy. You can get a spider and bearing kit.
Remove the front of the machine, remove the clips holding the tub front to the tub. Remove the large nut on the back and then the pulley. Knock the shaft through and remove the inner drum.
Without the proper gear it is possible to knock the bearings out with a punch and club hammer. Only problem comes if the bearing is so bad that it leaves the shell in the tub. Getting the shell out, even with the proper pullers, can be a nightmare.
Knock the rear bearing out from inside the tub first. Then knock out the front bearing from the rear.
Fitting the bearings is the reverse of the above. Of course you have to knock them in without damaging them.
Fit the new spider to the drum, refit the drum, pulley and nut.
Fit the new tub seal, clip the tub front back on, fit new door seal, refit front of machine.
Jobs done.
Target time is 40 minutes. Never managed it myself, always takes me around an hour.

 

[Softus]

Thanks Sleepyhead - that's really useful information.

Thanks for being so helpful. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[breezer]

first time i did it on my own i pulled the bearings back in wrong. it does sound easy and with the right kit it is, but time consuming. good luck

 

[Softus]

first time i did it on my own i pulled the bearings back in wrong.

Thanks breezer - that sound like a pitfall I need to avoid. Did you pull them in the wrong way around, or skewed, or some other way?

 

[breezer]

no idea

it was my first day out on my own and the first job on my own, i spent 6 hours there, and still got it wrong, my supervisor had to go out and fix it, all he said was, the bearings i put in were worse than the ones in it in the first place.

since then i never did bearing changes, i always changed the whole tub (came complete with bearings) unfortunately hp cottoned on to what i was doing and made a new bearing puller, ( a lot of engineers just condemed the tub too) with the new bearing puller as my other post describes it really was a doddle (but still time consuming)

 

[Softus]

Oh dear

hp?