[Part timer]

It's DIY since I'm doing it myself:

Got a well-used AEG LAVAMAT 50630-W PNC 914 002 185 00 (1100/600rpm
spin) dating from 2001. Last couple of weeks the drum has become less
smooth during spinning. Removed rear cover and tell-tale rusty water
deposits were all over from leak behind the main pulley mounting. Read
up in Haynes Washing Machine Manual that the symptoms indicate main
drum bearing seal failure.
The outer (plastic) tub is in 2 halves, I need the rear half out to do
the work. Front (separated the door seal) and top have been removed to
gain access with an 8mm spanner to remove the screws holding the tub
halves together. Just need to obtain a LONG 8mm T-handle spanner to
get the last 2 screws out as no amount of conventional spanner
shuffling will do! Any recommendations? Seen a Draper one on the 'Net.
Any further tips and guidance from anyone who has done similar before?
FWIW the bearing kit costs £20 delivered, and if it squeezes some
more life out of the old beast I'd be happy. I probably need the
heater element out of the rear half (have unplugged it and unscrewed
the nut, tapped it, but it still won't move). Thermostat removal was a
relative breeze.

Thanks in advance!
James

[[email protected]]

Part timer wrote:
It's DIY since I'm doing it myself:

Got a well-used AEG LAVAMAT 50630-W PNC 914 002 185 00 (1100/600rpm
spin) dating from 2001. Last couple of weeks the drum has become less
smooth during spinning. Removed rear cover and tell-tale rusty water
deposits were all over from leak behind the main pulley mounting. Read
up in Haynes Washing Machine Manual that the symptoms indicate main
drum bearing seal failure.
The outer (plastic) tub is in 2 halves, I need the rear half out to do
the work. Front (separated the door seal) and top have been removed to
gain access with an 8mm spanner to remove the screws holding the tub
halves together. Just need to obtain a LONG 8mm T-handle spanner to
get the last 2 screws out as no amount of conventional spanner
shuffling will do! Any recommendations? Seen a Draper one on the 'Net.
Any further tips and guidance from anyone who has done similar before?
FWIW the bearing kit costs £20 delivered, and if it squeezes some
more life out of the old beast I'd be happy. I probably need the
heater element out of the rear half (have unplugged it and unscrewed
the nut, tapped it, but it still won't move). Thermostat removal was a
relative breeze.

Thanks in advance!
James

These jobs can be a hell of a pita, labour value far outweighing the
cost of bearings.

I'd suggest getting original manufaturer bearings or others that you
know are of good quality, as the more competitive ones may turn
out not to last well, and be a false economy.

You may need to make a press to get bearings in and out.


NT

[Simon Stroud]

"Part timer" wrote in message
ups.com...
It's DIY since I'm doing it myself:

Got a well-used AEG LAVAMAT 50630-W PNC 914 002 185 00 (1100/600rpm
spin) dating from 2001. Last couple of weeks the drum has become less
smooth during spinning. Removed rear cover and tell-tale rusty water
deposits were all over from leak behind the main pulley mounting. Read
up in Haynes Washing Machine Manual that the symptoms indicate main
drum bearing seal failure.
The outer (plastic) tub is in 2 halves, I need the rear half out to do
the work. Front (separated the door seal) and top have been removed to
gain access with an 8mm spanner to remove the screws holding the tub
halves together. Just need to obtain a LONG 8mm T-handle spanner to
get the last 2 screws out as no amount of conventional spanner
shuffling will do! Any recommendations? Seen a Draper one on the 'Net.
Any further tips and guidance from anyone who has done similar before?
FWIW the bearing kit costs £20 delivered, and if it squeezes some
more life out of the old beast I'd be happy. I probably need the
heater element out of the rear half (have unplugged it and unscrewed
the nut, tapped it, but it still won't move). Thermostat removal was a
relative breeze.

Thanks in advance!
James

On our old Zanussi, also with a plastic 2-half tub, the element is supported
near its "front" end (i.e. the bit that is inserted farthest into the tub)
by a little bracket inside the tub (possibly on the front half - can't
remember). The element has to slide through this bracket and is quite a
tight fit. I guess if it is pretty scaled up it would be difficult to do
this - fortunately we have a water softener so hardly any scale on mine.

Good luck!

Simon.

[Pete C]

On Sep 29, 10:00 am, Part timer wrote:
Just need to obtain a LONG 8mm T-handle spanner to
get the last 2 screws out as no amount of conventional spanner
shuffling will do! Any recommendations?

Hi,

If you have a grinder I'd just grind a square stub on a length of
studding, then use 2 nuts locked on the other end to turn it.

cheers,
Pete.

[Part timer]

OK, it's all in bits now, bearings removed - just need to obtain the
correct replacements.
Had the inner drum and rear outer tub out in the garden with an old
toothbrush and hose to get the gunk off (wasn't as bad as I'd
imagined, even though the water is v.hard. It's had liquid instead of
washing powder for most of the time, so maybe that helps).
Jacked the rear tub on wood and knocked out the old ball bearing races
with a hammer and cold chisel. Took a fair few whacks! The faces built
into the tub look fine (thankfully!)
Meow2: I agree that it's a PITA. I'd quote anyone else at least a
grand, if only for the lost newspapers and TV time! Will try to get
the best bearings possible before reassembly. That should be easier as
I know how it all goes from making notes.
Simon Stroud: Got the heater element out eventually - you were right
about the front end support. Not too much limescale to chip off.
Pete C: I do have a grinder and I know the old "2 nuts trick". I think
you were refering to using an 8mm socket on the end? I only had 1/2"
drive down to 10mm so I went to Halfrauds and got a nasty flexi-
screwdriver with interchangable tips (one being an 8mm nut spinner
socket). This worked on the screwdriver handle I already owned with an
extension piece. The set is going back for refund when I get the time
as the quality is dire. Sale of Goods Act etc.

J

[Pete C]

On Oct 1, 10:17 pm, Part timer wrote:
Pete C: I do have a grinder and I know the old "2 nuts trick". I think
you were refering to using an 8mm socket on the end?

Hi,

What I had in mind was grinding a 1/4" square drive on the end of a
length of studding then putting an 8mm socket on it, but easier and
better if you have the tools that can do it.

cheers,
Pete.

[[email protected]]

Part timer wrote:

OK, it's all in bits now, bearings removed - just need to obtain the
correct replacements.
Had the inner drum and rear outer tub out in the garden with an old
toothbrush and hose to get the gunk off (wasn't as bad as I'd
imagined, even though the water is v.hard. It's had liquid instead of
washing powder for most of the time, so maybe that helps).
Jacked the rear tub on wood and knocked out the old ball bearing races
with a hammer and cold chisel. Took a fair few whacks! The faces built
into the tub look fine (thankfully!)
Meow2: I agree that it's a PITA. I'd quote anyone else at least a
grand, if only for the lost newspapers and TV time! Will try to get
the best bearings possible before reassembly. That should be easier as
I know how it all goes from making notes.

Sounds like you've had an easy ride. On mine I had to make a
press to extract the rear bearings, and there was simply no tool
that could get the front ones out, thanks to the wacky design.
The only option was to die grind through the entire bearing races
with a die grinder, which took ages. Putting it back wasnt so hard
though.


NT

[Part timer]

On 2 Oct, 11:04, wrote:

Sounds like you've had an easy ride. On mine I had to make a
press to extract the rear bearings, and there was simply no tool
that could get the front ones out, thanks to the wacky design.
The only option was to die grind through the entire bearing races
with a die grinder, which took ages. Putting it back wasnt so hard
though.

NT

Almost there now! The 50/50 outer tub has 17 awkward screws back in
and is back on the suspension mounts. Got the new bearings in with
blood (a tool slipped :-( ), sweat and tears, after bagging them up
and getting them to contract in the deep freeze. The drum feels a bit
stiff and "rubbery" with the new rubber seal in (but I'm pretty sure
it's in right). I went round the electrical stores this afternoon
giving a couple of display machines a spin by hand and they felt more
willing to spin. I'm wondering if they spin the drums up to speed on a
test rig in the factory (no water involved) which loosens them up? I
just need to put the motor back in, attach the belt, cable tie the
wiring loom back out of the way, sort the door seal join with the
front panel, put other panels back on and double check my work.

J

[[email protected]]

Part timer wrote:
On 2 Oct, 11:04, wrote:

Sounds like you've had an easy ride. On mine I had to make a
press to extract the rear bearings, and there was simply no tool
that could get the front ones out, thanks to the wacky design.
The only option was to die grind through the entire bearing races
with a die grinder, which took ages. Putting it back wasnt so hard
though.

NT

Almost there now! The 50/50 outer tub has 17 awkward screws back in
and is back on the suspension mounts. Got the new bearings in with
blood (a tool slipped :-( ), sweat and tears, after bagging them up
and getting them to contract in the deep freeze. The drum feels a bit
stiff and "rubbery" with the new rubber seal in (but I'm pretty sure
it's in right). I went round the electrical stores this afternoon
giving a couple of display machines a spin by hand and they felt more
willing to spin. I'm wondering if they spin the drums up to speed on a
test rig in the factory (no water involved) which loosens them up? I
just need to put the motor back in, attach the belt, cable tie the
wiring loom back out of the way, sort the door seal join with the
front panel, put other panels back on and double check my work.

J

Drum should spin freely, while the belt is off.


NT

[Part timer]

On 6 Oct, 22:40, wrote:

Drum should spin freely, while the belt is off.

NT

It does now! I gave the back of the drum an extra thump from inside
then set it on a wash to spew out the loosened muck. Still got the
rear and top off to observe over the next week or so but no drips from
the join of the tubs or from behind the pulley. The brushes were
looking like they're good for a couple of months but not much longer.
Hard to do with the motor out and on a bench?

J.

[[email protected]]

Part timer wrote:
On 6 Oct, 22:40, wrote:

Drum should spin freely, while the belt is off.

NT

It does now! I gave the back of the drum an extra thump from inside
then set it on a wash to spew out the loosened muck. Still got the
rear and top off to observe over the next week or so but no drips from
the join of the tubs or from behind the pulley. The brushes were
looking like they're good for a couple of months but not much longer.
Hard to do with the motor out and on a bench?

J.

So far so good. Brushes are usually an easy job without getting
the motor out. Each brush assy should slid out and the new one
slid in. There will be a tab on each that needs to be bent to release
the brush springs. A bit more eyeball should make it clear
hopefully.


NT