Replacing bearings on Zanussi Washer-Dryer
 

Hi All,

I need to replace the bearing on my WDS1183W Zanussi Washer-dryer.
I've read a few posts about doing it, and I still think I'd like to
give it a shot!

Lots of people have said that the whole drum needs to be removed. Is
this something that is easy enough if taken systematically, or would it
require special tools/knowledge?

Then there are the bearings themselves - lots of people are saying that
you need special tools to remove them - although some have said you can
knock them out, if careful. What about putting the new ones back in -
do they need to be forced into place?

I'm usually pretty good with this type of thing, but a washing machine
is new territory, and I'm still deciding whether or not to give it a
go! Any advice appreciated. If I do go ahead I will probably do a
photo guide of the whole escapade.

Cheers,
Colin,

In message . com,
writes
Hi All,

I need to replace the bearing on my WDS1183W Zanussi Washer-dryer.
I've read a few posts about doing it, and I still think I'd like to
give it a shot!

Check the price of a new bearing kit first and then weigh up whether
it's worth it


Lots of people have said that the whole drum needs to be removed. Is
this something that is easy enough if taken systematically, or would it
require special tools/knowledge?

I've done a couple, without any specialist tools. The problem can be
getting the old bearings out

Be prepared to get lots of cuts on your hands and arms, them's sharp
edges in cheap white goods


Then there are the bearings themselves - lots of people are saying that
you need special tools to remove them - although some have said you can
knock them out, if careful.

Correct, in my experience, no special tools req'd

What about putting the new ones back in -
do they need to be forced into place?

Ooooooh - care and TLC - you can drift the new bearings in with the old
bearings, but don't damage the shields or seals


I'm usually pretty good with this type of thing, but a washing machine
is new territory, and I'm still deciding whether or not to give it a
go! Any advice appreciated. If I do go ahead I will probably do a
photo guide of the whole escapade.

Well, it you make a total mess of it you've

a) lost the cost of the bearing kit

b) gained some experience

--
geoff

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi All,

I need to replace the bearing on my WDS1183W Zanussi Washer-dryer.
I've read a few posts about doing it, and I still think I'd like to
give it a shot!

Lots of people have said that the whole drum needs to be removed. Is
this something that is easy enough if taken systematically, or would it
require special tools/knowledge?

Then there are the bearings themselves - lots of people are saying that
you need special tools to remove them - although some have said you can
knock them out, if careful. What about putting the new ones back in -
do they need to be forced into place?

I'm usually pretty good with this type of thing, but a washing machine
is new territory, and I'm still deciding whether or not to give it a
go! Any advice appreciated. If I do go ahead I will probably do a
photo guide of the whole escapade.

Cheers,
Colin,

This type of job is best done with a proper extraction tool, but these can
be hired for a few pennies so don't have to be something that will lie
around in your toolbox doing nothing for years.

An extraction tool looks sort of like an umbrella frame, only a lot more
robust. It has shaped legs which swivel on a central ring so they can fit
behind, or in front of, the bearing, ready to pull, or push, when the bolt
in the middle is turned with a spanner. Nothing you need to know degree
physics for, but it does make the job a hell of a lot easier than pounding
with a hammer and cold chisel. Especially on modern machines with nylon
drums.

On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 22:23:59 GMT, "BigWallop"
wrote:

Nothing you need to know degree physics for,

But if you can't scrape a living fixing the odd washing machine, what
else is a physics degree good for ?

raden wrote:
In message . com,
writes
Hi All,

I need to replace the bearing on my WDS1183W Zanussi Washer-dryer.
I've read a few posts about doing it, and I still think I'd like to
give it a shot!

Check the price of a new bearing kit first and then weigh up whether
it's worth it


The bearing kit is =A316.95 (inc postage) from www.sparesrus.co.uk, so
that sounds like a good price to me. :-)

I would imagine it would be a bit more than that to get someone else to
come and do it?

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 22:23:59 GMT, "BigWallop"
wrote:

Nothing you need to know degree physics for,

But if you can't scrape a living fixing the odd washing machine, what
else is a physics degree good for ?

LOL True mate. Very true. :-) LOL

Hi,

I've recently replaced the bearings on my Zanussi myself.
Assuming your model is similar to mine then yes, you need to take the
whole drum out and then split the outer drum leaving you with the inner
drum and the back half of the outer.

Removing the inner drum from the back outer drum is the hardest part.
Remove the pulley from the back and then screw a suitable screw/bolt
fully into the hole to protect the shaft/hole (I used an allen screw -
it was a strange thread). You can then either get someone to hold the
whole thing up by the outer drum or support the outer drum above the
ground on blocks so that you can knock the two apart. This was very
hard to do. Be careful not to damage the shaft.
Once apart, removing the inner bearing was also difficult because the
shaft was very rusty. Despite cleaning it very thoroughly, I couldn't
pull the bearing off (even using my trusty "octopus" - an ancient but
brilliant bearing puller - a top 5 tool in fact). Eventually, I smashed
the outer race with a hammer and then just cut through the inner race
with a grinderette to remove it.
I put the bearings into the outer drum first and used a big nut & bolt
with suitable sized washers to pull the bearings together tightly into
the drum. I then used a longer allen screw, washer and a big socket to
draw the shaft through the bearings by tightening the screw - hard to
describe but the socket fitted around the bearing housing and the end
of the shaft was drawn into the end of the socket. If this makes no
sense and you still need help let me know and I'll do a diagram. It was
remarkably easy.

When I picked up a bearing set from my local repair place they also
recommended a gasket for between the 2 halves of the outer drum. In the
end I decided the extra cost was probably worth it to save me having to
open it up again but a few weeks after, (when I had to open it up again
to remove a stone which had got jammed between the drums), I didn't
bother replacing it and it still sealed fine. YMMV.

Let us know how you get on.

Alan.

wrote:
Hi All,

I need to replace the bearing on my WDS1183W Zanussi Washer-dryer.
I've read a few posts about doing it, and I still think I'd like to
give it a shot!

Lots of people have said that the whole drum needs to be removed. Is
this something that is easy enough if taken systematically, or would it
require special tools/knowledge?

Then there are the bearings themselves - lots of people are saying that
you need special tools to remove them - although some have said you can
knock them out, if careful. What about putting the new ones back in -
do they need to be forced into place?

I'm usually pretty good with this type of thing, but a washing machine
is new territory, and I'm still deciding whether or not to give it a
go! Any advice appreciated. If I do go ahead I will probably do a
photo guide of the whole escapade.

Cheers,
Colin,

wrote:
Hi All,

I need to replace the bearing on my WDS1183W Zanussi Washer-dryer.
I've read a few posts about doing it, and I still think I'd like to
give it a shot!

Alan wrote:
Hi,

I've recently replaced the bearings on my Zanussi myself.
Assuming your model is similar to mine then yes, you need to take the
whole drum out and then split the outer drum leaving you with the inner
drum and the back half of the outer.


It certainly sounds similar - I've seen some others talk about having
to split the inner and outer drums for my model, so I would imagine it
would be the same.

Removing the inner drum from the back outer drum is the hardest part.
Remove the pulley from the back and then screw a suitable screw/bolt
fully into the hole to protect the shaft/hole (I used an allen screw -
it was a strange thread). You can then either get someone to hold the
whole thing up by the outer drum or support the outer drum above the
ground on blocks so that you can knock the two apart. This was very
hard to do. Be careful not to damage the shaft.
Once apart, removing the inner bearing was also difficult because the
shaft was very rusty. Despite cleaning it very thoroughly, I couldn't
pull the bearing off (even using my trusty "octopus" - an ancient but
brilliant bearing puller - a top 5 tool in fact). Eventually, I smashed
the outer race with a hammer and then just cut through the inner race
with a grinderette to remove it.
I put the bearings into the outer drum first and used a big nut & bolt
with suitable sized washers to pull the bearings together tightly into
the drum. I then used a longer allen screw, washer and a big socket to
draw the shaft through the bearings by tightening the screw - hard to
describe but the socket fitted around the bearing housing and the end
of the shaft was drawn into the end of the socket. If this makes no
sense and you still need help let me know and I'll do a diagram. It was
remarkably easy.

Wow - thanks for the detailed reply Alan! This is really helpful, as
it has given me a lot of pointers. I'm not sure whether this is an
evening job, or whether I should leave it to a weekend, when I don't
have to rush! I think I will probably leave it until Saturday.


When I picked up a bearing set from my local repair place they also
recommended a gasket for between the 2 halves of the outer drum. In the
end I decided the extra cost was probably worth it to save me having to
open it up again but a few weeks after, (when I had to open it up again
to remove a stone which had got jammed between the drums), I didn't
bother replacing it and it still sealed fine. YMMV.

The bearing set came with two metal bearings and a rubber seal - is
this what you mean by the gasket, or is that something extra?


Let us know how you get on.

Alan.


Will do - I may take the back off the washer in the meantime to have a
good look, and 'familiarise' myself with everything - may come back
with questions after that if you don't mind! :-)

Cheers,
Colin.

In message , Andy Dingley
writes
On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 22:23:59 GMT, "BigWallop"
wrote:

Nothing you need to know degree physics for,

But if you can't scrape a living fixing the odd washing machine, what
else is a physics degree good for ?

Hunting down Higgs bosons ?

--
geoff

Hi,

Definitely leave it until Saturday.

No, there is a seal between the two halves of the outer drum - it is
like a big O ring the diameter of the drum. See item 7523479780 on
ebay. If I were doing it again, I wouldn't bother buying one and risk
having to take everything apart again - you may make a different
decision.

everything else is quite straight forward. The only other tricky bit is
hanging the drum when you put it back in. It is hard to hook the
springs into the metal casing. I eventually used a long cable tie round
the hook on the spring, threaded it through the hole and pulled the
spring up through the hole and hooked it over.

Feel free to mail me directly with any questions. I check my email
every evening. You can post any useful information to the group later
for posterity.

Alan.