Indesit WI 101 drive belt keeps popping off!

Help!

We have an Indesit WI 101 washing machine (about two years old) and recently it decided to stop working. On removing the back panel I noticed the drive belt had come off and for some reason refused to stay in place when I put it back on.

Assuming that it was time to replace the belt anyway, I ordered a new one which arrived today. It fits on snugly, but when I turn the washing machine drum by hand to check it, the belt pops off again within less than one revolution!

The belt always pops off by sliding off the large wheel in the same direction (towards the inside of the machine rather than the outside), so the problem is consistent.

There are no signs of significant wear on the large wheel.

The alignment between the motor spindle and the large wheel attached to the drum seems to be fine -- using a needle and thread as a plumb line I have checked this out and it seems the two are in almost perfect vertical alignment with each other, yet the drive belt refuses to stay in place.

I live in a remote area and the only people willing or able to fix it want £90 to do the job (which I assume is a fairly simple matter anyway), so I am desperately hoping that someone on this forum will be able to offer me some advice.

Thanks in advance for any help or information!

check the inner drum for lateral movement. If it rocks on the shaft then the bearings are likely gone.

Just checked - no lateral movement at all. Bearings are fine, but the belt still comes half-off within one turn of the drum.

Any other possibilities?

Thanks.

I lied!

I've played around with it again and there IS movement in the drum, so the bearings are probably shot indeed.

Sleepyhead - you're a genius. Or at least pretty darn smart. Thanks.

Now for my next post...about how to replace those bearings!