Hotpoint WM61P: Replacing door hinge needs internal access?

mike004 · 28 Oct 2011

Hotpoint Aquarius washing machine, WM61P.

I need to replace the door hinge, but I have read that for some washing machines I might need to hold onto a back plate inside the chassis as I undo the 2 screws holding the hinge on. Otherwise the back plate drops into the chassis.

I need to get the rubber door seal off, so I can put my hand in.
There is a white plastic box at 12 o'clock, with a wire running in and out. I guess this retains the rubber seal.

How do I release the retaining wire?

Thanks
Mike

rocks1 · 28 Oct 2011

There's a slot in the plastic clip put a thin screwdriver in it and flick it off. Then just peel door seal back and remove door to fit new hinge.

mike004 · 28 Oct 2011

There's a slot in the side. I pushed a screwdriver in, expecting the side piece to come off. But I'm just damaging the plastic at the moment.

Does the whole plastic box come off. Or just the right corner piece?

mike004 · 28 Oct 2011

Got it! The white plastic clip is a 2-part assembly that holds the retaining wire in tension.
When you release the clip, it "explodes" apart.
I can't get it back in tight tension now, though!

rocks1 · 28 Oct 2011

Yes the whole box comes off

mike004 · 31 Oct 2011

Well I've refitted a new hinge with no problems.
But the problem now is getting the restraining wire to fit. Using my bare hands, I can't get the plastic fastener to close. I'm nearly half an inch out.

mrklinkerpants · 31 Oct 2011

If its the same as mine, you put the upturned end of the wire in the little cut-out at the end of the square-piece of the plastic block and pop it back over the small circular clip that protrudes from the front of the machine and pushes into the small hole in the middle of the square block to lock it in place. Then feed the rest of the wire into the groove outside the door seal and feed the other upturned end of the wire into the cut-out at the end of the toothed clip that pushes back into the right-hand end of the square block. You should be able to push this clip in a notch-or-two with your fingers, then just finish it off with the end of a large flat bladed screwdriver, pushing against the other end of the square block to give it a bit more oomph. They should snap together quite nicely if you are careful.

Leccy758 · 1 Nov 2011

I usually use a pair of pipe grips to close the two sides together fully after putting the male end into the female end a click or two.

mike004 · 1 Nov 2011

Leccy758 said:
I usually use a pair of pipe grips to close the two sides together fully after putting the male end into the female end a click or two.

Yes, I'll try that. It's not fully closed. But it seems tight enough.

I'm planning to replace the door seal sometime later. So it'll be coming off again.

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Hotpoint WM61P: Replacing door hinge needs internal access?

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