Zanussi FLE1416W (Aquacycle circa 2002) Bearing change

[rk696]

How do good sirs.

Has anyone changed the bearings in one of these before? Mine is incredibly loud on spin, and I can feel up and down movement in the drum. A sure sign of a bad bearing.

I've got the new ones coming from Zanussi, but is there anything I need to look out for, or anything specific to this washer? I've seen the video on espares website on a (Bosch?) washer, and the job looks relatively straight forward.

Any tips?

 

[captaincaveman1]

How do good sirs.

Has anyone changed the bearings in one of these before? Mine is incredibly loud on spin, and I can feel up and down movement in the drum. A sure sign of a bad bearing.

I've got the new ones coming from Zanussi, but is there anything I need to look out for, or anything specific to this washer? I've seen the video on espares website on a (Bosch?) washer, and the job looks relatively straight forward.

Any tips?

Hi this is not straight forward the drum splits apart in two sections and held together with 17 8mm bolts its difficult to knock the bearings out of the rear half of the tub and fit new ones without damage to the tub or new bearing seal i normally replace the tub rear complete with bearings already fitted if you have up and down movement then you must replace the drum crosspiece as well as the brass coller on it will be damaged also tub seal must be replaced bettween the tub halfs good luck!

 

[zipper]

Don't know which video you have been watching but changing bearings on this model is anything but straight forward. The only good point is that the outer casing is split (making it easier to get at things inside). You don't say exactly what you ordered but I assume you only bought the bare-bones seal/bearings? This is ok PROVIDING the old bearings haven't seized & there is no damage to the spider shaft & seal bossing. Normally this type of repair is not economically viable on an older machine. You must love it a lot The whole drum assembly has to be removed & split to change the bearings/seal...and this is often where the fun & swearing starts

 

[zipper]

Whoops....2 answers at exactly the same time!
Bet the OP is getting a bit anxious now
I agree entirely, I would never consider changing only the bearings & seal on this machine. It would be the tub rear half & a new spider....or the skip.

 

[captaincaveman1]

Prob the skip isnt it zipper its not really a job for those not used to undertaking it but if you do and it works fine afterwards then you really do deserve the missus allowing you down the local for a few its well earned !!!

 

[rk696]

Haha, cheers for the replies! Down to the local?? Pah, pigs will fly before I'm allowed down there!

I've ordered the 2 bearings, water seal, and tub seal that goes between to 2 halves.

Normally I would just get a new machine, but money is tight, the washer is fine apart from the noise, and I'm a Yorkshireman, so can't justify spending 300 quid on a new machine without trying 50 quid's worth of bearings first.

The bearing doesn't seem to be seized, and the tub will spin freely, it just rumbles as it goes round. I'm happy to take the machine apart, right down to splitting the tub in two, so that bit isn't a problem. I just wanted to know if there was anything I needed to look out for on the machine.

This is the video I was watching:

http://www.espares.co.uk/advice/was...o-replace-the-bearings-on-a-washing-mach.html

 

[rk696]

Just to let everyone know, I changed the bearings today, and the washer is now nearly silent.

The shaft did have some corrosion on it, along with the inside of the bearing housing in the tub, but this wasn't where the bearing sits, so I can't see it being too much of a problem. The brass bush did look rough, but it was nice and smooth, and wasn't worn down in diameter, so hopefully it should be good for a few more years.

The old bearings look absolutely fooked, and the inner one hardly turns, so I caught it just it time by the look of it. Replaced them with SKF E2 energy efficient bearings from RS, about a quarter of the price Zanussi are charging for them. The drum spins with pretty much no effort at all now.

A word of warning to anyone wanting to do this though - Don't let your pets wander around while you are carrying the tub. My cat walked around my feet, I lost my footing and dropped the tub, breaking one of the mounting lugs for the motor Seems to be working OK with 3 though, so I'm not that fussed.