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Washing machine woes.

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ronnybronnyb Frets: 1742
So the washing machine was on spin cycle the other day and started making a knocking noise. Thought it was overloaded because it was stuffed with towels. Same thing happened today despite having a lighter load. It's quite a loud knock but only on the spin cycle. Quick look on google (as you do) to find several possibles. Loose concrete weights, checked, no problem. Drum shock absorbers worn or broken, checked no problem. Worn drum bearings seem to be the problem. Turning the drum by hand makes a noise at the same point of turning but would the bearings become noisy all of a sudden or gradually become noisier (which they haven't} It was quite an expensive machine, a Siemens and is about 6 years old so is it worth changing the bearings. It seems it is a bit of a complicated job, nearly a strip down of the washer, or buy a new one.     
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Comments

  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    Sounds very similar to what our 7-year-old Bosch is doing. It started suddenly a few weeks ago. Likewise I'm debating on whether to investigate repairing it, or replace it. If it was ten years old it would be simple - replace. At 7, how much more life are we likely to get out of the rest of it?

    Current thinking is to ignore it and see how long it lasts :).

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • ronnybronnyb Frets: 1742
    Yes, OE bearing kit is £37 pattern kit nearly £20. Looks to be about 2 or 3 hours to strip the whole thing down. So you can buy a cheapy new washer for £179, 13 months later it pisses water all over the floor.  
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  • BoromedicBoromedic Frets: 4700
    edited November 2017
    Yeah I'd avoid the cheap appliance merry go round. It drives me mad especially from a sustainability point of view but don't get me started.....

    Sounds like a decent enough washer to give new bearings a shot at £37, at least with a decent machine you can replace these things. The only uneconomic repairs on half decent appliances tend to be control boards etc. but if you get 2 years of it after this you're £140 up on a cheapo machine. Plus it probably actually washes your clothes properly unlike the sub £400 machines.

    My head said brake, but my heart cried never.


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  • vizviz Frets: 10647
    Consider renting. All the washing machine repair men that have come round and repaired our washing machines over the years rent all their appliances. We will do that when the next one conks out. 
    Roland said: Scales are primarily a tool for categorising knowledge, not a rule for what can or cannot be played.
    Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
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  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24210
    edited November 2017
    Fix it man!  Your man skills meter will fill up and women everywhere will want to tear your clothes off.

    I have done the job of which you speak on my Hotpoint.  In my case, the drum spider had broken because the bearings wore and allowed so much free play in the drum it hit the heating element, stopping the drum and the cheap cast spider sheared.

    If you have some basic mechanical skill, then fix it.

    Over the years, I've replaced the bearings, spider, heating element, door seal, motor brushes and controller.  On the dishwasher, I've replaced the impeller housing twice, the upper spray arm, the upper spray arm seal three times, the detergent dispenser, the door switch, the heating element and had the controller repaired.  My appliances are like Trigger's broom!  Later on today I'm going to modify the band's mixer to give me an extra pre-fader aux-out, then reassemble the graphic EQ I repaired last weekend.

    Unfortunately, Mrs Fab is keeping all the women clamouring at the front door away.
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • Zodiac51Zodiac51 Frets: 340
    I would strip it down 1st before buying any parts, the bearings can sometimes be so seized in that they are virtually impossible to get out. You will also have a better ideal as to what parts you need to replace.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    A further problem for me is that with two teenagers and one in training in the house, any washing machine repair must be completed within one working day...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • chillidoggychillidoggy Frets: 17136
    Unplug it, stick it in the back of a van, drive to south Wales, and let Emp Fab fix for you.


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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Unplug it, stick it in the back of a van, drive to south Wales, and let Emp Fab fix for you.
    You won't get it through his door with all the "women clamouring"
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  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357
    I've changed the pump, the door switch, the door handle and various other parts on my washing machine .... I don't let an appliance die unless it really is fucked. Never changed bearings before, mainly cos I won't let the girls overfill the thing. It could be a bastard of a job but worth doing if everything else is OK
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
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  • BoromedicBoromedic Frets: 4700
    Nice to know I'm among some fellow repairmen, hate this throwaway society we have now. Pay a bit of cash on decent stuff and its usually fixable.

    My head said brake, but my heart cried never.


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  • My washing machine died last week. Still, 20 years is a good life. I bought the equivalent new model for £189. 

    The best thing about the original one is I bought an extended warranty for £180 which had a cashback scheme where you could get the money back if you hadn't claimed. Of course they made it really difficult to do this - you had to send the original letter back within two weeks of the warranty expiring, with no reminders from the company. Tell me the rules and I'll play your game. The company (Currys I think) had a lot of bad press at the time for this sneaky tactic, most people weren't astute enough to comply with the conditions.
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  • BoromedicBoromedic Frets: 4700
    What brand was it Thermionic? Just out of interest...

    My head said brake, but my heart cried never.


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  • Indesit. Miniscule sample size I know, but it was enough for me to go for the same make again. Also, I think the cheaper end of the spectrum generally have less fancy features so there's less to go wrong. If I could buy a washing machine with just two buttons for 30 degrees C and 60 degrees C, I would.
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  • BoromedicBoromedic Frets: 4700
    Yeah back in the day they would've been pretty good. Think they are part of the Merloni chain now so I'm not sure 20 years is on the cards now! (Hope so though!). 

    My head said brake, but my heart cried never.


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  • @Emp_Fab your white goods remind me of Trigger's broom!
    "Working" software has only unobserved bugs. (Parroty Error: Pieces of Nine! Pieces of Nine!)
    Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
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  • ronnybronnyb Frets: 1742
    Zodiac51 said:
    I would strip it down 1st before buying any parts, the bearings can sometimes be so seized in that they are virtually impossible to get out. You will also have a better ideal as to what parts you need to replace.

    That's the plan. Probably mean being without a washing machine for a good few days but that's no problem 'cos I usually wear my underpants for a week anyway.
    Indesit. Miniscule sample size I know, but it was enough for me to go for the same make again. Also, I think the cheaper end of the spectrum generally have less fancy features so there's less to go wrong. If I could buy a washing machine with just two buttons for 30 degrees C and 60 degrees C, I would.

    It was an Indesit built Hotpoint fridge freezer that started the Grenfell fire.
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  • grungebobgrungebob Frets: 3300
    My Bosch dishwasher has stopped draining, took an age to free it from my kitchen, stripped the filters, cleared the check valves and got the pump working but still won’t drain. 
    Bosch are coming tomorrow to fix it, it’s 12 years old. Bosch want £95 for the call out and all labour then have to pay for any parts on top. Priced up the parts I think and it’s still cheaper than a new one. 
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  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24210
    Emp_Fab said: My appliances are like Trigger's broom!
    @Emp_Fab your white goods remind me of Trigger's broom!
    Er.... yes...  I'm sure they do.   =)
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    grungebob said:
    My Bosch dishwasher has stopped draining, took an age to free it from my kitchen, stripped the filters, cleared the check valves and got the pump working but still won’t drain. 
    Bosch are coming tomorrow to fix it, it’s 12 years old. Bosch want £95 for the call out and all labour then have to pay for any parts on top. Priced up the parts I think and it’s still cheaper than a new one. 
    That's interesting. I might try them for my washing machine...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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