Washing machine welded drums why you can’t change the bearings
Why can't you change the bearings in most washing machines any more!!
Customer´s
Hi All
I have been doing repairs for 30 years and I think it is disgusting that the manufactures do this on a lot of washing machines , there is no saving on the way that they make the drums like this, and there is only a few bolts that saves them few pennies. We are meant to be caring about the environment but now most of the manufactures are doing these welded drums to build in obsolesce. Washing Machines should be able to be repaired, where possible affordably.
I would advise all our customers and viewers to make sure, when buying a new washing machine that they ask the sales man/woman (is the drum welded or can I change the drum bearings) and If not, find one that can be done. Avoid all manufactures that build machines like this as they are deliberately building them this way so that they only last so many cycles, and there for guarantee that the washing machine will only last so many years before you have to buy a new one.
A welded Washing Machine Drum
To replace this Starts at £140 to £400 Plus!!!
A Non Welded Washing Machine Drum
To replace the bearings and seals start from £10 to about £50 Affordable!!
Some things you can do with a washing machine drum when the bearings are gone.
193 Responses to “Washing machine welded drums why you can’t change the bearings”
WAQ24460GB does this have welded drum? I am 99% sure mine has gone as the drum was loose and noisy and I then decided to give it another go! Disaster water everywhere!
Ive managed to replace my bearings on a welded hotpoint drum, just cut around the welded joint, got bearings and new seal from bearings-are-us online quality skf with rubber seals £15 (not original ones made in poland with no seals) then glued the tub back together with soudal fix-all glue. ONE UP ON HOTPOINT, EASY FIX.
I definitely would not call this an easy fix but I’m glad you had a go I hope it lasts. if Hotpoint would have left there old design on the old drum in place live would be so much easier. they spent so many years building a good reputation with there machines from the 1980’s to 1990’s to destroy it so quickly in my opinion was a bit foolish
Appliances Engineer
I think the reason washing machine manufacturers are fitting sealed tubs is simple.
They’re aware that there are repair tutorials videos online,such as those produced by Paul Charmbury.
As a result of these. videos people will attempt to repair their machine rather than replace it.
So to deter people from doing this the machine manufacturers produce sealed tubs. The cost of replacing a complete drum and tub assembly is of course a lot more expensive than just replacing bearings. So either the manufacturers make more money if the complete drum assembly is purchased from them or more likely because of cost people will replace their machine with a new one. The latter of course is what the machine manufacturers want to happen because it’s good for their business.
I still do not think it’s right that a manufacturer can dictate who repairs machines, if General Public are willing to give up their Saturday afternoon to save themselves money and try to replace the bearings on their machine themselves what is wrong with this.
They should state at the time of purchase that there machine can only be serviced by the dealer then we would see a change in the general Public’s purchasing.
this is just a blatant rip-off of the General Public and it’s not just the washing machine industry they are now doing it with cars as well
Appliances Engineer
Yes I totally agree,it’s just a rip off by the machine manufacturers.
The bearings are failing in our John Lewis branded machine and I’ve just found out that it has a welded tub. Not happy having to spend £200 on a new tub for the sake of £30 bearings. The rest of the tub is still in perfect condition. Maybe the government should investigate why manufacturers are allowed to do this. Considering the environmental effects of throwing away a big lump of machine that could spend many more years spinning away in my kitchen
i thoroughly agree but remember John lewis did not manufacture the machine but there quality control should know better.
Hi Paul, and thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I’d go on a rant, but I think you’ve summed it all up perfectly… Just keeping the wheels turning in this Capitalist Dystopia. As someone who grew up with a firmly held “make-do-and-mend” belief, this makes me sick.
Thanks again for your help and videos. Top job, mate.
Thanks for the reply Paul. I understand that John Lewis don’t make the machine, they just buy a load cheap and stick their name on it. As I have been searching for parts for it I believe it’s made by Hotpoint.
Zanussi ZWF1231W. Welded drum. Absolute disgrace bearings cannot be replaced easily. I thought we were meant to be going green. God help the next generation.
yes i totaly agree
How the hell can the likes of which magazine and other companies that give the ratings on appliances not take things like this into veiw. it cost more energy to recycle machines than what they save
Appliances Engineer
Agree with all comments, just found out this morning our 2 year and 3 month old lightly used (only three In our house) whirlpool WWDC7201/1 which has failing bearings also has sealed drum making repair uneconomic, the engineer in me is crying at the thought of scrapping an otherwise perfect machine but I’m not prepared to spend €200+ when new Sharp one is €330 with 5 year warranty.
P.s whirlpool tried to convince me to buy a repair and protect plan for € 196 per year as the best way to get it repaired
Off this afternoon to buy new machine, won’t be Whirlpool and won’t have sealed drum if I can find one
Yes it is unbelievable how the washing machine industry has changed over the last 10 years sheer greed by all the manufacturers
Appliances Engineer
that’s what you all need to do, insist to the salesman that the machine you buy has a drum that you can change the bearings on.
Appliances Engineer
Same crap, bought Hotpoint Ariston WMD 752 3 years ago, and the bearings start to make the odd noise. Gang of thieves at Hotpoint.
its not just hotpoint it is unbelievable how the washing machine industry has changed over the last 10 years sheer greed by all the manufacturers
Appliances Engineer
Our Indesit washer is noisy, I can find everything except bearings. I therefore assume it’s a welded drum. Disgusting. It’s not even 4 years old ????
Yes it is unbelievable how the washing machine industry has changed over the last 10 years sheer greed by all the manufacturers
Appliances Engineer
yes i totally agree share this post for others to know
Appliances Engineer
For the prices AEG charges for their washing machines it is a disgrace that the bearings cannot be changed due to sealed drum. Simple, stop buying from these greedy people. I certainly will. If they are doing this on their washing machines, the same must apply for all there other products. Why is there no comment from AEG?
Aeg is the same company as Zanussi and electrolux so when you buy new one dont get caught out
Appliances Engineer
I have servis WP1249F2W IT A non welded drum
My Hotpoint Ariston Aqualtis AQ113D 1600 rpm which cost over 500 euros 4 years ago is now very noisy due to the bearings and guess what, it has a sealed drum and so the bearings can’t be replaced, Absolutely disgusting. As it will probably cost around 250 to 300 euros to repair I will have to look for a new one and I don’t hold out much hope of finding one that doesn’t have a sealed drum. perhaps it might be better not to fuel the manufactures greed and buy a used refurbished one, I probably could have bought 4 used ones in the 4 years I have had this one and helped the environment. if everyone did this perhaps the greedy manufacturers would take notice.
all we can do is keep sharing these post and maybe! they will take notice
Appliances Engineer
Paul has told me that our Hoover machine has a welded drum so to replace the bearings becomes a v expensive job.This is disgraceful as all the rest is in perfect working order . This is against our global move to reduce as far as possible our Carbon footprint . It is also as others have said so against my make do and mend philosophy.
Shame on all manufacturers who do this
i couldn’t agree more.
Appliances Engineer
Paul! I wonder if a petition on Change.org will help?
If it is required and published which machines have non repaireable drums it may encourage manufacturers to go back to making them repaireable.
I think you will find in my opinion! that all the manufacturers have made an agreement to build in obsolescence by doing this what annoys me more how consumer magazines give the appliances environmental ratings but do not take into consideration the cost of recycling the materials when the machine is disposed off, this is just another great example of the way mankind only thinks about greed
There is a solution. It’s called air saw, cut open, replace bearings, drill holes around lip to take m4 bolts then bolt back together with a bonding selant such as tiger fix or sikaflex then stand back and stick two fingers up at the rip off manufacturers that deliberately build in weak design and obsolescence. Just don’t buy their products at all.
when you have a question please use contact us page for 24 hour response https://how-to-repair.com/help/contact-us/
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Appliances Engineer
I agree, this is madness. It wouldn’t be so bad if the bearings used were quality items, from the start. I suspect manufacturers use cheaper, less substantial components.
I had a 2009 Chinese Panasonic, which developed bearing problems. The tub was split-able, but the time and effort involved (total – and I mean TOTAL! – dismantling of machine, and a strange, in-drum bolt cover screw, which couldn’t be shifted – it snapped screwdriver tip clean off) was more trouble than it was worth. Furthermore, the bearings seemed to be captive in the rear half of the tub shell, which bought complete cost a couple of hundred quid! Factor in the noisy drain pump, and the possibility of further repairs… it just wasn’t worth it. I ended up buying a new machine with a free 5 year guarantee. The new machine has, surprise, surprise… a sealed drum – tub assembly!
So p&^%$d off at Hotpoint- machine going to the scrapheap for the sake of £10 bearing.
Just spent Sunday afternoon stripping it down – hadn’t found this thread and just assumed it was going to be an easy job – spent 2 hours wondering how the hell they expected the bearings to be changed with the welded drum design and then the penny dropped – robbing bastards.
My son and I spent a happy couple of hours this afternoon dismantling our Hotpoint Aqualtis in order to replace the noisy shaft bearing – joy of joys the drum was a sealed item and after much sweat and effort we gave up trying to separate the inseparable.
Our local reclamation site is now the proud owner of what remains of the machine – 4 years old and only fit for scrap.
It’s a Bosch next time – it might cost more but hopefully it will last more than 5 minutes!!!,
Be very careful about buying any make off machine without checking with the salesman that the bearings are interchangeable as even Bosch are making machines with sealed drums and there sealed drums are very expensive in my opinion this is one of the biggest cones in the industry
Appliances Engineer
Hi Paul,
So glad I’ve found this thread, I have just stripped down my Hotpoint BWM 129 to find the drum is completely sealed, I’ve seen youtube videos where people have managed to separate plastic drums but mine is all metal without any kind of join? So why can I find replacement bearings on numerous spares websites?
Any help for a casual DIY-er would be much appreciated!