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”
Indesit washing machine bearing going.
I thought I’d strip it down to replace the bearings, I was horrified to find a sealed drum. Bloody Indesit, trying to force the consumer into a corner of either risk buying a new drum and hope nothing else fails, or buying a new washing machine!. No, stop building sealed drums.
I’m going to cut the bloody thing open and replace the bearings.
I’ll be checking the next washing machine for a split drum next time.
Bought a Bosch WAB20066EE washing machine in mid 2016 for our holiday home, which we visit for about 10 weeks a year, so machine is lightly used. September 2019 started making noises with a lot of play in drum, stripped machine down to replace bearings. WELDED DRUM very poor show from BOSCH.
Indesit washing machine 14 months old and the bearing has failed.
They want £120 for a repair and it’s a sealed drum so a full replacement is around £150,andna whole new machine is £229.
Environmentally friendly my arse. Time to get the hacksaw out ;-(
With a thin angle grinder disk it’s easy to cut through the seam, on my zanussi the lugs for bolts were still on the mold as was a channel for a gasket. To find new bearings buy a cheap vernier calliper on eBay to get the correct size and try a Google a bearing supplier such as 123bearings
I purchased a Hotpoint washing machine . One week after insurance ran out the main bearing started to make noise. Bloody hell I thought that has not lasted long. It cost 300 pounds. After a lot of swearing I set out to buy a set of £8.00 bearing , only to find the drum was welded! I had to buy a new washing mashine which came with a super offer of free parts for one year excluding the drum and bearings. Please note the free parts would be reclaimed parts! I wonder where the parts would come from? O yes when I purchased my new washing machine they kindly offered to take my old decrepit machine away for £15 . My machine with a faulty £8 bearing but full of super nearly new parts ! I told those robbers to sod off I will strip it down and sell the parts myself .
try looking for a machine with same model and enter it into here
if the machine has faulty electrics then you have a cheap drum
My Bosch Exxcel 7 (WAQ28460GB/06) washing machine is starting to make a racket. Just checked with a spares supplier for bearings and drum seal – not available
But it’s ok, you can buy a Bosch Washing Machine Oscillating System (part no 00714311) for between £230 and £290 with delivery!
Very annoyed that a manufacturer like Bosch would build-in obsolescence and landfill waste. Nothing wrong with the machine other than the bearings. I’m short of cash but have a saw, a decent micrometer and sufficient motivation to have a go at fixing it! There are many suppliers of bearings online and I can afford to buy the best since the alternative is the price of a cheap replacement machine.
N.B. Bosch designers, executives and shareholders – I won’t be buying another appliance from you whilst you continue with this wasteful and disgraceful practice.
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why cant i change the bearing in the machine any more
When they sell you the product they are investing in their own future due to the “very” limited life of the product, I asked if bearings can be replaced or is the drum a welded type, the answer was ” a full repair and replacement package was available for a one off fee or a monthly direct debit, is that something I would be interested in it it highly recommended” that didn’t answer the question, (but it did)
These washing machine that use welded drum housings are a disgrace. We should have legislation to stop manufacturing building obsolescence into goods. I don’t think My bearings were the problem with my machine but a fault with something else so I will split the housing and check what the problem is and I will also add my story to social media. With luck this will hurt sales of these manufactures.
We have moved into a house we bought and inherited a 3yo Hotpoint BHWM129 which has a strong persistent smell. We’ve tried everything – all sorts of cleaning chemicals, vinegar, baking soda, airing, cleaning the detergent compartment, the filter, the pipes, ensuring no sink run off. We were told that the bacteria and mould are likely around the drum but that it can’t be cleaned because it is sealed/ welded in. WTF. So now I have to either shell out for an engineer from Hotpoint to do something, if they even can, or replace it. I start to believe that these companies make more money on servicing and white goods are just a hook to get in.
Does a Hotpoint Aqualtis Model number AQD PRA89 UK (built in 2010) have a sealed drum or a splittable one? I can’t seem to find any information and the bearings need replacing.
Thanks,
Neil
Just had same problem with my Indesit IWE81821, Suspected drum bearings faulty, Viewed a youtube video detailing how to change bearings. Simple enough. Whilst stripping the drum out I determined it was the spider which had failed. Not a problem. Finally get the drum out and find it’s welded….
Hi
Hotpoint BHWM129, bearings failing.
Is this a sealed drum? Reading conflicting comments, but suspect the worst.
Thanks
you can tell just by taking the lid off
Buy zanussi….have changed bearings in them in 3 hrs
Electrolux made machines are now sealed drums so don’t think because you have a Zanussi it would be the same as your old one they are all up to the same sh–
HotpointI/Indesit are a Bunch of C**ts for making and selling washing machines with a welded drum. I for one will not buy one again!
Update…. Since my earlier comment I have drilled through the welded seam approx 100mm apaert at strategic points, cut the drum in half with a wood saw right through the weld then changed the bearings. (ps it is important to drill the hole to bolt it back together before cutting in half so the two halves will line up perfectly also dont drill the holes too close to the drum wall). I used a standard 35 mm bearing kit from an earlier model 6206 and 6207 bearings and a 72x 35x 12 mm oil seal . I then applied a line of plumbers seal ‘Plumbers gold’ to both halves and bolted the two halves together with M5 x25 allen bolts and nylock nuts. It sealed up a treat and the machine is now quiet. It wasn’t as easy as a regular bearing change , but there was no way i was going to buy a new drum for £170 or replace a 3 year old washing machine. I just refused to be beaten by those absolute ******s at hotpoint indesit.
Gorenje W3E743P. Such an easy machine to remove the drum and its welded. Bearings have gone the drum date of manufacture is Feb 2019. The heater was replaced just before the 2 year warenty ran out. Should have been easy to see the brown stain and hear the noise. I suspect the old heater has a cut in it, I did 5 year warenty work in Australia for Indesit. No idea how they made a profit? Replaced a beyond economic repair machine with a brand new one with a week of warenty remaining. They never asked us to lie or avoid claims it was always our decision. I quit fixing under warenty work due to customers complaining to me about fixing their junk 4 and a half year old machine for free.
Ours is an Indesit XWD71452WUK which is odd seeing as it appears to be made in Italy. Just spent an hour trying to source a drum bearing for it with no luck then found this site, and yes, turns out it to is a sealed, Non-eco friendly piece of purposely designed TO FAIL, profiteering junk.
So Buyer Beware!
Is there a list of DIY friendly machines out there?
For information, there is now a UK manucturer of repairable washing machines:
EBAC There is a video on Utube (I am not affiliated with them in any way) The machines have a 7 year warranty. Start at about £449.00
I have the same problem with the drum bearings on an Indesit. Took it carefully apart
Yes, the drum is welded. Going to try sourcing the bearings 1st, but if I can’t then will be paying a bit more for an EBAC machine. It’s all part of the great manufacturer’s rip-off. (I had the same issue with a tumble dryer rear bearing, I could previously purchase the rear bearing, but now have to purchase the complete drum).
Our hotpoint washing machine has just given up and it’s the bearings and surprise surprise it’s a sealed drum, so much for saving the planet with this throwaway society but I did here a few months ago on radio 2 that the uk government are going to force white goods manufacturers to make there products more repairable and the washing machine bearing fiasco was used as a example, but I wont hold my breath
Tenho uma máquina de lavar roupa Zanussi que não trabalha, o que poderá ser