How to check shock absorbers on a Samsung washing machine

As a rule, problems that arise with large household appliances are always clearly visible and appear during operation. There is definitely something wrong with your machine if it suddenly begins to make uncharacteristic sounds, make sharp jumps and vibrate strongly. After such “symptoms”, you should check the shock absorbers on the Samsung washing machine and, if necessary, replace or restore them. We will help you figure this out and tell you in detail what actions you will need to take.

Are the installed dampers faulty?

It is very important not to rush into repairs and purchasing new spare parts, because the first thing you need to do is make sure that the situation is really caused by problems with the shock absorbers. To check, you need to partially disassemble the washing machine. You can handle this yourself if you follow our instructions.

Since the dampers are located at the bottom of the washing machine, it is more convenient to lay the path to them through the bottom of the device. To do this, you need to turn off the power to the household appliance and carefully lay it on its side. Using pliers, you will have to remove special plastic holders at the ends of the struts, which precisely hold the shock absorbers. If you encounter difficulties with this action, try lubricating them with WD-40 technical lubricant first.

No one has canceled the precautionary measures, so do not put too much pressure on the fasteners. You must handle the internal components of the system carefully and do not use heavy tools such as a hammer. Otherwise, you can accidentally damage the stand and nearby parts - a plastic tank, for example. To check your shock absorbers for problems, you will need to do the following:

• Take the stand with your hands,
• Gently press the rod,
• Try to pull it out of the part body.

The stand will have to respond with tension. You have to find out how strong it is. Normal compression when increased is in the range of 8 to 10 kg.

In this situation, this element will be useless in the fight against vibration. This will have a bad effect on both equipment and flooring. It is also important to note that other objects located dangerously close to the machine may also be damaged.

Particular attention should be paid to studying the condition of the struts, especially the piston and the presence of shock-absorbing lubricant. If there is no technical fluid, this is a sign of wear and tear, and the unit will need to be restored. The same applies to rust: it cannot be in the depreciation system.

Replacing a broken part

After you have carefully studied everything and are convinced that the shock-absorbing unit is faulty, you can begin to replace it. Ideally, your choice should fall not on analogues, but on branded spare parts. Their price may be high, but their service life will be longer. In addition, you will immediately receive the appropriate size of parts and will not have problems finding them.

It happens that in the search process you still fail, or you have to languish for too long waiting for the desired part to appear. In this case, you should take a damper of a different brand. Please note: the purchased part must match the dimensions, fastening and have suitable resistance. A preliminary measurement of the length of the gap between the fastening axes will help you not to be deceived, and you will have to measure it in different positions: compressed and free.

Next, you need to check whether the fastener is suitable specifically for your washing machine. Fastenings usually come in several forms: latches, plastic pins, and bolts. Once done with this, it will be important to check the resistance of the shock absorbers to see if it is between 80 and 120H. You can use an old shock absorber for this. You need to inspect its body and find the indicated values, and then compare them with the required indicators.

After a new unit has been purchased, it can be installed to replace the one that has failed. Then the washing machine will need to be assembled, observing the reverse sequence. However, do not rush to start the unit itself. To begin with, the machine will have to run in the idle cycle. This will help you make sure that sound and vibration problems are corrected.

Restoring the shock-absorbing element

Not every user dares to replace shock absorbers and would rather simply repair them. This, of course, has its advantages: money is saved, and you don’t have to waste time searching for the original part. However, there is no guarantee that problems with the node will not return again in the future. If you are still determined to repair shock absorbers yourself, please follow these steps.

First of all, you will need to measure the diameter of the bushing hole. This can be done using a caliper. Then you should act according to the measure: cut off a piece of rubber and remember that its thickness should be at least 3 millimeters. You can also take a brake pad or use a leather belt.

• Together with the worn gasket, remove the plastic retaining ring,
• Replace the removed seal with the piece of rubber you created (the edges should meet here),
• Do not skimp on the lubricant and give it a good go over the part,
• Insert the damper rod into the seat.

Before you place the stem, you will need to lubricate the part. In this case, it is important to use the right lubricants. They must have an excellent degree of resistance to high temperatures and moisture, and also be sufficiently viscous.

What kind of lubricant is needed for the damper?

Many may think that diagnosing household appliances and analyzing their condition will be enough, because you just need to replace what is needed. But this is far from true. It is also very important to provide high-quality protection with the help of a special lubricant, which is as important a “mechanism” as the part itself. There is no need to use lubricants like the famous WD-40 or Solidol - they will not cope with the task here. To carry out the necessary treatment for the damper, you will need products with the best results and maximum efficiency.

• Damping grease PMS - 250,000. Initially intended for tight friction when adjusting vinyl tension, it was used on tape recorders and other mechanisms, but turned out to be no less useful for lubricating dampers in washing machines. The packaging of this product is compact, but the small volume is enough to use it several times. One of the most important advantages is that there is no pronounced aroma.
• Damping grease PMS - 600000 is an improved version of the previous product. Due to its high viscosity, it gives the elements smoothness and effectively eliminates all unwanted sounds, and this, in turn, increases the durability of the lubricated elements. As a rule, this product is used on doors, tape recorders and furniture, but it has also proven itself to be excellent on automatic washing machines.
• Silicone-based lubricant from the LIQUI MOLY brand called Silicon-Fett is another example of a universal product. In auto repair shops, this lubricant is used to lubricate contact and joint areas with plastic and rubber. This product is also suitable for use at home: it will help seats, hinges and other parts of household items in the fight against drying out and squeaks, and will also protect against the harmful effects of direct sunlight. The packaging of the product is presented in a small volume.
• MS SPORT VMPAUTO lubricant, based on silicone and containing fluoroplastic, is a reliable means of protecting components from sunlight, high humidity, dirt, and excessive friction. Typically sold in 400 gram packs, its benefits include: secure hold, ability to withstand the most extreme temperatures, and a safe and non-toxic formulation that does not cause deformation or leave marks. This lubricant is intended not only for washing machines, but also for equipment used by tourists, for cars and for pneumatics. Country of origin: Russia.

Dampers do not need to be treated with these specific technical solutions. There are others that you can also choose from. It is only important that the lubricant contains silicone, and it reliably protects against abrasions.

This action should not be neglected: when you use a high-quality lubricant, it contributes to the long service life of the dampers and does not allow them to wear out prematurely.