How to remove the shaft from the drum of a washing machine?

It may be necessary to remove the shaft from the drum of the washing machine, for example, when replacing bearings and seals. Automatic washing machine service technicians face this task quite often. Let's figure out what signs indicate that the equipment needs repair, how to fix the "home assistant" with your own hands.

Why does this malfunction occur?

The drum of the washing machine is driven by a shaft with a crosspiece and bearings. When any part of the mechanism fails, extraneous sounds appear during the operation of the machine. This can be a strong grinding or knocking during the main wash and spin cycle.

The most common causes of damage to the crosspiece are:

• Excessively hard tap water,
• Wear of the bearing assembly,
• Poor quality repair of the part,
• Use of aggressive cleaning agents,
• Manufacturing defect,
• Bushing corrosion,
• Poor quality lubricant.

If the crosspiece bearings are damaged, service center specialists usually suggest replacing the shaft completely. However, such repairs will cost a large sum, for this money you can almost buy a new washing machine. Therefore, many users try to dismantle the worn parts and install new ones with their own hands.

The process of replacing the crosspiece bearings is quite labour-intensive. But even a "newbie" who is far from repairing washing machines can cope with such a task. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions for action.

Dismantling the shaft

To remove worn-out elements, you will have to almost completely disassemble the washing machine body. To dismantle the bearings, you will need to gain access to the drum of the automatic machine. Let's figure out how to get to the shaft. To remove the SMA shaft, you need to:

• De-energize the machine, disconnect it from communications,
• Remove the top panel of the case by unscrewing a couple of bolts holding it,
• Remove the back wall of the case,
• Remove the drive belt from the drum pulley and motor,
• Pull out the powder receptacle,
• Unscrew the screws around the perimeter of the control panel, carefully hang the “dashboard” on the side of the machine,
• Remove the rubber cuff of the hatch by removing the two clamps that secure it,
• Remove the bolts holding the hatch locking device,
• Remove the front panel of the case,
• Disconnect the drain pipe from the tank. There may be water left in the pipe, it should be drained into a previously prepared container,
• Disconnect all wiring connected to the tank,
• Remove the counterweight blocks,
• Disconnect the electric motor from the tank by unscrewing several screws that secure the motor,
• Unscrew the shock absorbing elements,
• Unhook the tank from the spring and pull it out.

It is much easier to get the plastic tank out of the housing with four hands. To get to the crosspiece, the tank will have to be disassembled. We will tell you how to do this.

We split the tank in half

To gain access to the crosspiece and bearing assembly, you need to disassemble the tank. If the washing machine is equipped with a detachable tank, you just need to unscrew the fasteners around the perimeter, release the latches and split it in half. There are models with a cast tank - it will have to be carefully sawed along the weld.

After disassembling the tank, it remains to pull the drum out of it. The metal container should be knocked out from the outside. It is permissible to use a hammer, but you need to act very carefully.

Bearing unit repair

It is often difficult to remove worn bearings from their seat. Sometimes they are very strongly welded to the shaft, and you have to apply force to dismantle them. You cannot hit broken rings with a hammer - the shaft is made of soft metal, so it can easily be damaged if you miss.

To get the old bearings, you need to:

• Arm yourself with a grinder,
• Make slots on the sides of the bearing,
• Insert the tip of a chisel into the bearing slot and remove the ring from the shaft.

This method of removing bearings minimizes the risk of shaft deformation. Remove both the outer and inner rings. The old seal must also be removed, even if it appears intact.

Seals are always changed together with bearings. If you install new rings but leave the old seal, then during further operation of the machine the bushing may become deformed. The craftsmen do not undertake to repair this part; you will have to buy and install a new drum entirely.

Next, you need to clean the seat from dirt and rust. It is permissible to treat it with sandpaper or wipe it with a napkin soaked in a special descaler. Having prepared the area, you can install new bearings. It is important to buy bearings and a seal that are completely identical to those removed. To do this, you can focus on the model and serial number of the automatic machine or bring the dismantled elements to the store. Then the manager will help you select components based on the sample.

Press the inner and outer bearings into place one by one, treat them with a special water-repellent lubricant. Put the seal on top, assemble the tank in the reverse order. When connecting the halves of the plastic tank together, apply silicone sealant to the joint area, then fix the parts of the tank with fastening bolts.

Repairing the shaft of an automatic machine is a labour-intensive process. The main difficulty is not even in the installation of new components, but in the painstaking disassembly of the washing machine. But by spending your personal time, you can save a lot on paying for the services of a master.