How to replace the spider in a washing machine?

The crosspiece is a spare part made of fragile metal, used to attach the drum to the tank. During washing and spinning, the part is constantly subjected to overload, so after several years of operation of the machine it can easily lose its shape or crack. With such damage, repair of the machine will be inevitable.

You can replace the crosspiece in the washing machine yourself. To do this, you will have to pull the tank out of the machine. Let's find out how to disassemble the washing machine to get to the broken part.

Why did it break?

Replacing the crosspiece of the drum of an automatic machine is extremely rare. The bearing unit is the first to take the "blow". When the metal rings wear out, the washing machine starts to make noise, hum and vibrate strongly during operation. If you replace the bearings in time, the crosspiece will remain whole and unharmed.

When the user performs diagnostics of the washing machine in time and installs new bearings, the crosspiece does not have time to deform. If the situation is neglected and no reaction is made to the signs of wear of the bearing unit, a comprehensive repair with replacement of all components may be required in the near future.

Various impurities contained in water settle on the metal part. Its surface becomes covered with limescale. The scale makes silumin very brittle – the metal can crack or break even under slightly increased pressure. Sometimes the breakdown is caused by a manufacturing defect. In this situation, it is better not to get into the washing machine with your own hands. It is recommended to give the machine to a service center for diagnostics.

We get to the broken crosspiece

The automatic machine must be prepared for disassembly. De-energize the device, disconnect it from the water supply and sewerage. Next, move the device away from the wall, ensuring free access to it from four sides. Finally, detach the drain and filler hoses from the back wall.

Now we can get to work. The algorithm of actions will be as follows:

• Remove the lower false panel (if provided by the design of the washing machine),
• Remove any remaining water from the system by removing the drain filter plug (located in the lower front corner of the machine),
• Remove the top cover of the case by unscrewing a couple of screws that secure it,
• Remove the detergent drawer (to do this, press the special “tongue” in the middle section of the powder receptacle),
• Unscrew the bolts located around the perimeter of the control panel,
• Take a photo of the wiring diagram for the instrument cluster,
• Release the clips holding the wiring and unhook the control panel,
• Find the clamp that secures the hatch cuff and remove it. If the ring is plastic, you should deal with a special lock. The metal rim is hooked with a screwdriver,
• Remove the sealing cuff,
• Unscrew the bolts holding the UBL,
• Remove the lock from its seat,
• Unscrew the screws located around the perimeter of the front wall and move the front panel to the side.

Next, you will need to work with the "insides" of the machine. You need to do the following:

• Unhook the dispenser pipe from the tank,
• Remove the fill solenoid valve by unscrewing the screws holding it,
• Remove concrete counterweights - they will interfere with the free removal of the tank,
• Unscrew the screws located on the back wall, detach the panel,
• Remove the drive belt,
• Remove the wiring from the heating element contacts,
• Unhook the water level sensor connector from the tank,
• Disconnect the end of the drain pipe from the opening of the tank,
• Remove the electric motor wiring, unscrew the fasteners and remove the motor from the washing machine,
• Remove the shock absorbers.

After such manipulations, you can pull out the tank - the plastic container will hang only on special springs. It is easy to remove the tank through the front part of the washing machine. Lift the tank and pull it towards you.

The next task is to disassemble the tank. It is necessary to remove the pulley, so you will have to unscrew the central bolt provided for fixing the "wheel". Then remove the screws that hold the parts of the tank together and divide it into two halves. This will open access to the drum of the automatic machine.

Carefully inspect the crosspiece. When obvious deformation is noticeable, or cracks are visible on the part, replace the spare part. It is necessary to purchase components specifically for your model of automatic machine. These must be complete analogues.

Removing the old crosspiece and installing a new one

During repairs, there may be difficulties with removing the worn-out part. The crosspiece is attached to the drum with three screws, which can "stick" to the metal due to scale. Therefore, it is better to have WD-40 aerosol on hand. The product must be applied to stubborn bolts and wait 15-20 minutes. After that, you can try to unscrew the fasteners again.

Once the screws are removed, you need to knock out the damaged crosspiece. You will need a small hammer for this. Carefully tap the silumin part or try to pry it up with a thin screwdriver. This way, you can extract the part from the drum grooves.

After that, a new crosspiece is fixed in place, the halves of the tank are fastened together, and all previously dismantled parts are “returned” to the washing machine. Having finished assembling the body, run a test wash. The machine should stop grinding and making noise, and start working quietly. The process of replacing the crosspiece is not easy, but it is still possible to do the job yourself. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions for action.