How to restore the shock absorbers of a washing machine with your own hands

If the washing machine jumps around the room, it means there are problems with the shock absorption system. We are talking about dampers - racks that suppress vibration coming from the spinning drum. When they break, the balance is disturbed, and the body swings strongly. You can repair the vibration damper yourself. Moreover, often the repair is done without buying new racks - it is possible to restore the shock absorbers of the washing machine, extending their service life for a couple of years.

Description of shock absorber repair

You shouldn't immediately buy replacement shock absorbers - sometimes you can repair the old ones. In any case, you will have to dismantle them first, unhook them from the tank and body and take them out of the car. Then we inspect the struts, check the stroke of the rod and assess the condition of the gasket. Often the problem is in the latter: it wears out and begins to slow down the piston. Such a breakdown is fixed quickly and easily, since to restore the mechanism, you only need to replace the rubber.

The gasket on the damper is changed by hand according to the following instructions:

• Remove the old gasket,
• Take a belt 3 mm thick,
• Apply the belt to the rod and measure a length proportionate to the hole,
• Cut off a piece of rubber,
• Insert a new gasket in place of the old one (it is important that the edges of the parts fit tightly),
• Treat the gasket with a special lubricant to reduce friction,
• Return the rod to its place,
• Check the piston stroke.

If the rod moves slowly even without the gasket, then the problem is in the design itself. In this case, replacing the rubber will not solve the problem - you will have to change the entire rack. We do the same when the damper is not collapsible and cannot be repaired. Also remember that it is better to replace shock absorbers in pairs so as not to disturb the balance of the tank.

It is important to choose the right new dampers. The type and size of the vibration damper installed in the washing machine depends on its model and manufacturer. You cannot buy at random - you must tell the consultant in the store the serial number of the machine. You can also bring the old shock absorber with you and ask to find its analogue.

Replacement without removing the tank

Not everyone can restore the shock absorber. More often than not, the mechanism wears out so much that you can't do without replacing it - all the elements of the structure wear out. In this case, you will have to install new struts.

Experienced craftsmen recommend replacing shock absorbers in pairs. The logic is clear: both parts experience the same load when the machine is running, therefore, their degree of wear is approximately equal. If one damper is left intact, then during washing and spinning, the vibration coming from the drum will be damped unevenly. As a result, the mechanism will quickly become unusable, and the previously surviving parts will begin to wear out.

To replace the dampers, you need to remove them from the car. Dismantling will be quick if the vibration dampers have simple fasteners and are easily detached from the body. We do this:

• Remove the front or back cover of the case (depending on the machine model),
• We find shock absorbers under the tank,
• Unfasten the latches or unscrew the bolts,
• We take out the racks,
• We install a new set,
• We assemble the machine and run a test wash.

It is better to clarify which side to approach the dampers from before disassembling. To do this, study the technical data sheet of the washing machine.

We change the shock absorbers, having first removed the tank

Restoring the shock-absorbing system is more difficult if the dampers can only be removed together with the tank. In this case, you will have to almost completely disassemble the washing machine, freeing the plastic tank from foreign elements and wiring. The instructions for disassembling the washing machine look like this:

• Remove the top cover of the housing,
• Pull out the detergent drawer,
• Detach the instrument panel by unscrewing the bolts holding it,
• Unhook the upper springs that secure the washing tank,
• Disable UBL,
• Remove the front panel to the side,
• Disconnect the drain pipe and other connected hoses and wires from the tank,
• Remove the tank from the housing together with the vibration dampers.

Afterwards, we inspect the racks and repair them if possible. If the repair does not help, we replace them with new ones. Then the machine is assembled in the reverse order. To ensure that the disassembly goes without errors, it is recommended to record your actions on a video camera. It is better to immediately clean the remaining components of the washing machine from dirt and scale during the repair and also assess the degree of their wear.