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Message started by Dave on 12/22/24 at 03:48:05

Title: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by Dave on 12/22/24 at 03:48:05

We have been in this house for 17 years and over past year we have had a string of failed appliances. We needed a new water heater last summer, then in the fall the computer in the oven failed and the parts are not longer available and we purchased a new one that does not have a computer (we don't care if the oven doesn't know what time it is). Then the refrigerator failed in the late summer - followed by the furnace! That was followed up by the replacement of 5 panels in the concrete driveway that had cracked and were heaving.

There was one remaining item that was acting up, and this was on my "Honey Do" list for a while - I was really not wanting to tackle this job. I delayed it for a while by claiming I was waiting for a cold, rainy winter day to do the work.......that day finally came! Our washing machine was getting really noisy, and on the spin cycle it was starting to sound like a Space Shuttle launch. I didn't want to buy a new one - I was seriously concerned about all the good motorcycle money that was being spent on the appliances! I watched a YouTube video and it looked like the bearing could be replaced - however it was not a quick job and I expected it would take an entire day.

Here is where the project was at the end of the first day. The washing machine had been taken apart and the drum removed. The housing around the drum had been separated and all parts were pressure washed to remove the old soap scum from the parts. The shaft had been cleaned up and made ready for the new bearings. The bearings fought really hard to come out of the plastic housing - there is a steel insert that holds the bearings and it was rusty and holding the bearings tightly. I had to drag 6x6 wood blocks, a piece of steel pipe cut and a 1" thick block of steel to hold the housing while the bearings were pounded out! I had put the new bearings in the freezer and used a hair blow dryer to heat up the housing so the bearings would go back in easier. I stopped for the day around 8PM when the assembly was ready to go back into the washing machine.

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by Dave on 12/22/24 at 03:51:59

Here is the new and old bearing on the rear - farthest away from the drum. It was very worn and rusty inside and did not turn smoothly.

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by Dave on 12/22/24 at 03:53:18

This is the bearing nearest the drum and just behind the seal. Evidently the seals fails and allows water into the bearings....and the trouble begins. This bearing was a disaster and very rusty and loose.

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by Dave on 12/22/24 at 03:55:10

This is what it looks like assembled prior to putting all the sheet metal and control board back on. The drum has 3 concrete weights attached to dampen the drum movement....and the drum is suspended on springs.

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by blod on 12/22/24 at 03:58:07

I shot our freezer once, all the gas came out of it. It was beyond repair. :(

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by Dave on 12/22/24 at 03:58:43

I am glad this 1.5 day project is over and the washing machine is now working just fine and quiet again!

In the future I am going to be a bit kinder to it and I will avoid washing my shop rags in harsh cleaners - just in case the rubber seal didn't like that stuff.

Here is a photo of what I had to carry in/out of the basement to get this job done! (Photo doesn't show carrying the washing machine parts out and pressure washing them, drying them and then carrying them back to the basement).

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by LANCER on 12/22/24 at 04:36:41

Sometimes you get to have more fun than other times.

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by Ruttly on 12/22/24 at 07:35:48

Job well done Super Dave !

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by zevenenergie on 12/22/24 at 11:59:49

You could have used ceramic bearings, that don't oxidize and give less friction.
I would also have installed a large pump if I were you and a larger soap dish.

With some sodium percarbonate and borax in the detergent it washes much more powerfully.
For even more washing power, you can add a boiler.

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by Ruttly on 12/22/24 at 19:11:44

Don’t give him any ideas ! ;D

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by Dave on 12/23/24 at 05:14:10

I felt this job was within my ability - as it really was just a "wheel bearing" replacement.....something I have done before on cars/motorcycles/trailers. The unknown for me was the sheet metal and wiring inside the package, and the way things were assembled and fastened together.

It turned out to be "doable" - just a bit time consuming.

Unfortunately appliances are becoming more of a "throw away" construction and they are not meant to be repaired. The bearings I got for this did not come from Bosch - they don't have the parts available. I saw posts for other washing machines that have the drums bonded together and you can't get them apart to replace the bearings.

When our fridge went out the folks that sold us a new one told us that 8-10 years is the "normal" life for the new ones (they advised to avoid Samsung and LG). The Avocado fridge my mother had lasted 40 years!

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by JOG on 12/23/24 at 07:50:26

I soak my nasty clothes and rags in a sodium hydroxide solution. A cup of that stuff rips grease outta some stuff. If you have an oilfield supply house available, a busted bag is probably available. Amazon has it.
Never add water to IT, add it to water. Hot water is what I start with. And then it gets hotter, because it's exothermic. Dumping it on weeds seems to hurt them.

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by MMRanch on 12/23/24 at 20:58:58

Nice job Dave ! 8-)

That's why your the Super Dave ! ;)

Honestly , I might have been looking for a new washing machine ?

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by Dave on 12/24/24 at 03:03:20

495B495B56454A474C040 wrote:

Honestly , I might have been looking for a new washing machine ?

I really have a hard time spending money replacing things that can be repaired. God gifted me with a mechanical mind and a great teacher when I worked at a lawn mower shop when I was in high school - it was a job that gave me the skills to save a lot of money over the years.

I have a very hard time paying someone to do things that I can do. I just bought a manual tire changer from Harbor Freight and will order the Lucid adapter for the duckhead so I can change my own tires.....the cost have installing tires has gone crazy around here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYd6exV_bGo
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYd6exV_bGo[/media]

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by bobert_FSO on 12/24/24 at 05:54:38

594655464D464D4651444A46230 wrote:

Just what you need a hot-rodded washing machine.

I've done minor repairs, usually glides, rollers, temp sensors and heating elements on dryers. Last year my son's washer gearbox locked up. That was beyond what I wanted to try to work on. My current washer and dryer are getting up there in age. If anything serious happened (like the washer gearbox), they would probably get replaced. That would be too bad. These things have mechanical timers (which I like). All the new stuff seems to have gone electronic.

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by JOG on 12/24/24 at 07:28:20

The dryer is Gas. It's thirty years old. Works like it did thirty years ago.
The vent,, that is the thing that can get a guy. The shorter and straighter it is, the better the dryer works.

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by MMRanch on 12/24/24 at 20:55:04

I just bought a manual tire changer from Harbor Freight and will order the Lucid adapter for the duckhead so I can change my own tires.....the cost have installing tires has gone crazy around here!

:)

OK Dave ... next your going to tell me that thing works on Motorcycle tires when I need one changed on the rear of the Super Meteor ... ! Have your tried it out yet ? :-?

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by LANCER on 12/25/24 at 02:44:29

I have one, found it difficult to use, difficult to lock down the wheel while removing/ mounting the tire.

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by JOG on 12/25/24 at 07:21:02

Yeah, the machine and wheel don't agree,, I was disappointed.
I've used to break the bead on quite a few things,

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by Dave on 12/25/24 at 17:31:16

MM: I have a No-Mar changer for motorcycle tires......it works pretty well once you get the hang of it Soft sport bike tires are a breeze - stiff tires like the Sport Touring tires are not bad once you learn that you have to use clamps to squeeze the tire and keep it in the drop center. (The stiff tires keep pushing upward and make it really hard to get the bead to slide down in the drop center of the rim).

Lancer: It appears the Harbor Freight and similar models need you to drill mounting holes and put a bolt in the wheel to keep it from rotating, and a centering cone to keep the rim centered.....and some form of Duck Foot to get the bead on/off. Watch some YouTube videos of modifications that owners have done to their manual changers and you can see some of them make it look real easy after the improvements are done.

Since I hope to have a minimum of 30 motorcycle tire changes left in my riding career.....and likely that many car tires - it just seemed like a good investment. I also hate driving to the dealers and leaving my cars or wheels for somebody to abuse my wheels. I have a manual balancer for motorcycle tires that works well. For cars and trailers I bought a vintage bubble balancer at an auction that works well - I know it is not as precise as a computer spin balancer....but I am going to see how well it works.

I am a bit sick - I just have a really hard time paying people to do stuff that I can do.

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by badwolf on 12/26/24 at 05:55:36

I static balance as close as I can get. Using tape on weights for my cast wheels. Then add 1 oz. of SS balancing beads to keep things in balance as they wear. Don't add the beads first or you will never get a good static balance. I got 22k on my last Commander 2 rear, and am changing my Kenda front today after 27k, both wore even. Highest mileage I have ever got on a m/c. I built a bead breaker to use at home, and have 3 LONG tire irons. (22 inch) Always did my own on dirt bikes and just carried over to road bikes.
Have done a couple repairs on my truck tires, but let the shop do the new ones.

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by springman on 12/26/24 at 14:00:26

Good work Dave. You never cease to impress me. I had an issue with our washing machine earlier this year. The new one works really well! 8-)

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by MMRanch on 12/26/24 at 19:55:42

Hay Springman , Great minds must think alike ! ;) Or was that Lazy Men ? :-?

.................

I've been changing my own tubeless Motorcycle tires for a long time. I've got a set of 3 tire irons made for motorcycles and usually balance them with the axle put on a pair of concrete blocks and watching gravity take its course. I was just pulling you leg Dave , I'm putting a Dunlop 404 on it when it gets done wearing out . I think its about the tallest tire I can get for it , the original is a 150/80-16 and the 140/90 is taller to correct the speedometer error.
I've got a Dunlop 404 in 110/90-19 on the front already , I know the 404 series is only a 10 to 12 k-mile tires but I can live with that OK. By time I get the first pair wore out maybe I'll have a buddy that knows how to use one of them fancy tire changer ? ;D

Title: Re: Glad that is done!!!!!!
Post by springman on 12/27/24 at 13:07:32

I'll go with the "Great minds think alike." ::)