Does anyone repair appliances anymore? Washing machine

Does anyone repair appliances anymore? Washing machine

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Hustle_

Original Poster:

25,487 posts

173 months

Yesterday (12:31)
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The washing machine wouldn’t drain the other day. The filter curiously full of plastic shavings. I thought that something must’ve got in there but I was at a loss as to what. In retrospect it was also knocking like a good’un. Sounded like an old thumper of a diesel engine. Maybe borderline overloaded I thought. Anyway I used it again and it went badly. Knocking very loudly and by the end of the wash there was nasty-smelling smoke in the drum.

I think the basket is moving around excessively in the drum, allowing it to cheesegrate the inside of the drum hence the plastic and smoke.

The bearings are not noisy at all when spun and the amount of play seems pretty minimal but I can’t think of any other potential reason for the basket to be fouling the drum?

The suspension springs are on and the shock absorbers seem good.

Hmm am I going to do the sensible thing and replace the machine or am I going to try and save myself £400

Rough101

2,620 posts

88 months

Yesterday (12:59)
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Sounds like one with a plastic tub and non replaceable bearings - not economically repairable as you need an entire tub assemble plus sundries

GliderRider

2,615 posts

94 months

Yesterday (13:09)
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I have had the concrete weight come loose on a washing machine whcih makes a lot of noise as it bashes around on the spin cycle, however if the bits of plastic are from the inside, as they would be if they turned up in the filter, it does sound like the bearing has gone. Maybe when the bearing gets warm it softens the plastic around it and then solidifies again when things cool down?

I worked with a woman who had been in the buying department for a big department store that sold its own branded range of Chinese-made white goods, Around 2012 the 'Free On Board' (delivered to the ship, buyer pays shipping) price for a Chinese built washing machine was £18 (eighteen). No wonder long term maintenance didn't feature in the design!

Hustle_

Original Poster:

25,487 posts

173 months

Yesterday (13:16)
quotequote all
Rough101 it is a plastic tub but it is a split design with the two halves screwed together and a replaceable seal. All of that £34 from eBay.

It’s make your mind up time then. My OCD says splash the £450 and buy a Bosch S4 washer to match the dryer I got in November. But I can fix it, and £400 is a lot of money. But the machine is at least ten years old.

I like to buck a trend but I should just buy a new machine shouldn’t I.

JoshSm

768 posts

50 months

Yesterday (13:35)
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May as well have a look anyway, worst case you scrap it and buy a new one.

Could be all sorts, if the bearing is solid maybe the spider isn't, or it's just vibrating so much things are flexing & making contact.

Colonel Cupcake

1,246 posts

58 months

Yesterday (13:53)
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Personally, I just treat washing machines as consumables and just buy the cheapest machine from Argos that spins as fast as Mrs Cupcake wants and holds the required weight. A years guarantee and and if it lasts longer, the cost of ownership is less that a pound a day.

Gladers01

1,150 posts

61 months

Yesterday (14:36)
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Hustle_ said:
Rough101 it is a plastic tub but it is a split design with the two halves screwed together and a replaceable seal. All of that £34 from eBay.

It’s make your mind up time then. My OCD says splash the £450 and buy a Bosch S4 washer to match the dryer I got in November. But I can fix it, and £400 is a lot of money. But the machine is at least ten years old.

I like to buck a trend but I should just buy a new machine shouldn’t I.
Check the drain pump isn't partially seized by turning the impeller by hand, they can make all sorts of loud noises if the water level is too high in the drum or hasn't pumped out fully during the spin cycle.

Dave Hedgehog

14,808 posts

217 months

Yesterday (14:46)
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i have pretty much resolved to replacing our washing machine every couple of years, the avg call out cost with parts is way more than a new machine


nordboy

2,306 posts

63 months

Yesterday (16:33)
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Hustle_ said:
The washing machine wouldn’t drain the other day. The filter curiously full of plastic shavings. I thought that something must’ve got in there but I was at a loss as to what. In retrospect it was also knocking like a good’un. Sounded like an old thumper of a diesel engine. Maybe borderline overloaded I thought. Anyway I used it again and it went badly. Knocking very loudly and by the end of the wash there was nasty-smelling smoke in the drum.

I think the basket is moving around excessively in the drum, allowing it to cheesegrate the inside of the drum hence the plastic and smoke.

The bearings are not noisy at all when spun and the amount of play seems pretty minimal but I can’t think of any other potential reason for the basket to be fouling the drum?

The suspension springs are on and the shock absorbers seem good.

Hmm am I going to do the sensible thing and replace the machine or am I going to try and save myself £400
I just replaced mine (10 yr old, heavily used LG) after exactly the same thing happened as you describe, my lad repairs washing machines for a living, took one listen and a quick look at mine and told me I'd need a new one.
Ordered a new LG from A O for next day delivery.

alangla

5,560 posts

194 months

Yesterday (17:01)
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Espares have a video on their website on how to replace the bearings on a Bosch machine. To describe it as “involved” is an understatement.

Dave Hedgehog said:
i have pretty much resolved to replacing our washing machine every couple of years, the avg call out cost with parts is way more than a new machine
I recently replaced the brushes on my Bosch only to find it still dead. Decided not to punt the £160 or so for a new motor, so replaced it with a Samsung with a long warranty (5 year/20 years on the motor). I don’t think I’ll be attempting to fix this out of warranty unless it’s a really simple repair.

PhilboSE

5,077 posts

239 months

Yesterday (17:07)
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Anything brush/motir/pump/drainage related I’ll try to fix myself. Anything electrics/control/drum related, new machine. Tend to get 8-10 years out of a machine these days, tend to buy cheaper ones (eg Hotpoint) rather than pricey ones these days.

jimmyjimjim

7,725 posts

251 months

Dryer started vibrating like a loon today. Pulled it apart, replaced 2 old bearings with new, and moved swapped the working one of the pair to replace a third, failed bearing. Changed the belt and tensioner, good to go. I had this lying around from 4 years ago when the bearings went the first time and I replaced 2. Just ordered another spares kit for $30, that should keep me going until 2033. At which point it'll be 27 years old.
Apart from cutting myself on the sharp casing, it's surprisingly nice to work on.

rdjohn

6,667 posts

208 months

At 10-years old, scrapping it is a no-brainier. We had a top end Samsung that still looked immaculate, but the drum bearing failed. I watched a YouTube for how to repair it and quickly decided to buy a new one. Things are not built to last now.

A TV that lasts 5-years of constant use is a marvel, these days. A friend of a friend in Holland worked for Philips, he said that every component in their boxes is to a 2-year MTBF to meet their minimum EU guarantee standard.

M138

433 posts

4 months

alangla said:
I recently replaced the brushes on my Bosch only to find it still dead. Decided not to punt the £160 or so for a new motor, so replaced it with a Samsung with a long warranty (5 year/20 years on the motor). I don’t think I’ll be attempting to fix this out of warranty unless it’s a really simple repair.
I had a Bosch washing machine and started make an awful noise. I thought I’d be ahead of the game and ordered a bearing to sort it, when I pulled the back cover off all three spider arms had snapped.
Not got a Hotpoint, so far, so good.

Red9zero

8,750 posts

70 months

A mate repairs and reconditioned washing machines as a sideline. He makes decent money from it too. Only problem is a few people have cottoned on and do bodge repairs and flog them on before changing their Facebook account if there are any problems. Also they are worth a bit for scrap, so often get grabbed before my mate can pick them up.