help with a 1-18 water bellows needed please!

[soberleaf]

this is what i have accomplished tonite on this leaky 1-18.
have included pics here to show progress.

top nut came off very easily and pulsator removed easily also.

i took out inner tub as well, to give me a look at the outer tub and to get more room to work. i guess when i get down to the hub nut i will have to have inner tub back in to hold it while i attempt to turn nut, or will i?

my main question here is;

HOW DO I GET THAT WATER BELLOWS CLAMP OFF? i read on the web that if you don't have the proper pliers that large channel locks will do. i don't understand what i should be doing? do i have to squeeze the clamp to get it to unlock? at first i thought it was under spring tension to squeeze shut and i had to pull it apart but now i'm thinking it is locked and by squeezing it inward it will release lock?

is it true i could use a worm clamp instead like someone on the site suggested when i put it back together?

bellows looks good actually from what i can see. this is a very good lession in 1-18 engineering for me! would appreciate you frigidaire guys helping me here!

thanks, now here's the pics!

top nut came off without a hitch! used vise grips to hold pulsator shaft from below, clamped them to that big knob on it's base.

 

[soberleaf]

top nut

off, agitator out

 

[soberleaf]

the water bellows

looks very good, did not feel or see any tears. will inspect it closer when i get it completely out

 

[soberleaf]

another pic

here

 

[soberleaf]

decided to pull

the inner tub

 

[soberleaf]

tub came out easily

outer tub has some rust discoloration but it's not deep rust at all yet.

any suggestions on what i could prime those spots with when i put it back together?

 

[soberleaf]

another view

of outer tub

 

[soberleaf]

so again my main question here

how do i get the water bellows clamp off?

thanks

pete

 

[soberleaf]

a few minutes later here

i answered my own question and got the clamp off the water and oil bellows by using the channel locks and squeezing in to release the clamp.

 

[soberleaf]

the perimeter of the hub

where the water bellows clamps tight against is very corroded.

i don't see how it could have not been leaking here.

 

[soberleaf]

yet the bellows itself looks very good

very soft and pliable

 

[soberleaf]

another

pic of bellows

 

[soberleaf]

but the inner side of the base where it clamps to the hub ha

and dirt!

i am thinking that it was leaking around it's base!

i am wondering if the main water seal is even bad?

i think what i might do is clean up the bellows and wire brush the corrosion off the mating surface of the hub. get it perfectly clean and reinstall the bellows and see if it leaks.

yes, the bearings don't sound great but they aren't shot yet! i might be able to fix this 1-18 without even having to remove the hub nut.

although i am soaking it in pb blaster and i might try using a wrench on it to see if i can loosen it easily before putting the bellows back.

another question!

CAN I USE A WORM GEAR CLAMP ON THIS WATER BELLOWS TO HOLD IT AT BOTTOM? IF SO CAN I BUY A CLAMP THAT LARGE?

THANKS

 

[christfr]

HEY CHECK ON EBAY FOR THE BELLOW TYPE IN FRIGIDAIRE 1-18 PART THATS WHERE I GOT MY LAST ONE I THINK IT WAS FROM DAVES REPAIR. OH AND DID YOU FIND A TUB SEAL? I JUST ORDERED ANOTHER ONE FROM REPAIR CLINIC PART # 5309956914. DID ONE LAST YEAR AND AM GONNA DO A DIF MACHINE NEXT WEEK. THE SEAL IS A PRETTY EASY JOB. I USUALLY USE A DRIMMEL TOOL WITH THAT LITTLE WIRE WHEEL TO CLEAN UP ALL THE DIRTY METAL PARTS, GETS REAL DUSTY BUT IT WORKS FOR ME

 

[everythingold]

I have a bellows and bearing. matt

 

[everythingold]

oh and a top nut for the agitator.

 

[Unimatic1140]

CAN I USE A WORM GEAR CLAMP ON THIS WATER BELLOWS TO HOLD IT AT BOTTOM? IF SO CAN I BUY A CLAMP THAT LARGE?

You can easily get a clamp that size at any hardware store, but I'm not sure if its going to hold. Are you sure it's not leaking from the big nut and seal assembly below the tub?

 

[soberleaf]

THANKS, GUYS

i spoke with dave fron his repair website (daves repair) and he sold his last water bellows before i could get it. so matt please hold that bellows and bearing for me! thanks matt!

robert, from what i have been told by dave and other posts on this site the leak is most probably as you say. i guess the water seal was a weak point on these machines. now to try and find one! been reading thru all the old 1-18 posts here, that
search feature you added is great! thanks!

christfr, thanks, gonna use that part no. and try ro locate one now! thanks!

 

[norfolksouthern]

I have another 1-18 with the nut stuck on the agitator shaft. I'm not sure how I'm going to get it off, apparently it must be rusted in place. Should I buy some of that PB Blaster and try soaking it? Or, would it work just as well if I kept spraying it with WD-40, and then working it loose over time? The bearings on this machine are good, but it does leak like soberleaf's project on this thread. I'll keep an eye on the progress.

NorfolkSouthern

 

[soberleaf]

which nut?

i get confused here on which nut the guys refer to being stuck. the top pulsator nut that sits right under the bleach cup or the larger 1 1/2 inch hub nut that i have heard so many wonderful stories about?

i would think the top pulsator nut would come off easily. i just clamped a vice grip to the wash shaft on that large knob at it's bottom (did not want to marr the shaft itself as it has to slide thru the spin shaft) and put a socket on the nut and a long extension bar. i then used a long 1/2 socket bar, did not use a ratchet. i turned the tub till the vice grips were wedged up against the motor frame and then i turned that socket bar slowly and carefully, counterclockwise, holding the pulsator cone to insure it wasn't going to turn as well (afraid to twist the bellows). it came right off!

on mine there was no way to use pb blaster on that top nut.

the lower nut i am soaking in pb blaster now till i find an impact wrench to use on it.

i am guessing the nut that is stuck on your machine is the large hub nut? i'm surprised if it is the top nut. let me know please.

pete