Hotpoint 9334

[hoover1100]

Hi guys,

I picked this dryer up the other weekend, in great condition, just hoovered out some fluff, replaced the vent hose and lubricated the motor/rollers and it's working great.

Just a couple of questions really.

Firstly, how to I remover the front panel to check/clean the heating elements? On the washers I know you unscrew the fascia and panel and can it can then be removed this way, however on this machine there are no screws behind the fascia that I can see to remove it. Any ideas?

Also I have replacement side trims as one was broken, but the lid strips are damaged as well and I can't find anywhere online that has them in stock, does anyone know of a place I could get some from?

Cheers, pics to follow shortly,

Matt

 

[matchboxpaul]

Hi Matt.

Suddenly remembered that you had asked questions regarding your 9334 and I had forgotten to respond.

Congrats on the 9334 - a superb machine, though obviously it will suffer from all the inherent external weaknesses of the Hotpoint 93, 95, 96 and 99 series. Basically every bit of plastic will be brittle and will break if you look at it wrong. Be wary of the door hinge too, as that will decide to self destruct given the first opportunity.

Ahhhhh......the fascia......

 

[matchboxpaul]

To get the machine into this condition, knowing what we know about Hotpoint plastics, is very alarming and goes against everything you would normally do with a Hotpoint New and Next Generation fascia....

 

[matchboxpaul]

Having removed the lid, you pull off the dial to reveal two small screws - remove these.
This means that the right hand side of the fascia is free - but that is the simple bit and from now on it gets very hard!

The fascia is now held on to the bodyshell by plastic lugs, which are moulded parts of the removable fascia and which pass through small round cutouts in the metalwork of the bodyshell.
They are an exceedingly tight fit and unfortunately, in order to remove the fascia, you have to hit these plastic lugs back through their retainers!

It isnt nice to do and it isnt nice to watch either, as too harder tap and you run the risk of cracking the fascia. Not hard enough and the fascia wont move at all.
Also, you have to knock each lug in turn an equal amount, so as not to stress the fascia and again cause a crack to develop.

On the 93730 below, the lugs pass through the 4 round holes at the left hand side of the metal fascia mounting plate, PLUS is held centrally through the centre hole....

 

[matchboxpaul]

Also beware that you have neons that are held tightly in their neon clamps, which are part of the neon covers on the fascia. The neons have to be slid out carefully, as their retainers will snap off if tugged off too forcefully.

 

[matchboxpaul]

....

 

[matchboxpaul]

Bearings pads...

 

[matchboxpaul]

Before you put the front panel back on, see if your panel seals require replacing.
Being a pressurised cabinet, any gaps hinder performance.

We applied new seals to the 93730....

 

[matchboxpaul]

Having made sure all your wires are connected, your seals replaced (ideally), your front main panel reattached and your neons safely clipped back into place, next comes another very alarming part of the reconstruction.

Lining up those fascia lugs with the holes in the bodshell, you now have to gently but firmly tap/hit the fascia back into place, applying a short sharp force over each lug to move the fascia back into position.

You must hit over each lug - not to the side of a lug! If you hit to the side, you run the risk of snapping the fascia, because the lug wont want to move through its retaining hole.
Essentially by hitting around each lug, you risk pushing the lug back through the fascia.

Once you have hit the fascia home, stick you two screws back on behind the dial and reattach your dial and bobs your uncle - jobs a good'un!

The way that Hotpoint 93 fascias are applied is the most STUPID, STUPID, STUPID, IMPRACTICAL, IRRATIONAL and potentially EXPENSIVE way that I have ever seen a fascia attached to a machine ever.
Fraught with the danger of damaging the fascia, the service engineers must have had a special tool for the job, as I cannot see Hotpoint running the risk of its engineers having to hit fascias on and off and damaging them in the process.

They are great machines, but if you dont have to remove the fascia then I would just leave it well alone.

 

[matchboxpaul]

Re side strips and lid strips - I am sure that they are still available. I will try and do some hunting for you.

With the possibility that you now wont want to remove the fascia, this somewhat hinders the replacement of the side strips.

In this situiation, I have dremelled off the side strip lugs and simply blue-tacked them onto mine and robs 95620.
Sounds crude and it is, but what it does do is make the side stripe easily removeable for safe keeping, should you have to move or store the machine.

Also, if they get accidentally caught by someone walking past the machine, the strip will hopefully pull off intact, rather than being held on by its lugs and snapping instead.

Hope all the above waffle helps and congrats on the new old machine.
Paul

 

[hoover1100]

Thanks Paul!

I might perhaps just leave the panel for now, it all seems alright although there is some air leakage around the edges, which I have crudely rectified at present with electrical tape sealing off the leaks!

As for replacing the side strip, the original strip was broken to bits so I just broke the rest off and stuck the replacement on with double sided tape!

Will keep an eye out for replacement lid strips

Thanks for the help, still trying to get round to getting some pics up, been very busy the last few days though!

Cheers

Matt