Hotpoint 9534 bearing change- slight problem.

[boschlover1997]

hi guys,
the hotpoint was knocking and squeaking suddenly when washing, and making odd noises on spin cycle.
before it got too bad and damaged anything else i have decided to change the bearings.
ive stripped the machine down, drum out.. only thing is.. ive got the back bearring out, but the front one and the seal are wedged in so hard i just cant knock them out.. at all.
Take a look:

 

[boschlover1997]

second pic

this is the back, the other pic was the front (inside drum)

 

[fido]

You should be able to prise out the seal using a flat screwdriver between seal and bearing or lever it with one leg of some water pump pliers. You then clean the rust/oxidation deposits off round the edge of the bearing and you can spray with WD40 or similar. Usually when you try to drift out the front bearing it breaks up and you are left with just the outer shell to remove. On the Hotpoints this is difficult because you can't get a drift onto the edge of the bearing shell. I usually drill 2 holes in the alloy bearing housing 180 degrees apart, just behind the bearing so I can get a small diameter drift onto the edge of the bearing shell. Don't drill too deep or you might make a hole through the plastic tub and end up with a leak!

 

[keymatic3203]

Hi Boschlover

I agree with fidos advice, I find that the claw side of a claw hammer also works for getting the seal out.

In terms of getting the front bearing out, I use a 16" or so long, inch wide bolster chisel ( as would be used for cutting bricks or channeling out a wall) and a 3kg club hammer, and provided you work around the edge of the bearing, where fido is suggesting the holes could be drilled, you should be able to drift it out. But from my experience of doing dozens of these, you do need a decent size hammer, an ordinary claw hammer isn't heavy enough.

When fitting the new bearing, obviously clean everything out, as well as the brass bush on the shaft of the drum spider. I then put the bearings in the freezer overnight, and carefully using an electric hot air gun warm the bearing housing in the tub, just to the point you cant touch it, not where you you start burning the plastic, the bearing should then practically fall into place with just the gentlelist of encouragement. I use a bearing size disc of plywood on the end of a 30cm length of 2" x 2" ( excuse the mixed units, I'm a carpenter lol) and just tap it home. same with the back bearing and the seal.

It may not be the traditional method, but I find its best to let expansion and contraction work for you and reduces the risk of damaging the new bearings .

But the best advice I would give is to look up previous threads, I think MatchboxPaul created one when we did just this repair on their 95620, a few years ago.

Well done on your work so far, without the correct socket spanner, getting the nut and pulley off isn't easy.

All the best, I find replacing bearings one of the most satisfying parts of a restoration, as the improvement in the sound when spinning is well worth the effort, as well as extending the life of the machine.

Let us know how you get on

Mathew

 

[boschlover1997]

CHEERS!

thanks, will keep that in mind

george

 

[boschlover1997]

in

right guys, bearing out, new back bearing in and front bearing half in.. i can only get it level to the rim of the bearing tube. what should i use to get it right in to where it should be? cheers, george.
pics to follow

 

[keymatic3203]

as I said above

Ive cut a disc of 18mm plywood the diameter of the bearing and fixed it to the end of a lenght of wood, and combine with freezing the bearing and heating the hole ithas always worked a treat. otherwise you just have to use your punch working around the edge of the bearing until its home, once the bearing is aligned with the hole it shouldn't be that difficult, you just need to be careful.

 

[keymatic3203]

or

of you can find some metal tube, or maybe even a socket drive out of a socket set the size of the outer rim of the bearing that can work.

All the best

Mathew

 

[boschlover1997]

great!

great thanks, i have lots and lots of sockets so i will do that first thing tomorrow and will definately keep you updated! cheers for the help!!
george.

 

[fido]

I've never needed heat to get the new bearings in, although I do use the proper Hotpoint tools these days anyway. I always squirt a drop of oil on the new bearings and it is better not to drift them in. If you have a length of threaded rod, some nuts, a selection of big washers and sockets you can improvise a pusher that pushes the bearings in as you tighten the nuts. The seal is not as tight a fit so I push that in with my fingers. If there is bad pitting of the alloy bearing housing where the seal locates I smear a bit of silicone sealant round the edge of the new seal.