Washing machine WMA46 - how do I change the bearings and where are they within the machine?

Mark Sowter, March 2008

You need to strip the entire appliance and remove the drum, then split it and remove the inner drum, bash out the bearings and fit new (at rear in centre!), not forgetting to replace oil seal and tub gasket. Rear half inc. bearings is available to buy and will cut down on some of the heartache but my advice is to either get somebody else to do it or buy a decent Bosch that will outlive even your newly bearing'd WMA.

Not comprehensive enough, March 2008

Power off, remove covers. Disconnect drive belt, remove drive pulley. Remove heater, thermostat and pressure switch. Check if drum splits at front, rear or the middle. If at front or middle, drum will prob. need removal from machine. This involves dismantling the suspension and damping system and removal of door seal and concrete weights. Undo the drum fixing system - either a clamping ring or a series of peripheral bolts and split the drum.If the drum splits at the rear, removal from machine probably not required. Remove the clamping system and pull off the rear plate. Seal and bearings will come away with the plate. Seal needs to be dug out with a suitable lever and the old bearings hammered out with a punch from opposing sides of the backplate. Refitting is, as they say, a reversal of the above process.
Thats it in its briefest form and is a bit like saying "playing the flute is easy, you just blow in one end and move your fingers up and down the holes". You do need to have significant spanner skills. If youre the type of guy (or gal) who works on their car, it would be no problem. If you're a novice, dont even go there, get a professional to do it, but its going to have to be a judgement call taking into account the high labour costs (at least £100) and the condition and value of the machine.
Check out my site for info: www.2ndwave.co.uk/manual.html

dan, March 2008