Bad brushes may make the motor run poorly - or even not at all if they have fallen apart. If the motor runs other functions and just the spinning is not happening - not even a bit - then the brushes are unlikely to be the cause.
Brushes remain stationary and deliver power to the rotating part of the motor that slips against them. Made of carbon they wear out like a pencil does - sparks fly - things get hot - the motor groans and labours and eventually stops completely.
Brushes are relatively easy to replace - here it is on YouTube on a Hotpoint machine....
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HELgV4KOsT0
Peccavi, December 2008
