Machine is very noisy towards the end of a cycle. On inspection there does seem to be a lot of play in the drum but I'm not sure if this is normal. I'm assuming that the spider needs to be replaced. Any ideas how difficult this might be and if its worth tackling by an amateur i.e me.

Andrea, October 2004

Easy enough to do, the spider will cost approximately £45 including the postage. Go to 'WWW.Domesticspares.co.uk'.

Unplug the machine to isolate the mains supply, Disconnect the water supply and drain the drum. Remove the top, front facia (4 screws behind the soap draw). Remove lower kick panel (flat bladed screw driver helps to prise this off). Unclip the plastic clip using a small flat bladed screw driver to remove the wire that holds the door seal in place and free from the front of the machine. Undo the screws that hold the door locking mechanism in place. Now remove the 6 screws from the front (3 top of the panel, 3 bottom). The front panel will now come away.

Remove the lower support strut acros the front of the machine (4 screws). Unclip the sprung steel clips around the plastic drum, there could be a small amount of water still in the drum compartment so be aware. Remove the front of the drum and heating element in one. I would recommend visually checking the heating element for signs of wear if the spider has gone. If the heater casing is damaged replace it, (a further £20 approx).
Now to the back of the machine.
Remove cover plate from the rear of the machine to gain access to the nut securing the drive wheel. Back wind the drive wheel whilst holding the drum and remove. The shaft of the drum can now be knocked forward using a hammer to remove the drum from the housing. Remove the drum from the housing so that you can remove the spider.

I hope that this makes some form of sense.

Mike, October 2004