Hi

Drum rotation is starting to sound rough on my machine (especially on spin!) The inner bearing seems to be the one at fault, for what its worth.. I need a bearing kit.

Can someone please talk me through bearing replacement? ( I have reasonable mechanical skills and a good tool kit, but I haven't tackled a washer before.)

Thanks in anticipation.

Terry G., October 2007

wow! I am going to keep this procedure. Will get this done just for the fun/hell of it and to see how much longer I can keep my good ol' AEG Lavamat 625. It is 16 years old and still going strong. Maybe because I use it only on 40deg C and 700 spin. Thanks Terry & Viridens! Happy washing! ;))

Voitek (Warszawa, Poland), December 2008

I have now done the job, & can answer my own question. All plain sailing. 1. Buy Bearing & seal kit (Ebay, about £18 including postage) Tools: screwdriver, 1/2" socket or spanner, mallet & wood dowel or ali drift to drive out bearings. 2. Remove back of machine (4 screws) 3. Press drive belt to note tension, then remove motor (2 bolts) and belt. 4. Remove drum pulley (1 bolt). 5. Remove 'spider' fixings (3 bolts around outer drum), then pull spider off of drum shaft, & out through back of machine. 6. Drive rear bearing out of housing using mallet & drift. 7. drive front bearing out, which also takes old seal with it. 8. Gently drive new bearings into place using old bearings as drifts. 9. tap new seal into place, & lubricate seal & shaft front with silicone grease or white synthetic grease spray (from £ shops). 10. Replace spider over shaft in machine, raise & push inner drum to center shaft & help through new bearings. 11. Replace bolts etc. centre the belt on motor pulley & re-tension belt by pushing down on motor before tightening motor bolts. This job took me about 1 1/4 hrs at a leisurely pace. I was quoted £80 + vat by the local repair geezers... Good luck with yours!

Viridens, March 2008

The machine is still limping along, and I am still hoping to get a reply here from someone who has done this job, and can give tips & warn about pitfalls. -Anyone out there?

Voitek -Thanks for your reply. I am reluctant to go for the 2nd hand machine option... I have access to a puller & press if needed, so plan to save cash by using a bearing kit instead of a (ludicrously) expensive spider.

Terry Gee, November 2007

the alternative is a new Drum Spider with bearings - rather expensive - new up to £150. Buy a second hand donor machine you will have a pump and a heater (my 15yo AEG lavamat 625 is on third pump, second heater) + other parts. (Guess you know that w.machines are extremely heavy - get help to load, you need right transport too)

voitek, November 2007

AEG LAVAMAT Washing Machine DRUM BEARING & SEAL KIT --£14 on ebay Oct 2007.
Sorry cannot talk you through the procedure. Maybe the seller can. (NB I would like to know the procedure myself. Maybe you can describe it when you are done?)

Voitek, November 2007