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If the drum of your washing machine began to hang out strongly – this is the first news of a breakdown, which should be fixed before something serious breaks.
If you notice that the drum is dangling, do not rush to the master – you can determine the causes of the malfunction and eliminate them without the help of a specialist. This article focuses on loose drum issues, causes of this failure and self-repair – be prepared to follow our recommendations.
Why is the drum dangling
There may be a slight backlash at the drum from the factory – this is absolutely normal and should not cause concern. Natural factory play does not provoke noise and additional vibrations.
But if the machine is shaking, and the drum is shaking and staggering so that it even touches the cuff, this is already a cause for concern.
How to check backlash
Option 1. First, open the hatch of the machine, grab the drum and rock it gently, then turn it left and right. If during these simple manipulations you hear not a soft rustling, but a knock or creak of a decent volume, then there is a breakdown.
Option 2. Run the wash at the highest possible spin speed (it all depends on the CMA model, it can be 800, 1000, 1200 and even 1400 revolutions per 1 minute). If at maximum speed the drum sways and jumps, and also beats against the body of the machine during the spin cycle, then the bearing or shock absorber is broken. At this time, quite loud sounds appear.
How to find out why the drum is hanging
You need to look into the CM case from below. When the bearings fail, water begins to flow through the movable element attached to the rear of the tank. In 9 out of 10 cases, with such a breakdown, there will be a puddle under the machine. If you find it, then you need to replace the seals and bearings.
If the drum is loosened, and at the same time, of the additional symptoms, you only find a knock, then do not touch the bearings yet, but check the shock absorbers. To get to them, you do not have to completely disassemble the machine.
Finding out why the drum loosened without disassembling the case is almost impossible. Therefore, if the drum bothers you with excessive friction or twists sharply, then partially disassemble the washer:
- Remove the top cover. In most models, to release the case from the top panel, you need to unscrew the latches from the back wall and pull the cover towards you and up.
- Find shock absorbers. If you notice a breakdown of spring suspensions and shock absorbers, you can exhale – the cause has been found, and it is easier to fix it than to replace bearings. And if the fasteners of the drum are safe and sound, then you will have to disassemble again and again to get to the very “heart” of the washer and remove the worn bearings.
Important! If the drum dangles and touches the tank, do not hesitate to repair, otherwise the final breakdown may no longer be repairable. Timeliness is the key to the success of any repair procedures.
How to fix a washing machine drum if it is loose
Before you fix a loose drum machine, gather your tools. If the repair consists only in replacing springs or shock absorbers, then you will need a little:
- flat and Phillips screwdrivers;
- awl;
- keys;
- repair kit.
But to replace the bearings, you need more tools:
- Repair kit (bearings, seals).
- Hammer with a copper beating part. You will need it to delicately remove the shaft and not damage fragile parts.
- Metal pin. With it, you can knock out the bearings. A steel rod or any similar device will do.
- “Cold welding” or silicone sealant. You will need them if your SM model has a non-separable tank – then it will have to be glued.
- A hacksaw will be needed for the same reason as the sealant.
- The awl will help to pry off and get out the old oil seals.
- Two screwdrivers: negative and positive will unscrew the fasteners, which you will find a lot in the process of disassembling the washer.
- For the same purpose, you will need a set of keys and heads.
- Pliers.
- Grease for new elements.
Attention! Change both bearings at once so that after a while you do not have to disassemble the machine again.
Replace bearings
To properly replace parts, you need to properly disassemble the case. The catch is that washing machines from different manufacturers are disassembled in different ways. You can get the tank through the top panel in the following brands: Zanussi, Atlant.
Through the front panel we take out the tank in SM Samsung, Ariston, LG, Indesit, Bosch and Siemens. Some cars (for example, Electrolux) are disassembled into two parts, but the tank is also removed through the front cover.
Read more about disassembling a washing machine to replace bearings in these articles: How to replace a bearing in a washing machine drum, in a Bosch, Electrolux, Zanussi machine.
Replace shock absorbers
Replacing suspensions or shock absorbers is an easier task. But even here there are some nuances: in some models, access to parts is provided through the top, in others – from the bottom. If your model needs to be disassembled from the bottom, the repair will not take much time: you only need to twist the old shock absorbers and install new ones in their place.
Important! If only one shock absorber is broken, BOTH elements are replaced.
How to change shock absorbers if they are dismantled from the front side? The procedure is as follows:
Above, we briefly described the technology for replacing shock-absorbing elements. You will find more detailed information in the articles “How to repair shock absorbers in a washing machine” and “How to replace springs, shock absorbers, dampers in a washing machine.”
In conclusion, let’s say: if your typewriter staggers, dangles, knocks, or touches the drum case, then you should not put off the repair indefinitely. First, make sure what the cause of unpleasant phenomena is: in shock absorbers or bearings. Next, do not start the situation and change the faulty nodes using our instructions.