Changed the drum bearings in our 20 yo Hotpoint washing machine.
What a job. Took all day, I'm 99.9% knackered. Essentially a total dismantling of the machine to extract then split the drum, drift out the bearings and seal, then fit new ones. At least I now know where the racket was coming from. The old bearings were 100% shot...
Been there, done that (about 20 years ago with a 10yr old Hotpoint it lasted another 6+ years after that)
Now you know why engineers usually just tell you "it's knackered - you need a new one..."
If I'd had to pay a bloke to do the job I wouldn't have gone down that route. It would have been off to the recyclers. But, given that it's done sterling service, with bugger all of significance wrong over the years (I even think the motor is still on its original brushes), I sort of felt an obligation to help it get over the bearing pain. It's a bit like the loyalty you feel for an ageing and increasingly infirm dog.
I note that all the major parts are available second hand, so maybe a respray of the slightly tatty front panel is called for. This thing will see me out at this rate!
Mind you, I'm about to drag it back into the kitchen and try a quick wash, with old towels and mops at the ready. If this goes badly, I have the choice of pulling the front of the drum off and fitting a new seal, or calling it quits and having the old dog put to sleep.
EDIT: I can report nary a drop of water left the drum in an unauthorised manner, and I did 2 quick washes while I watched it. Phew, I haven't got to change that drum seal. Even better, I only ended up with 1 screw left when I'd put the casing back together.
