Sealed drum washing machines.

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Venod

Eh up
Location
Yorkshire
My sons washer packed in the other day, he sent me a video and I said it sounds like the drum bearings, he has four children so just bought a new one as he couldn't wait for me to sort it for him.
He dropped the old machine at our house, so I dismantled it hoping to change the bearings, only to discover it is a sealed drum so the bearings are not designed to be changed, but it is possible with a bit of effort, splitting the outer drum with a cutting disc, then glueing it back together, but after splitting it the damage was too much to repair, the front bearing had collapsed and damaged the shaft beyond repair.
But what a stupid idea more waste more recycling that wouldn't be required if it was repairable, all to cut costs and make more profit for the manufactures, things should be made more repairable nowadays not less.
 
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Deleted member 26715

Guest
Never heard of a completely sealed drum before, the ones I have seen have 2 plastic halves bolted together with a rubber seal, I took a washer out for a relative this evening, they are both in their 80's & didn't want a plumber (if they could get one) in the house if the plumber had been in other peoples as well. So I went over & disconnected it, took it outside for when the new one gets delivered the could take away the old one. It was a Zanussi, I said I could take it away & replace the bearing for them, but they said they wanted a new one, I did think about bring it away & repairing it, but whats a 2nd hand washer worth, probably less than the cost ot the bearings & seals.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
The bearings would probably cost about £30 for the pair. Just don't buy them from any appliance repair shop.
 

Cletus Van Damme

Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
It's just the way of the world, really bad for the environment. When I got a new washing machine after suffering a similar thing that your son has, I researched it and bought a Bosch WAN series machine as recommended on UK Whitegoods, these are one of the few models that have replaceable drum bearings, it was a couple of hundred quid more than a basic sealed drum machine. The machine has been an utter piece of sh1t, repaired twice with door interlock problems, still not right and they don't want to know. So in hindsight I'd just buy a Beko, better than a Bosch, which in my humble opinion are nothing like as good as they used to be, just Chinese crap, with German branding on it. They used to make decent stuff, but the washing machine and dishwasher I got, are nothing like the quality they used to be.

Just get a Beko, or sell a kidney and get a Miele. I think I'd personally get the cheaper option, it'll have a sealed drum, but I'd be wary if Miele are as good as they used to be, considering the premium they command..
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
^^^^^ I'll second that. Our Bosch built-in fridge freezer conked out two weeks outside it's 24 month warranty. The compressor had packed up and the engineer said it was "beyond economical repair". £450 out of the window.
 

Smudge

Veteran
Location
Somerset
It's just the way of the world, really bad for the environment. When I got a new washing machine after suffering a similar thing that your son has, I researched it and bought a Bosch WAN series machine as recommended on UK Whitegoods, these are one of the few models that have replaceable drum bearings, it was a couple of hundred quid more than a basic sealed drum machine. The machine has been an utter piece of sh1t, repaired twice with door interlock problems, still not right and they don't want to know. So in hindsight I'd just buy a Beko, better than a Bosch, which in my humble opinion are nothing like as good as they used to be, just Chinese crap, with German branding on it. They used to make decent stuff, but the washing machine and dishwasher I got, are nothing like the quality they used to be.

Just get a Beko, or sell a kidney and get a Miele. I think I'd personally get the cheaper option, it'll have a sealed drum, but I'd be wary if Miele are as good as they used to be, considering the premium they command..

My last washing machine was a Beko, it cost me £200 in a sale and lasted 6 years. It didn't even stop stop working, just started making a dodgy noise and i didn't trust it not to break down altogether. So i replaced it with another cheap washer that is still going years later.
I dont trust expensive white goods anymore, they can be just as cheaply made as inexpensive models.
 
OP
OP
Venod

Venod

Eh up
Location
Yorkshire
We have had Bosch, I was a big fan, but as pointed out they are not what they used to be, we have a Bosch dishwasher that I have repaired a few times.
We have a Miele washing machine which has been fine so far, but are they worth the price paid? time will tell.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Never mind washing machines being designed to be un-repairable and its terrible effect on the environment. Look at the number of people who update their mobile phones annually for no other reason that it's no longer the latest must-have model. Ravaging the planet for the rare-earth minerals to make these mobile devices is about the most environmentally damaging extraction process known to man. The irony of this behaviour is that many of the folk who think nothing of needlessly upgrading electronic devices will post there and complain about appliances than can't be repaired and its terrible effect on the environment... (present environmentally conscious company excepted)
 
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Deleted member 26715

Guest
Ours currently is a Fagor, normally a washer lasts us around 3-4 years, then whatever breaks is usually so expensive it's cheaper to buy another one, this one has lasted 7 years, but the bearings went between Christmas & New Year, the bearings were easy to get the hard part was the seal in front of the bearings, luckily the firm that runs the whitegoods website managed to get us one from Spain, whilst the motor was out I replaced the motor brushes as well.
 

Levo-Lon

Guru
Most horrible noises on a washing machine are the recirculating pumps.
These can often be cleaned out or replaced easily DIY.

I changed a few with our 2 LG washers over a 15 year period.
Never had motor or electronic failures.

Average cost of the pumps was around £25_£40 , 30mins to an hr to fit.

We have a Samsung now, but it will no doubt last about 7-10 yr if we're lucky
 
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Deleted member 26715

Guest
They don't fail as such ,just make a horrible noise
Yeah understand, it's just not a fault I've had, my wife is a hairdresser & she washes a lot of towels, I think she probably overloads it quite regularly so the bearings go first, or the circuit board gets overloaded before we ever wear out a pump :laugh:
 
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