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Re: AW23 soap hose
If the drum is twisted slightly, I take it is this not noticable from looking through the door and to check the gasket is sitting right?
Preventative measures will have to remove the lid on every install.
Re: AW23 soap hose
It won’t look very good, taking off the lower panel and then removing the lid and attacking the rear spring on a brand new machine with the punter looking over your shoulder. :rolls:
Jim.
Re: AW23 soap hose
You only have to remove lid at this point :rolls:
from here you can see if all is ok and drum square hose too close to tub.
and if they ask you can always bull s**t and say your checking for transit packaging, they wont have a clue.
It will save an even more embarrassment when you have to go back in a few months to replace a split hose / rusty suspension and clear up a leak, doesnt look good for you or appliance reputation 😳
its only a thought 😉
Steven
Re: AW23 soap hose
When I’ve got 5 minutes I’ll post the photo sequence with the demo machine. I’m flat out here……. 8)
With the transit straps removed the top spring at rest measures 40mm from end to end (the wound centre piece; not loop to loop). Unhook the spring from the back of the machine, feed the loop over a screwdriver and with both hands pull upwards to stretch.
I have tested this in several positions and 55mm is the best length for the tub to be clear of the offending joint. This neither distorts the door gasket or causes balance issues. Maybe take a ready stretched spring and swap it as you remove the transit bolts? Keep the displaced one for another day. 😉The reason for this is unfortunately the original design. The rear suspension rod on the right of the machine (the side with 2 units) is fitted to the tub at a different height than its front counterpart, although the rods are the same length. When the transit bolts are removed, the spring pulls the drum backwards. The suspension, being in effect, shorter at the back causes the whole drum to lean backwards, pulling the suspension out of upright. The larger left side unit doesn’t however move back at the same rate as it is mounted centrally, so it acts as a pivot point. This can cause twisting and the tub to rise up on the soap drawer side with the inevitable result. By releasing the tension on the spring, the tub can move forward slightly in the body frame, altering the position of the tub joint which is now moved to distance of at least 13mm clearance from any point of contact with the hose. Full, half full, empty, it makes no difference.
As the suspension units are forced to lean back due to the tub’s natural centre of gravity, the rubber sockets at the top and bottom of the suspension units are distorted in their otherwise upright location holes. This means the suspension not only moves up and down but back and forth in an arc, giving the rise and fall that results in soap hose damage. Not well thought out, that one. Anyone who has removed a suspension unit will observe that there is a compression line at an angle on the side of the rubber bush where it has been twisted in its mounting hole. The rear spring encourages this; centrifugal force on spin will accentuate the rearward lean. Ideally, the suspension rod at the rear needs to be lenghtened to eradicate the fault. If you want the tub to incline, you mould the tub so that the drum is inclined within an otherwise upright tub unit. That would be the ultimate fix.
I have built a demo machine with cutaway sections (like the Haynes manuals) but it is a fully working AW23. When you see that working on spin in original unmodified condition, then it beggars belief that this was not noticed or the suspension deflection range plotted at the design stage. Hey ho…….:rolls:
The machine is available if you want it Ken, with 40 and 55mm springs for proving. Shame we have to do this though. I have had 5 hose failures to date with 1 flooded laundry room, 1 taking out the suspension unit below and one flooding the motor and frazzing the PCB. Embarrassing!
Hope this is of use to everyone and when I figure out how to blog this with pictures, then I’ll post it for your delectation.
Steve.
Re: AW23 soap hose
Good work on both your parts john and steve for doing the leg work.
Cant wait to see your demo machine 😆
Is this something we should report back to Amica on for them to look into?
I must confess I have sold a fair few AW23 and loads of Amicas and touch wood not had an issue. (should not have said that)!!
That is why i said need to check the production code to see if there is a pattern emerging?
Steven
Re: AW23 soap hose
I have got to call back to the machine I installed on Tuesday, customer getting a little confused about starting the machine. I will go armed with a ‘modified’ rear spring. 😉
Jim.
Re: AW23 soap hose
Hi Guys, I too have had a few of these rubbed through hoses. Since reading the fix, with the spring, I have been to three machines with this problem and have to say that stretching the spring does work. However it is easy to over stretch it 🙁 . Might be worth having a stock of spare springs 💡 ?
Alan
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