Hotpoint 9605 Agitator spindle removal

[asambrook]

I’m in the middle of replacing the bearings on my trusty 1994 Hotpoint 9605W top loader.

I’m struggling to get the agitator spindle off. The agitator itself comes off fine once you unscrew the platic top by hand and the top hat nut came off ok as did the small rubber washer underneath that. What I can’t figure out is how the agitator spindle itself comes off – anyone know if it unscrews or just pulls off a splined shaft?

I’ve tried a puller and also tapping the spindle anti-clockwise with a hammer but don’t want to use too much force using either of these methods until I’m certain as to how it actually comes off!

Any help very much appreciated 🙂

[iadom]

Re: Hotpoint 9605 Agitator spindle removal

If you mean the gyrator/agitator tripod then you need lots of heat (blowlamp) and a special three claw extractor. Even if using all of the correct tools there is a very strong possibility the tripod will just break. The tripod just pulls off but if you are not careful you may also damage the very top of the threaded shaft making refitting of the top hat nut impossible.

If you have not yet removed the tripod then I would have to say that you are no where near the ‘middle’ of replacing the bearing ( there is only one BTW)

The main bearing on these never, ever fails on its own. It is always damaged by either a leaking pump spraying water over the bearing or leaks from the various seals under the inner drum, tripod and drum support tube.

Unless you live in a very hard water area or the power unit ( gearbox) has been changed in the past then the condition of the support tube would be a concern. It is likely to have corroded badly at the top and has been obsolete for many years now.

[ConnorM]

Re: Hotpoint 9605 Agitator spindle removal

Hi asambrook,

If you are still attempting this drop a note on this thread.

There is some truth in what iadom says, but you and I know how emotionally attached users of these machines can be. That means we are likely to go the extra mile and find new ways of servicing them / keeping them going.

iadom is certainly right when he says that removal of the agitatot is nowhere near bearing replacement.

However he is too negative on tripod removal. The nut that holds this down is indeed glue-locked, but you don’t need a blow-torch to remove it. Just microwave a quarter of an egg-cup-full of cooking oil (not too long – the oil will catch fire if you overdo it!!) and pour in the threaded hole in the top of the tripod retaining nut. Leave for 20 secs. That wil be enough to soften the glue.

BUT before you do this, ask yourself what makes you believ ethe main agitator bearing needs replacing. Try rotarting the drum by hand – a tenth of a turn one way then ‘tother. Other than inertia, is there any resistance? Are there any noises? If not, it is likely your bearing is fine. I have a 20 year old machine that I stripped right down – even taking the gearbox apart – in search of a “noise”. In the end it was in the place of highest wear : the motor.

Anyhow, said enough to somebody who might not want to know anymore for now! 🙂

[Martin]

Re: Hotpoint 9605 Agitator spindle removal

ConnorM wrote:However he is too negative on tripod removal. The nut that holds this down is indeed glue-locked,

Absolutely not glued in at all, just tightly compressed onto the ‘cork’ sealing gasket.

ConnorM wrote:but you don’t need a blow-torch to remove it. Just microwave a quarter of an egg-cup-full of cooking oil (not too long – the oil will catch fire if you overdo it!!) and pour in the threaded hole in the top of the tripod retaining nut. Leave for 20 secs. That wil be enough to soften the glue.

I’ve never heard of this somewhat quirky method before, I must admit. All very interesting though it is the guy has already stated that he has removed what we call in the trade ‘the special nut’ anyway! His concern is NOT the nut but simply extracting the tripod. Now, as my colleague iadom correctly points out, in order this tripod be removed requires the combined effort of a 3 claw extractor PLUS the use of a gas blowtorch in order the tripod be removed.

The tripod incidentally, is not glued in place either. The reason it is difficult to remove is by the simple fact that it is made of an aluminium alloy compound that is placed over a mild steel shaft. During its lifetime the aluminium corrodes due to its exposure to water and detergent solution. And in order it be easily extracted from the shaft both balanced tension AND heat are required. The heat so important in allowing the material to expand (quicker than the steel shaft) enabling the rusted corrosive bond to break, and the extractor to lift the tripod clear and away!

That for the most part is the easy bit. Removing the aluminium bowl support from the shaft is even more tricky. Often requiring a good soak of WD40 in order the 2 bolts and clamp plate be removed and the bowl support lifted clear. Allowing access to the outer tub bellows seal. All of which requires firstly the removal of the tub bolts, the majority of which will simply break off in the process.

Nevertheless, having got to that stage anyway it will be almost certain the bowl support itself will need replacing as that more often than not is the reason the water leaks down the drive shaft in the first place. Due entirely to a worn out and corroded carbon faced seal and notwithstanding the bellows seal to which it is seated will also be worn and the rubber perished…..and so on.

[iadom]

Re: Hotpoint 9605 Agitator spindle removal

ConnorM wrote:

However he is too negative on tripod removal.

On the contrary, not negative at all, just speaking from over 42 years experience. 😉

As Martin has already pointed out, I am referring to removal of the tripod, not the small ‘special nut’ above it. Never had a problem just unscrewing those.

Over the years I have seen tripods that would lift off by hand and others that no matter how much heat was applied would not budge, so much so that the special 3 claw extractor actually breaks a leg of the tripod before it will move.

I have then removed the other two legs, ripped out the large rubber top hat seal under the tripod, broken the ceramic seal from the top of the top hat seal and just about managed to get the jaws of my three claw extractor under what is left of the tripod to remove it. You also need to place a small nut on top of the gearbox shaft or else the point of the extractor will quickly damage the end of the threaded shaft.

So you see I have in the past removed tripods that I am certain would have defeated you, no matter how much microwaved oil you put on them. :rolls:

[ConnorM]

Re: Hotpoint 9605 Agitator spindle removal

Either of you care to advise on how to replace the multi-kinked bearing centraliser that stabilises the inner motor bearing? 😉

[iadom]

Re: Hotpoint 9605 Agitator spindle removal

Never had to replace one. However to ‘refit’ one you need to place it on the shaft, position the bearing above it and then use a suitable tube drift to carefully knock the bearing over the shim. The drift has to make contact with either the whole of the bearing or just the inner core of the bearing.

Unless you are talking about the thin wire type retainer used on some motors that slots into a small groove in the motor casting. In that case it is a bit fiddly but can be done with care and a thin bladed screwedriver.

A similar but much larger crimped shim is used on the main gearbox bearing, we had a very large tube that fitted snugly over the gearbox shaft to hammer the main bearing back into place, supplied by Hotpoint as a special tool.
I still have mine although I haven’t used it in anger for many years. 😥

PS. I/we would call the bearings upper and lower. 🙂

[ConnorM]

Re: Hotpoint 9605 Agitator spindle removal

iadom wrote:Unless you are talking about the thin wire type retainer used on some motors that slots into a small groove in the motor casting. In that case it is a bit fiddly but can be done with care and a thin bladed screwedriver.

The angle of attack makes that, as you say, fiddly. You can chase that thing around its groove all day.

iadom wrote:A similar but much larger crimped shim is used on the main gearbox bearing,

The main gearbox bearing? Where is that?

[asambrook]

Re: Hotpoint 9605 Agitator spindle removal

Thanks for all the replies chaps.

Unfortunately the tripod would not budge, even after some serious heating up with the blowlamp and use of a three legged puller: it took a LOT of pressure from the puller before it started to disintegrate wherever I tried to place the jaws, even pulling from the “narrow very bottom” of the tripod. Eventually a leg did snap off the tripod and I couldn’t get hold of another.

My beloved 9605 has now gone to the great scrapyard in the sky 🙁

The motor was at one point making a horrible screeching noise but this was solved by replacing the bearings in the motor fan earlier on.

There was a great deal of exess movement in the spindle and you could feel the bearing grating as you turned the spindle, the motor was beautifully quiet when run without being connected to the gearbox and there was no evidence of water having leaked through the seal into the gearbox.

I was very attached to the 9605 and it washed clothes brilliantly. Very sorry it had to go.

Now have a Hotpoint AQ9D 692 U which is pretty good but I doubt it’ll outlast my old “industrial strength” Hotpoint 9605.

Good to see all the replies and discussion going though – keep it up as I’m sure it will help someone to keep their machine going – maybe then they’ll sell it eventually to me! 🙂

[iadom]

Re: Hotpoint 9605 Agitator spindle removal

ConnorM wrote:

The main gearbox bearing? Where is that?

I mean the large central bearing used when the machine spins, it sits directly on top of the gearbox on the central shaft. We also had a large metal collar to enable us to prise the old bearing off the gearbox as well.

Sadly asambrook, your new ‘Hotpoint’ is actually a 100{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} Indesit machine, totally sealed drum, dodgy electronics, the lot. If it lasts a 10th of the time your real Hotpoint did you will have done well. 😥

TBH, we didn’t think much of the 9605 either, not a patch on the earlier Hotpoint 1502 with the Controls Company timer, large 4 pole motor, brass counterface seal etc. I had one of those still going at 37 years old, that was a while back though.

[ConnorM]

Re: Hotpoint 9605 Agitator spindle removal

asambrook wrote:My beloved 9605 has now gone to the great scrapyard in the sky 🙁 …

..the motor was beautifully quiet when run without being connected to the gearbox …

.. Very sorry it had to go.

Me too. I’d have had that motor of your! 😆

Indeed, I’d have had your agitator (and its retaining spindle, plus your fluff filter). Damn tripod is wearing my agitator to the extent that it will undoubtedly either ground the agitator against the drum, or cut the poor agitator radially in two! :eeek:

I notice spare agitators have holes in them, ~ half way up, presumably to reduce the achimedian upthrust. I’m sure we’re all aware how the grey agitator retaining spindle can come undone during a cycle when the plastic knob’s locking ‘teeth’ get worn away over time. I’m guessing the tendency to unscrew the spindle is increased early in the cycle whilst air remains trapped inder the agitators cone. Anybody have a workaround to fix that problem?

iadom wrote:

ConnorM wrote:

The main gearbox bearing? Where is that?

I mean the large central bearing used when the machine spins, it sits directly on top of the gearbox on the central shaft.

That’d be the one the entire drum / gearbox assemble hang off / sit on, depending on your perspective, right?

With regards to the upper motor bearing, the centralising clip is most easily removed by taking a drill bit of size equal to the width of the groove in which the clip sits and drilling straight through the bearing housing from the outside. Flips the thing out in seconds. Or course, you have to centre-punch the hole pretty precisely, but other than that it’s immediate and definite.

[Author]

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