Hotpoint Tub top weight fixings – beware

[andy_art_trigg]

I’ve seen dozens of loose top tub weights on the latest Hotpoint washing machines come loose. If you try to tighten them again the fixing that the overgrown self tapping bolts screw into almost always break. Yesterday I replaced the entire tub and drum complete because the original’s top weight fixings had broken.

After just over an hour of solid work I had only the motor to fit and the top weight. You guessed it – as I gingerly tightened down the top weight bolts – CRACK! The new tub fixing bust.

I hadn’t even got to the point where the bolt reaches the bottom and you give a further quarter or half a turn. It just bust.

You may not replace many, especially if chargeable, but if you get one where the weight is “just” loose, there’s a good chance tightening it will bust the fixing.

[dpm]

Slightly undersize hole? perhaps a trace of grease on the threads would help…

[andy_art_trigg]

Re: Hotpoint Tub top weight fixings – beware

I think it’s a fault, I suspect the plastic just isn’t strong enough. The problem with grease is that the bolts come loose, greasing would possibly make it more likely. The problem is basically down to the unworkable idea of screwing bolts that hold a fair bit of weight into plastic. They need to use metal inserts to screw into.

[Phidom]

Re: Hotpoint Tub top weight fixings – beware

The correct way to attach concrete to plastic was exactly what Hotpoint used on the earlier models. I suppose they were finding the machines lasted too long…..

[eastlmark]

Re: Hotpoint Tub top weight fixings – beware

A torque wrench was supplied to all hotpoint engineers when the WMA was launched and the recommended torque’s are listed in the manual. Never had one break myself though and, no I dont carry a torque wrench.

[andy_art_trigg]

Re: Hotpoint Tub top weight fixings – beware

I am certain a torque wrench wouldn’t have helped here as it hadn’t even reached the nipping up stage and I only used a quarter inch socket set with handle about 6 inches to I have to put effort in to get any real leverage. A torque wrench would be nice though.

[washtec]

I have never had a wma counter weight, break or work loose, although I dont like the fixing method…The first time Hotpoint used these bolts was to fix drum supports on some of the models, they came with the 1600066 kit, and there was a note inside saying that they could only be used once only and must be disgarded if tightened up and then removed, however I fear that this had more to do with the plate that it fixed into rather than the bolt itself.

[Author]

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