Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

[rp53]

This plastic cover at the back of the (inside) drum was mangled and torn off by a pair of tights! I have managed to find a replacement part…but I cannot budge the phillips head screw that holds it on. Is it left hand thread? After various screwdrivers I tried a Yankee driver for some good power and actually snapped the teeth off the end of the driver bit! So far I haven’t mangled the screw head, but getting worried I might. Any help appreciated.

[Washman]

Re: Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

Hi

The model number would help people to solve your problem.

Washman

[rp53]

Re: Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

Ah of course, sorry about that…
It is a NA-148VA2
Hop that helps

[Seamy]

Re: Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

I think from memory theres a cap in centre that needs lifted off by a flat blade screwdriver, then a philips screw, holding the plastic cover in place covering 6 x 13mm bolts that hold drum to spider.

Give it some welly.

[rp53]

Re: Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

Thanks all for looking.
After breaking the tips off four impact driver bits, gave up in the end and called for a Panasonic Service guy from Panasonic’s support site. He came round on Weds, took one look and said no point trying, the machine is scrap. He said its a common problem and that nothing will budge that screw – their service engineers had tried everything and never managed to get one out. It seems it is a design flaw that the drum bolt heads (needing a cover) are inside the drum. Machine is just 4 years old – was not a cheap washer by anyone’s standards, so I am going to take this up with Panasonic. Probably won’t get anywhere, but worth a try I guess.

[Andy jones]

Re: Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

Got the same machine myself. As a temporary measure about 6 months ago I drilled the new cap so it would fit over the fixing bolt and sealed it in place. Worked fine since, I wouldn’t do this for a customer though

[rp53]

Re: Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

Great minds think alike. I trimmed the cover so it would fit flat on the back of the machine, roughed area up a little with some sandpaper and glued it in with Araldite. Put the little screw cover cap back on and so far so good – three washes and it is still stuck fast. If it comes off I will try again with full Araldite (only had Araldite Rapid to hand).

[Seamy]

Re: Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

rp53 wrote:Thanks all for looking.
He said its a common problem and that nothing will budge that screw – their service engineers had tried everything and never managed to get one out. It seems it is a design flaw that the drum bolt heads (needing a cover) are inside the drum. Machine is just 4 years old – was not a cheap washer by anyone’s standards, so I am going to take this up with Panasonic. Probably won’t get anywhere, but worth a try I guess.

I’ve been doing these machines & not had problems getting them undone!

Do you happen to have a 5 year warranty, if so, then its there problem to solve.

[rp53]

Re: Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

Unfortunately didn’t opt for the extended warranty – just two years – so well out of warranty. Always the way I guess – bought a tumble drier at the same time which came with six year warranty.

[Andy jones]

Re: Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

Just had another one exactly the same. Impact screwdriver won’t shift it. What a pile of c**p

[suedehead1]

Re: Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

I spent ages trying to get one of these philps screws out, but no joy I tried both clockwise and anticlockwise even put the vice grips on it but it wont move,
its a ridiculous idea.

[Trilobite]

Re: Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

When I tried to remove that cover screw on my machine, the tip of my Stanley screwdriver snapped clean off. I read on the internet, that someone else had the same trouble.

Some folk, apparently, have successfully removed it with an ‘impact driver’.

It is a daft set up – and I was daft to buy that washing machine in the first place.

[marxfer]

Re: Panasonic drum bolts plastic cover

Andy jones wrote:Got the same machine myself. As a temporary measure about 6 months ago I drilled the new cap so it would fit over the fixing bolt and sealed it in place. Worked fine since, I wouldn’t do this for a customer though

What sealant did you use? Did you cover outer edge circle and the one around the screw with sealant?

[Author]

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