Zanussi WDJ1074 bearings shot, but also….

[halftone]

I’ve stripped our ailing WDJ1074 and found the drum bearings and spider need replacement – pretty obvious as it sounded like a skeleton in a jet-powered dustbin on spin, and the drum had 5mm slop.

I’ve changed a lot of bearings in my time on cars and motorcycles, but I’ve never before seen such a mess. The inner bearing was completely broken up, and one ball was worn to a flat hemisphere. Have got them out, now trying to decide what to do.

This machine includes a condenser-type drier which has been more or less not working for some time. Now I have it apart I can see why : the insulated pot-metal steam pickup duct that runs from the door seal to the pump has rotted away to nothing at the seal end. This of course means the pump largely and uselessly sucks air from the interior of the cabinet rather than the drum.

The duct comes in at least 2 sections, and is also split longitiudinally, and covered with foil-covered glassfibre wrap (which is nasty to skin).

The half at the pump end is fine, it’s the drum end that’s knackered.

Why on earth did Zanussi use some cruddy zinc alloy that has turned to powder on exposure to steam?

Is this part available, or do I have to buy a whole pump+duct assembly. Or is my only option to get creative with aluminium sheet, pop rivets and Araldite and repair the rottring OE mess?

The machine has been really good otherwise, so I’m reluctant to consider it BER. Having no money helps, but refusing to be told what to do by a washing machine is another factor. Advice (and parts cost) welcome.

[EDIT]I should have said : if available, how easily? If it means a delay whilst Italians return from the holiday to melt down some Ducati carburettors and make a replacement, we may meanwhile have been suffocated by the stink from teenagers’ washing, now an 8′ pile and growing by 2’/day.

[Penguin45]

Re: Zanussi WDJ1074 bearings shot, but also….

Inlet duct is p/no 1242674-01/5, spares@ukwhitegoods.co.uk will get one for you promptly.

The bearing kit and drum support (you will need a drum support) will be found in the Shop@ facility on the left.

Regards,
Penguin45.

[halftone]

Re: Zanussi WDJ1074 bearings shot, but also….

Thanks for that very quick reply, on a Friday evening too. 🙂

You’re right, I do need a drum support spider thingy, the brass bearing surface is cattled.

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