changing drum bearing on zanussi aquacycle 1000?

Attach a philips head to your cordless drill. Set the drill on hammer. Remove screws from back and side of machine, while scraping the paint work because of the hammer setting. Switch off the hammer setting. Use a pair of vice grips and peel the back off the machine. You can straighten this later with a sledge and bolster. Hacksaw the 17 bolts from the drum and split with a chisel and hammer. You can use silicone later during re-assembly. Find the berring (doesn't matter which one. Probably the first one you see) and beat it out of it's housing with a chisel and lump hammer. Inspect for damage. Dispose of if loose. Take replacement bearing (preferably second hand cause they're cheap) and try replacing it into housing. If it is too big use your 4in grinder and grind off any access metal from the circumference (be safe and where your muffs). If you have over shot with the grinder or if the bearing was too small to start with you can use silicone to fill in the spaces. It is a good anti-vibration substance and is strong too. Put the two halfs of your drum the gether again with silicone and to be doubley secure, apply gaffer tape with a little grease to waterproof it. Re-assemble your unit and your good to go.

Joe Deacan
January 2017

Can answer for a Zanussi FJS 1425 W.

Take the back off the machine - 5 bolts at back, two on sides.
Take whole drum assembly out of the machine, having taken the water connections of the various points. Make sure you squeeze the front of the white pins which hold the shock absorber onto the drum, whilst pulling from behind. They slide out intact. CAREFULLY remove springs from top of body, supporting the drum assembly.
Remove the drive belt (slide off wheel) and the motor - undo the bolts and slide it toward front of machine off the mounting lugs.

Once out, remove the drive wheel at the back from the spider shaft, (Allen key and a long pole), remove the 17 bolts from the two halves of the drum and then examine the rear bearing. Two balls completely vanished, race shot on mine.
Drift the spider shaft out of the bearings and then remove the spider from the inner drum. (Drift = large hammer + copper shaft + lots of sweat).
Remove the back bearing from the rear of the outer drum.
Check that play on inner drum was not enough to allow damage to the outer drum from the inner drum.
£30 for new bearings, £50 for a new spider and shaft.
Reassemble the bearings, (tap in carefully, should be a gentle snug fit) making sure the mounting points are clean and rust free. Cover the shaft between bearings with grease (and the new seal too).Use some silicon grease on the seal between the two halves and carefully reassemble.
17 bolts back on the drum, replace drum into machine. Connect hoses and locate all springs etc.

Couple of hours work. £80 and some sweat. Few cuts and a few beers afterwards.

ChemicalEngineer
September 2006