How to repair an Indesit washing machine shock absorber

Buying new spare parts for home appliances can put a serious strain on the family budget, so many users try to repair key components of their appliances themselves. Repairing the shock absorbers on an Indesit washing machine is a process that can easily be handled at home without calling a specialist, provided you know the proper steps. We'll show you how to quickly and efficiently fix a problem with the shock absorber assembly, saving you the expense of buying new parts.

Let's take a look at the detail first

To repair shock absorbers yourself, you need to have a good understanding of these parts. Unlike washing machines from many other brands, Indesit machines are equipped with dampers rather than shock absorbers. They consist of a plastic cylinder, a small metal rod, two bushings attached to the cylinder and rod, and a special gasket that acts as a piston. Most often, the gasket needs to be replaced, as it wears rapidly during the operation of the washing machine, eventually losing its properties completely. This occurs even if lubricant remains inside the cylinder, creating additional friction.

The problem with a faulty gasket is that once it deforms, the damper begins to operate without the piston, meaning the piston rod is no longer held in the cylinder, begins to move rapidly within it, and sometimes even ejects. Let's consider a hypothetical situation where the gasket has already begun to deteriorate, but still performs some of its functions, so the piston rod cannot yet eject from the cylinder.

In this situation, the user should carefully remove the damper and disassemble it to access the piston rod. To do this, simply grasp the piston rod and pull it out of the groove. This is often very easy, as the piston rod loses resistance and can be easily removed from its seat.

If your automatic washing machine model has a plastic cover with a screw thread installed on the rods to prevent the element from falling out of the cylinder, you must first remove it so that it does not interfere with the removal of the element.

If you can't remove the piston rod with your bare hands, wrap the cylinder in a small cloth, clamp it in a vice, and then try again. Pull gently, without using force, otherwise you risk damaging the plastic components, which will have to be purchased separately if they become deformed. Once the piston rod is removed, the shock absorber is considered disassembled.

We remove and repair the shock absorber

In this section, we'll examine in detail the process of dismantling the dampers themselves, which should never be delayed if you discover that the shock-absorbing system is faulty. If you simply ignore the problem and leave everything as is, then over time the bearings, as well as the washing machine tank, may suffer. However, if you replace the shock absorbers in time, the risk of this will be reduced to almost zero.

The repair itself is quite simple. Even someone with no experience repairing household appliances can handle it. This is because usually only the deformed gasket needs to be replaced. What should I do to partially disassemble the unit, remove the dampers, and replace the damaged part?

• Disconnect the Indesit washing machine from the power supply, water supply and sewerage system.
• Move the unit away from the wall to allow easy access to all sides.
• Remove the bolts holding the machine cover in place, then remove the top panel and set it aside for now.
• Remove the powder receptacle.
• Carefully remove the control panel.
• Remove the UBL.
• Loosen the clamp on the rubber hatch seal, and then tuck the cuff into the drum.
• Remove the front panel of the CM.
• Remove the dampers.
• Take them apart and examine the gaskets carefully.
• If they need to be replaced, prepare spare parts made of textolite or rubber.
• Install the elements into the mounting location.

It is advisable to take photos of the washing machine after each operation, so that you have examples to hand for correct reassembly of the device.

Unfortunately, simply replacing a gasket isn't always enough to restore the damper's functionality. In this case, replacing only the faulty part isn't enough, so you'll need to purchase two dampers to ensure they evenly dampen the vibrations of your appliance. Replacing just one element will only accelerate the wear of the shock absorber, requiring further repair.

To replace the dampers, you must first remove them from their mounting locations. Depending on the machine, they may be permanently attached to the wash tub or freely detachable. The latter option is preferable, as it only requires removing the front panel of the machine, removing the old dampers, and installing the new ones. However, if the parts cannot be removed without the wash tub, you will have to partially disassemble the machine.

• Disconnect the device from all communications.
• Remove the housing cover, the detergent drawer, the control panel, the upper springs and the front panel.
• Remove all pipes, sensors and devices from the washing tank.
• Carefully remove the reservoir.
• Disconnect the damaged dampers to install new replacement parts in their place.

Don't rush to reassemble the machine after repairing the shock absorber assembly, as you can still examine other key components, such as the bearings, spider, and drain, while the machine is disassembled. This will prevent you from waiting for a component to completely fail, and allow you to inspect and replace it beforehand. If you discover a serious blockage or scale buildup with rust, it's worth using WD-40, a technical lubricant that can help with this and dozens of other unpleasant situations. After this preventative maintenance, all that remains is to reassemble the Indesit washing machine and test its functionality with a test cycle.

Does the shock absorber need repair?

It's not always worth it to immediately start disassembling your "home assistant" and replacing key components, even if you are sure that the dampers are faulty. Just in case, it is better to first check the shock absorbers using a basic test. How to do this?

• Disconnect the machine from the power supply.
• Detach and set aside the housing cover.
• Gently press down on the wash tub with your hands to lower it down about 5 centimeters.
• Raise your hands and see how the tank behaves.

When the shock absorbers are in good condition, they will immediately return the washing machine's drum to its normal position. However, if the drum doesn't immediately return to its normal position, but continues to wobble back and forth, the shock absorbers truly need to be repaired or replaced. This conclusion can be made without any inspections, but based on a number of characteristic signs:

• The machine started to make strange creaking or humming noises while working.
• The CM jumps, especially during the spin stage.

A mandatory step in repair is determining the cause of damage to the shock absorbers. This will help prevent future problems; forewarned is forearmed. Shock absorbers typically suffer for the following reasons:

• Wear and tear due to heavy use of the washing machine.
• Damage due to manufacturing defects, problems during transportation, or user errors during operation of the household appliance.
• Wear of fasteners holding the dampers.

Don't try to repair critically damaged components—it's better not to skimp and buy new shock absorbers right away to ensure the washing machine remains in good working order. Only resort to repairs if shock absorber problems are caused by a damaged gasket or loose mounting.

   

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