How to replace a bearing in a Bosch washing machine

You can't miss the moment when a bearing fails in your Bosch washing machine. While it's best to detect the problem earlier, when the machine starts making a monstrous noise during a wash cycle, it's essential to stop it immediately and begin repairs.

Replacing a bearing in a Bosch washing machine can be done by yourself without the help of a specialist. However, be prepared to ask someone in the household for short-term help, as some stages of the repair are difficult to do alone. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Let's prepare for repairs

If you're planning to replace a bearing on a Bosch washing machine, you need to thoroughly prepare for such a major repair first, so you don't have to run around searching for missing tools or materials later. Let's start by preparing the washing machine itself. We disconnect the power cord from the electrical network, turn off the water, and then unscrew the inlet hose. We disconnect the drain hose from the sewer pipe and drag the washing machine to a place where it will be convenient to disassemble it.

It's best to have as much space as possible around the washing machine you're disassembling; this will make the work go much faster and the disassembly itself more convenient.

Let's leave the washing machine alone for now and start looking for tools. Incidentally, you'll need quite a few, but all of them, with a few exceptions, are simple. They're fairly easy to find; some are readily available, others you'll need to fetch from the garage or shed, and some you might even need to borrow from a neighbor.

1. Star, flat, shaped, sharp screwdriver.
2. Needle-nose pliers, combination pliers (large and small).
3. A mallet with rubber and copper striking parts.
4. Hammer.
5. Sockets from 8 to 32 mm with end ratchet.
6. An awl and an unnecessary 16 mm bolt (it will need to be damaged a little).
7. Bearing removal tool (puller).
8. Universal lubricant WD-40.
9. Silicone or other sealant for additional gluing of the tank halves.

Once you've gathered your tools, you need to purchase the right bearings. Buying bearings for a Bosch washing machine is easy. Go to a store that specializes in washing machine parts, tell them the model number of your Bosch washing machine, and the salesperson will select or order the appropriate bearings for you.

You can do the same by chatting with an online consultant on a website selling washing machine parts. There's just one drawback: you won't receive the bearings right away, but rather some time later.

Disassembling the machine

Now that we've gathered everything we need for the repair, let's begin disassembling the Bosch washing machine. Let's walk through the disassembly process step by step so you don't miss anything when you study it later.

• We unscrew two screws and remove the top cover of the Bosch washing machine, then take out the powder dispenser and put it aside.
• Open the washing machine door as wide as possible and then remove the seal. This can be tricky, so please read the article first. How to remove a washing machine door seal, everything is described there in detail.
  
• We unscrew the fastener that holds the hatch locking device, but there is no need to remove the device itself; we only need to disconnect the wire that is connected to it.
• Unscrew the screws holding the front panel of the Bosch washing machine. One screw is located near the powder drawer opening, one near the dust filter, and one in the lower left corner of the front of the machine—three in total.
• Remove the filler block along with the hoses. Remove it carefully to avoid damaging the plastic parts.
• We unscrew the two screws located to the right and left of the dispenser hole, pry up the control panel with a flat-head screwdriver, carefully unclip the plastic fasteners and remove the panel.

The Bosch washing machine's control panel has quite a few wires, so there's no need to disconnect them. We'll hang the control panel on the wire bundles and let it hang along the side of the machine, letting it hang freely.

• Lay the washing machine on its side and access the drain hose from the bottom. Remove the clamp and then pull off the hose itself.
• We unscrew the shock absorbers, thus freeing the tank of the Bosch washing machine, and remove the drive belt.
• Place the machine back on its feet and remove the pressure switch. Remove the hose from the pressure switch very carefully to avoid damaging the fragile tube.
• We unscrew the back wall, remove the engine, and disconnect the wires from the heating element.
  
• We unscrew the crossbar so that it does not interfere with us pulling the tank out through the top.
• Now, with the help of a family member, we pull the springs off and pull the tank, drum, and counterweight out through the top. We could first unscrew and remove the counterweight and then pull out the tank and drum, but unscrewing it is incredibly awkward (some screws are difficult to access), so we'll skip this thankless task.

We're approaching the finish line. We unscrew the bolt that holds the pulley in place. If it doesn't come off right away, soak it with grease. WD-40. We unscrew all the bolts holding the Bosch washing machine's drum halves together and disassemble the drum. We remove the rear drum section along with the bearings from the drum shaft. Now that we've completed disassembling the washing machine, we're ready to begin replacing the bearings in the Bosch washing machine.

Do-it-yourself repairs

Replacing the bearing at this stage is easy. First, carefully pry out the old bearings and thoroughly clean the area where the new ones will be installed. If you can't pry them out right away, arm yourself with a drift and hammer and start tapping them out.

Remember! You need to knock out the bearing from the outside of the tank inward.

Clean the bearing seat thoroughly. No burrs, chips, or dirt should remain. Drive the new bearings into place, remembering to add grease and install the retaining ring. Exercise caution when installing the new bearings. Do not hit the new bearing directly with a hammer; if you need to hit it hard, use a rubber mallet. Once the bearings are installed, you can assemble the Bosch washing machine and conduct tests.

In conclusion, replacing bearings in a Bosch washing machine is almost the same as in other brands. There are a few minor details to consider when disassembling, but these are minor ones. Wishing you a successful repair.

   

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