How to replace the shipping bolts on a washing machine

The washing machine manual states that the transport bolts removed during installation should be retained for the entire life of the appliance. However, few owners follow this recommendation. When the need arises to transport the washing machine, the question arises: how to secure the drum without compromising the integrity of the tank and the appliance itself. In such a situation, it's important to know how to replace the transport bolts if they've long been lost or discarded.

Selecting replacement fasteners

You can purchase fasteners separately at specialty stores, but they're quite expensive, and considering they'll only be needed once, washing machine owners don't see much point in buying them. This begs the question: what can replace the shipping bolts, and where can you find them? Experts suggest as an alternative a confirmat screw measuring 6.3*50 or longer with a blunt tip and a countersunk head for a hex key. This is a standard bolt found in almost all modern furniture. It can be removed "temporarily" and then returned to its proper place in the house after transporting the washing machine.

In addition to the bolt, you'll also need washers of the appropriate size. If you don't have suitable washers, regular plastic bottle caps can easily be substituted. First, you'll need to make small holes in them with a knife to insert the screw. These homemade fasteners have several advantages:

• They are found in almost every home, and if you don’t have them, then buying them or borrowing them from friends won’t be difficult;
• The presence of a blunt tip reduces the risk of damaging the drum when screwing in carelessly;
• The length and strength of the screw are sufficient to securely fix the tank while the car is moving on any road.

The screws must be screwed in very carefully and attentively so that they fit precisely into the technological holes of the tank.

If the bolt fails to engage, the tank will remain loose, causing damage to the tank itself, the washing machine body, and adjacent appliance components. There is also a risk of puncturing the tank body itself.

Why use bolts?

Transporting a washing machine is more challenging than other household appliances. Simply packing the appliance in a box or padding it with soft materials isn't enough – the washing machine's drum, located inside the unit, must be securely fastened. This is why special bolts are needed to ensure the machine's interior, which is usually suspended, is securely fastened. Due to its lack of rigidity during movement, the drum can collide with nearby mechanisms, leading to damage to the drum itself, the appliance's body, and damage to parts and components, even to complete failure. Using fasteners prevents such unpleasant consequences during transportation.

The fasteners used in washing machines are a standard, typical size. They are elongated screws with a metal spiral rod, housed in a plastic or rubber plug. Therefore, with a little ingenuity, replacing the shipping bolts with improvised means is easy.

   

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