Repairing the bearing assembly in a washing machine yourself is not an easy task. It is necessary to disassemble almost the entire machine, halve the tank, knock out the old parts and return everything to its place without errors. Anyone who has gone through this test at least once will not want to take risks and repeat everything. You can avoid repeated replacement in the coming years if you immediately install high-quality bearings for your washing machine. It remains to figure out which clips are considered the best and why.
The best components on the mass market
About 75% of components for washing machines are supplied to points of sale from China. However, the Chinese origin of the parts does not mean poor quality - the manufacturing company will be decisive. If the clips are manufactured under license from a well-known brand at a large factory, then the likelihood of purchasing a defective one is low.
It’s another matter when, under the guise of a brand, unscrupulous suppliers sell low-quality counterfeits. Intermediaries buy spare parts from handicraft factories at a bargain price, and then increase the price and resell them as originals. The consumer who suffers is deceived by the high cost and receives unreliable components.
In order not to make a mistake and not to overpay, you need to focus on the manufacturer’s company stamped on the label. The most reliable are:
CX – short for Complex – a leading Polish manufacturer;
SKF is the largest Swedish engineering company (Ariston and Indesit washing machines are equipped with their products);
EBI is an Italian supplier of components for cars and washing machines (actively used in the manufacture of Whirlpool, Bosch, Bauknecht).
Bearings produced by CX, SKF and EBI have proven themselves to be excellent.
When choosing new bearings, you need to pay attention not only to the company, but also to other parameters. A suitable oil seal is also selected separately. Without replacing the rubber seal, repairing the bearing assembly will be useless: the old rubber will let water through and destroy even the highest quality race.
Types of bearings
Bearings differ not only in the manufacturer, but also in the size and type of material used. The last parameter determines the main characteristics of the rings, affecting the price, reliability and wear resistance of the part. There are mainly two types of clips used in washing machines: metal and plastic.
Metal ones are used more often, as they are accessible, easy to manufacture and cost-effective. The bearing is marked as “ZZ”.
Plastic ones are more expensive because they have increased wear resistance due to their two-layer construction. The base of the clip is made of metal, and the outer layer is made of plastic and provides additional protection from dust. Plastic rings are marked "2RS".
Bearings also vary in size: width, inner and outer diameter. It is important to select the rings correctly, since different washing machines use different sized rings. As a rule, you need to focus on the markings. So, the following component numbers are considered the most common:
6201 - the smallest bearing with diameters 12 and 32 and a width of 10 cm;
6202 – the inner diameter of the bearing is 15, the outer diameter is 35, and the width is 11;
6203 – “C” has a circumference of 17 and 40, and a width of 12;
6204 – used in most machines due to its universal parameters: 20, 47 and 14;
6205 – ring with diameters of 25 and 52, while the thickness reaches 15;
6305 - with an internal hole of 25 cm, external - 62, and thickness - 17;
6207 is the largest clip with sizes: 35, 72 and 17.
In some cases, washing machines are equipped with a mono-bearing. The most commonly used is double-row BA2B 633667. It is necessary when repairing some Indesit, Samsung and LG models.
How not to make a mistake when choosing a bearing?
There is no universal bearing - the size range of bearing units varies greatly even within the same manufacturer. In order not to make a mistake when choosing a clip, it is worth checking the quantity, type and size of the ring. There are three ways to find out the data:
carefully study the factory instructions;
“punch” the serial number of the washing machine on the Internet;
dismantle the old bearings and look at the markings.
You can also focus on the brand. Thus, LG and Bosch use metal bearings 6203-6206 and 6305-6306, on Samsung - mainly 6203-6204, less often 6205 and 6206. To repair Beko you will need 6203, 6204 and 6205, for Atlant - only 6204 and 6205. On Ariston more often there are BA2B 306037, and on Vestel and Zanussi - 6203 and 6204. But it’s better to know for sure.
Repairing the bearing assembly in a washing machine yourself is not an easy task. It is necessary to disassemble almost the entire machine, halve the tank, knock out the old parts and return everything to its place without errors. Anyone who has gone through this test at least once will not want to take risks and repeat everything. You can avoid repeated replacement in the coming years if you immediately install high-quality bearings for your washing machine. It remains to figure out which clips are considered the best and why.
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