Hey, just wanted to say, it's been 7 years since you made this video, but I just replaced the bearings and seal in a 19-year-old HE3 thanks to this walkthrough. Appreciate you putting it on RU-vid, really helpful!
Thanks so much. People like yourself have given me confidence to do my own repairs. In my case it wasn’t the bearings, it was the spider mount bracket that had corroded and disintegrated.
@@funbro1 update. Only used parts available on my 20yr old model. plastic parts were breaking during disassembly so I called it. New LG washer and dryer installed and working great. There’s a threshold of time, money, hassle that I consider and in my case I pulled the plug on the repair. No regrets. 😁
Yeah, sometimes the repairs are more costly and it’s time to pull the trigger on a new one. I hope that your new LG treats you better than any LG has treated us. Thanks for the reply.
Used this video as a guideline to replace bearings on a kenmore 40272900. The shock absorbers are different, the motor is direct drive and had to be taken apart/off in order to get to the bearings. Your video inspired me to do the 4 hour job (was 96F/35C where it was). A great _thank you_
Thank you for posting this video - I have this exact model and your instructions to disassemble and reassemble were spot on ! My inner bearing however were so badly rusted and stuck, I needed to saturate it with liquid wrench over night before I could tap it out with a sledgehammer, but after a thorough clean up, the new bearings went in and the machine sounded like new again. Much appreciated in 2024 !
Thanks for this step by step guide. I would not have attempted this job without this video. Completed the job yesterday. Cost me $35 USD and about 6-7 hours. Could have been done quicker but my washer did not use snap rings to retain the bearings. Everything was an interference fit and took a good deal of persuasion to remove the metal drum shaft, then the bearing. I also took the time to clean the soap scum caked on interior walls of the outer drum that would otherwise be inaccessible. Found the bearing kit on eBay. It took a little over 4 weeks for the parts to arrive. Thankfully my washer held out.
Used these videos to replace the bearings on an HE4t and it was just about the same as for the HE3t. Some thoughts: *$17 for the bearings was the small cost of the repair. *Definitely have a friend that can help detaching and reattaching. My wife did the springs. *Motor shield is very sharp. Gloves would have helped me not get cut. *Bearings were more snug than in the video. *Hardest part was trying to put the clamp back on the bottom of the drum. I gave up and used a screwdriver clamp. *Research said the cost is over $1000 for the repair and I needed to buy a new machine. What's wrong with America? Thanks Bob. You made it pretty easy to repair.
Thanks for the help. My bearing was seized to the shaft. I really had to get after it to remove it. All said and done I bet I saved 500.00 dollars doing this repair. God Bless everyone and have a Merry Christmas!
This video is priceless. It saved us over 1000.00 in buying a new machine. It took about 3 hours for my husband and I to do this but very well worth it. I hope who ever did the video gets this message because he did a great job.
This has got to be one of the most useful step by step how-to video's that I've ever watched. Just replaced the main bearings, belt and front seal on my 13yr old Whirlpool He3t washer using Step 1 and Step 2 of this video series. The bearings were a bit harder to get out and tap back in than on the video (WD40 really helped to loosen them up first). It was a several hour project, but my son and I had some quality time together and we both learned a few things along the way. Definitely saved me a ton of money, I thought I was going to have to buy a new machine. The washer just hums again, can barely hear it anymore. Thank you so much Bob for putting this together. You are one talented individual.
Followed your videos and did this repair on my Whirlpool Duet Steam washer about two months ago. It's worked like a charm ever since. Thanks for a straight-forward, detailed, instructional video. I really appreciate it!
SO far, this is better than many videos, wish I had watched it first. I like how you tell how to disable the locking clips for the shocks and the clips for the wires. I ended up just breaking my locking clips off and cutting the ground wire, and the screw wouldnt come out
You made it look easy-thanks! I have a whirlpool duet washer, and the main bearings finally gave up and froze; luckily, I found the exact same used machine with a good tub assembly (spims nicely) with an included main-bearing, which I bought for 100 bucks, so I only need to swap the tub assemblies, and I'm back in business! Thanks again!
Awesome video! Helped me dissemble the washer. At the end I realized it was the three pronged arm attached to the washer that was deteriorated and breaking apart.... replacing the bearing and belt too since everything is taken apart. Few additional points to add 1. The lower shock absorbers have 2 notches, before you turn it make sure to push both down. 2. The most time consuming part is fetching the tools 😄... having all the tools at arms length will save a LOT of time!
My He4t is 14 years old. Problem free except for the bearings. Knocked for about two years. Finally got around to replacing them. Spider bracket was fine. The shaft was worn down on the inner bearing. Over 4500 loads still going strong! Thanks for this information!!!
Your tip about using a large socket and extension to drive out the bearings was brilliant. I struggled for an hour before turning to your video. Only wish I saw this earlier in my search for help. Thanks!
Thanks How-to Bob for posting this video. Although the bearings and seal are not available through normal Canadian appliance part suppliers (they'll sell you the rear tub with bearings), I was able to source the bearings and the seal from an industrial supplier for about $40 instead of the $500 they want for the tub. You helped me save more than $400! At least 8 loads on the new parts and all seems good!
Thanks Bob - worked great. Appliance parts store would only sell the entire rear housing for $325.00. I was able to get the bearings and seal locally at a bearing store for $78. My inner and outer bearings carried the part number 6306 and 6307, which are common bearings. I used NTN bearings. The seal was just called an 80 x 60 x 10 DL metric seal.
Beware blindly ordering these bearings. They do not fit my machine. I'm actually a bit confused as the ones I recieved have different inner diameters. I have to go back now with the destroyed ones and see if I can get the right ones. Looks to me like depending on the model number they use different bearings. And the seal I got using this number is not right at all, it looks more a huge oil seal for a motorcycle fork
Thank you for posting this video! I believe this is the problem with my Kenmore Elite. Normally if I can find a RU-vid video on how to do the repairs myself, I'll give it a go. I certainly did not expect to have to take EVERYTHING apart for this! After seeing this video, I am confident that I can do the repair myself. However, there is NO WAY I'm going to get it back together the way it was before I messed with it! :D Thanks again! Nice work.
Thanks Bob! Excellent video!! I love how you don’t try to entertain and add a bunch of extra chatter. You stay on the point with just the right amount of info.
Outstanding video and step by step explanation. My drum has about a 1/4" play/movement in it, and like the others posted, makes the loud noise on spin. In addition, I'm getting the F11 error at times, to which I've taking out the CCU, taking the cover off of the relays and was able to clean the contacts with some fine sand paper and time and patience, as well as cleaning the 3 wire connector plug. The F11 error is a little better at times, but I've also got the very seldom, very slight leak from the water solenoids. I know I can continue to repair these items, but after watching your video's, I've got a good feeling that the bearing is going to only get worse. To make a long story short (did this for the benefit of others with similar issues) with my machines (washer & dryer) being 13 years old now, I think the costs to repair are going to outweigh the common sense of just putting that money towards a new machine. Again, great video!! In my personal case, health issues are keeping me from doing the extra work required here, so it seems like time to replace these.
My washer is leaking. I replaced the door seal and it still leaks. But mostly when there are a lot of cloths in there. I guess that's when the water level gets up to the bearing more. And it does make more noise when spinning than it did. I'm glad there is no bearing press involved. Thank you for the video. And Happy 4th of July!
Very helpful video. Don’t make the same mistake I made! Take your machine apart before ordering your bearing kit. I opted for a higher quality bearing and seal kit for $80. Only upon reassembly did I find the rear bearing had been wearing on the shaft. You cannot buy the shaft without the tub at $400 +. Judging buy the curbside pick up ad on Craigslist and the parts for sale on Ebay this is a common problem with this machine. Judging by the way the shaft was worn, it was damaged long before the bearings got noisy. We purchased a new top load washer.
Even though I wasn't able to utilize this fine video it made me appreciate the amount of work involved, and chance of success.. Bought a new one for $530!
This is a great How To Video... I followed every step... But it may be more than the bearings.... After 7.5 years of faithful service, my Whirlpool Duet started shake my home like a 9.2 earthquake. After a lot of search on the interweb, i decided that bad bearings had to be the blame. Ordered up bearing kit from Amazon for $75 (not the tub kit which includes the bearings ~$350) and went about disassembling said Duet.. Make no mistake, this is a BIG JOB and really a 2 man job (to lift tub/basket out) as counterweights are extremely heavy. After removing and disassembling the tub, i noticed a huge amount of 'gunk' on the back of the basket bracket where the shaft enters. The bracket that attaches the shaft to the basket was packed with gunk... lint, washing powders, hair etc.. after removing said gunk, i noticed a huge crack across the basket bracket.. OMG, it wasnt the bearings after all. The bracket (cast aluminum no less! so no weld likely to hold) was cracked.. no wonder my house was shaking. After a call to Whirlpool 800 # wait was stated at > than 30 minutes, so i chose Whirlpool Chat... that didn't go well... partial excerpt below: Me: My understanding that the basket assembly for this unit is warranted for 10 Years original purchase date was 7/13/2005 Erin: Unfortunately, warranty states: Service must be provided by a Whirlpool designated service company. They have to order it for you. We cannot send it to you I do apologize. After a call to couple local 'authorized' Whirlpool service centers, I found that they wanted $511 for the basket and $400 labor... more than i paid originally for the new washer! I explained that i thought the basket assy was under warranty and she explained that there would be a $95 service fee to authorize the warranty claim... after further explaining my situation, the nice lady said that 'whirlpool will usually ship to your house without a dealer involved'. i said TY and proceeded to call 800#. Rachel from Tennessee answered after a 20 min wait, I explained my situation.. gave her Model #, date of purchase, place of purchase (costco) & SN.. 5 minutes later she said the new basket assy will be on your doorstep in 7-10 days via fedex... What?? this was waaaaaaay to easy. When i called i was truly expecting push back or at least an 'authorized dealer' involvement. I must say, i was pleasantly surprised with my experience with Whirlpool... Now the bigger job.. getting that damned thing put back together.. Cheers
I'm glad to hear it was useful, and it sounds like everything worked out for you on your repair. Maybe some else could use this info to get parts to repair their machine. Thanks
If your spin cycle's loud, first check your motor! I did this only to find it's the motor that sounds like a jet engine on spin. Take off the lower access panel on the front (3 bolts). Run a spin cycle and look at the motor. You should be able to tell if that's the source of the high pitch noise. MUCH easier project than replacing bearings.
gread video, thank you for posting, we just replaced our bearings, but they gave us the wrong seal that was a lil thinner so the drum ended up rubbing against the tub, unfortunately we learned this this hard way, but all good now, a day labor for us but saved 800 bucks and well worth it!
Thanks How-to Bob for the very helpful video. Our machine was a little different than yours but most of the info you gave was perfect. I especially liked the fact that there wasn't a lot of fluff (like how to use pliers), just the steps we needed to do the repair. Keep up the good work.
Great video. I was able to do the complete job, step by step, following on my laptop in the laundry room. In my unit the outer bearing is recessed about a quarter inch so a flush mount with a 2x4 is not possible without some special trimming. However, I used the old bearing which is a perfect match as the contact for the new bearing and voila, Thanks again. Saved a ton of money.
I've done this repair before on my Kenmore He4t washer and let me tell EVERYONE to unbolt and set aside those 3 concrete weights BEFORE you try to remove the wash drum... makes it soooo much lighter and easier for 1 person to manage! Also note the locations where the springs hook onto it, mark them with permanent marker or something because you can hang the drum back in there on the wrong hook mounts! ps. The He4t is basically identical to the HE3, it mostly just has extra sound insulation inside and more wash options on the control board.
Thanks for the tips. I got a HE5T washer and dryer for $100. Dryer works fine but the washer had something between the inner basket and outter drum. Turned out it was a bolt that got wedged and driven through the outer plastic shell. Easy fix with some JB weld.
Great video. I used it and here's a couple tips. If a bearing won't come out, try a larger hammer. A 3lb mini sledge did it for me. Save the old bearings and use them as a plate to hammer and properly seat the new bearing. If you can't get a bearing to sit properly, take it to a local transmission shop and see if they can help. I did and it tool 2 minutes & $10. If things are a little tough, remove the cement counterweight and put it back on after the tub is back in the frame. Have a few towels ready to catch the water from the bottom pipe connecting to the tub.
Dude, all I want to say is: Thank you! I was going to shell out some cash to have a repair man come to my house and repair my washer because a freaking mouse chew through the rubber black hose at the bottom of the drum. I'm heading to sears to to get the rubber part, $24 +tax but, your video gave me the confidence to do this myself and save myself the uncertainty of paying out-the-wazoo once the repair man got here, plus parts. Keep on doing what you do and again a HUGE thank you and pad on the back for taking the time to make this video. P.S. I also figured out how to replace the front door seal, which was looking a little less than perfect. PEACE!!!!!
@@funbro1 Thank you. It didn't sit on the jack stands perfectly, but it helped. I kept it from falling and my husband sledgehammered it out. We have the machine disassembled and just need to clean it up, install the new bearings and put everything back together. Thank you so much for your videos!
funbro1 Do you have any idea where I can buy a spider bracket for this unit? Kenmore insists on selling the stainless steel tub and spider assembly as one unit, for approximately $550 dollars. I just need the spider bracket, bearings, and seal.
JimmyLeeHook: Same boat here, perfectly clean as a whistle HE3t machine making noises at high spin speeds.... took apart to change bearings and seal but found the Spider Bracket on back of drum was severely corroded in the center and 2 of 3 arms were cracked. Appears the darned thing is made of "pot metal", but looks like it can be removed from drum by screws along perimeter but can't buy it separately.... arghhh! Ate up the front lip of the tub, too... Probably just have to part out the machine.... wish there was a way to tell if that spider bracket is good or bad without having to dismantle the thing to such an extent!
If your machine is making a very loud noise when in the spin cycle then chances are that bearings are the problem. Just take it slow and maybe take pictures as you go and you should be able to get it back together. And remember they always throw in a few extra parts so if you have left over screws or parts no big deal. JK. Good luck hope this helped.
How-to-Bob - awesome job! You explained everything so perfectly. Where were you when I had to get through Calculus? Thank you so much. I fixed our Whirlpool washer. We calculated our washer washed approx 6,500 loads of clothes over the last 10 years so it needed some bearings.
Bob running into a problem getting the correct drum belt. The belt that is being picked by washer model thru sears or appliance parts site is incorrect and a bit short. The washer model I have is a model 110 45872400 the belt coming off this machine and never was replaced has this number on it 461970200891 the belt i am getting L W10388418 Hutchinson Poly.V 7PJE 1309 it too short. I tried it and it is too short. Any suggestions finding the original one???
Thank you so very much for your reply, this process worked wonderful on our kenmore elite he3t model 11046742701. The only diference was that there was no hose in the seal, the hose had to be disconnected from the top of the drum. And there was no retaining clip on the bearings. The hardest part was to find compatible bearing set, since there is a lot of contradictory info about it on the web. I am not 100% sure, but I think the most compatible bearing set for my model can be find using W10250763 for part number. We found a set of brings on bonanza sold by Replacementkits, described as "Whirlpool Duet and Maytag HE3 bearing and seal kit", but extended info on this kit incuded our model number, so we decided to use it. Anyway the video is great, and if a girl can do it anyone can do it! My husband hellped me with a drum and the clamp for the big hose, my hands were to weak to squize it. Anything else could not be more straightforward. The 12 years old washer runs very quiet again , hopefully the new bearings will last few more years... We could not be more grateful for this video. Thank you!
The geniuses at Sears only sell the whole outer drum assembly with the bearings (part alone is $435). I thanks you very very much for this. I'm sure there will be some snags along the way, but this looks very doable.
Thanks - I did find several sources for the bearing kits. Sears told me the bearings were not available separately - very glad to know that was not the case.
You are a very capable teacher.. Concise and logical.. I was told bearing replacement was a complete disassembly and it is.. Not sure i'm up to this, but what do i have to lose? haha
I have had some people tell me that the drum on this machine is under a lifetime warranty. That means that Kenmore will provide the part free of charge. You will have to have your original receipt, and you will have to call Sears service. It does not cover any ancillary damage as a result of the spider bracket being broken. But the spider bracket is part of the drum, and it is included in the lifetime warranty. That's what I've been told by a friend of mine, so it's worth a phone call.
JimmyLeeHook Mine wasn't covered. Going to have to investigate the class-action lawsuits that are going regarding these machines. I'm seeing this problem everywhere on the internet and smell and bacteria problems are apparently major issues issues as well. When I took my machine I wanted to gag from the foul water and deposits that came out of various tubes and the pump. Nasty stuff.
Superb Video. What a blessing you are to so many. Thank you. One question , I have the same unit as in video and have seen the bearing kits run the full spectrum from $15 to well over $130. And I always adhere to "you get what you pay for" . What should I expect to pay for the best quality kit?
I got a kit for less than 20 bucks including shipping but failed again about 4 months later. Bought another kit for $75 from eBay that's all stainless steel and manufactured in Japan, definitely looked much higher quality than the cheaper one. It's been 6 months now, so far so good. Not looking forward to take apart the washer and redo it again.
Thank you so much for the video! This is going to save me hundreds. My only issue is finding the bearings. I have the 110. Model elite he3t. Do you know if the bearings will fit from the 410. Models? My washer is just like yours and I can't seem to be 100% sure that the kit will fit my washer or not. Could you please help.
Kyle You will need to check with the place that you order your bearings from. They should be able to tell if the bearings are interchangeable. When I purchased my bearings they came with additional bearings for another model so maybe there are kits out there that fit most models but it would be best to ask before ordering. Thanks for watching
Great Video and was very helpful, although my issue was slightly different. I have an HE4t front load washer which was leaking from the the air tube (or so I thought). Bought and replaced the air tube and it still leaked. Discovered that the inner tub is out of round and thus on each turn the inner tub (metal) rubs against the outer tub (plastic) to the point it has cut a hole in the outer tub. Thoughts on what would "straighten" the inner tub.
John Akard I think I would be kind of concerned with how the tub got out of round first...was it like that from new? Did something get stuck and bend it? You may not even be able to find just the outer drum for the washer. If you can find the parts I would recommend taking out the inner drum and try to get it as close to round possible by pushing down on it. hope this helps...Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video - was helpful. BUT once I got the drum apart I found the spider on the back of the drum was cracked and no part available . Was fun tho
Amazon video! Thank you for this great video it has really helped me a ton. Can you give me advise on where I can get the bearings and seal please. Thank again have a wonderful week. Paul
So I have an out of balance issue and have replaced the shocks once already. I have noticed that the from the stainless drum to the "shell" has about 1/4" of concentricity, or out of roundness. Do you think a bad bearing could be the issue? I took the nut off and the bearing on the back looks really good. So could it be just the inner bearing?
Great Video instruction. Where did you purchase the new bearings and seal?? Appliance parts stores will not sell the bearings and seals alone. Thanks for you help.
I have not disassembled my Kenmore Elite FL Washer Model 11042926200. Very noisy on spin cycle. Drum rotates OK but is off centre. I think I need to replace what some people call the "spider bracket" (is it possible that failed shocks could cause off-centre drum rotation?) However, the Sears part site shows it as a five finger bracket with no part number. The one you disassembled in this video has three fingers. I can seem to find a "spider bracket" for this model washer, whether 3 or 5 fingers. If I can find a spider bracket, I will replace the bearings at the same time. Any idea where I can find a part number for this bracket and a source?
Thank You How-to-Bob. I did this job today with two teenagers. It took us 4 hours and we watched the video step by step as we went along. My Machine is a ten year old Kenmore He4t and gets lots of use with a family of 7. I ordered my bearing kit from "frontloadbearings.com" and a new belt and drum seal from "appliancepartspros.com". I can no longer hear the machine in the spin cycle, it sounds like it did when it was new.
I have a Kenmore HE3t washer. I was able to remove the seal and one bearing, however there is no snap ring holding the other bearing in. Are you supposed to knock it out. Please let me know. Marvin Goodwin
Thank you for the video. Unfortunately, the larger inner bearing is seized onto the spindle. Is it possible to replace the spindle without having to buy a whole new metal basket assembly?
David Wright I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it sounds like you are in need of a new washer :-( The cost of a new basket and bearings usually too expensive for a machine with any age on it. Thanks
Bob, Excellent video and instructional exercise! I followed this direction to replace the bearings in my HE 5t model washer and everything matched except for the "retaining clip". Do you know if the HE 5t model has this bearing retainer clip?
+Michael Fontaine I have hears many people ask about the retainer clip on different models so some of them must not have a clip. You can find a schematic of the parts online with a little bit of searching. Hope this helps, Thanks for watching.
The bearing could be the same, but just to make sure give the make and model when ordering the bearings. Other than that the repairs should be very similar.
Hi, my elderly neighbor has one of these and it seems to vibrate and shimmy a lot. If you put shoes in it, it literally bounces around. It's like it's out of balance, but it's leveled perfectly. Doesn't do it all the time, but the tub seems to hit the sides a fair amount when washing. Other than the shoes, not horrible since it's in the garage, but for $1200 it should be smooth as silk in my opinion. Any ideas, thanks?
My kenmore washer doesn’t have the snap ring. Is that something that keeps the bearings in place? If there’s no snap ring, why is it so hard to remove the basket from the outer tub? Can you suggest some things to try?
Hi, Bob. That rust color stain @ 5:48 running down the tub, is that indicative of shot bearings? I have a Whirlpool frontload I took apart due to LOUD spin cycles and it also has that rust color running out of that area down the tub. Thanks for posting. This seems like a common problem and you presented the process well.
theareohbee It seems like that might be the result of a failed seal which would then allow water to leak in and cause the bearings to go bad. Hope this answers your question. Thanks for watching.
Mary Knox Bearing can be found using a google search...I believe a purchased mine from elitebearings.com. Your best bet for the part number is to verify it through a parts schematic available on the sears.com website. Hope this helps.
I have been watching quite a few of the how-to videos but so far have not seen one for my particular model of machine. Mine is the WFW94HEXW1 front load Duet. I don't find any other name like Cabrio or Sport. It has a one piece front panel though. No lower panel. I did see on one video that the bearings were not serviceable and required the entire tub to be replaced. Can you tell me if my machine falls into that category? I want to fix this thing myself but not if I have to replace the whole tub. Thanks so much for your videos. I like fixing things myself. You do a great job.
Hmm. I have a Duet Sport and am trying to get the bearings out right now an its not budging. My washer looks very similar to this Kenmore with a couple of minor differences, but the video was close enough to help me disassemble.
Great video, doing the same repair and found the spindle where the bearings ride completely unusable. Part seems unavailable-Question : Can you use LG spider assembly with matching pulley? Much thanks, response would be appreciated.
I have found the whole part available including the spindle, however it does not seem economically feasible when the parts are only sold in such a large package. I have not tried an LG spider assembly so I would not like to make any guesses on whether it might work or not. I know that LG makes Kenmore now but I believe it was Whirlpool back when these machines were manufactured. Hope this help and thanks for watching.
