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Removing the counterweight in the washing machine

Removing the counterweight in the washing machineHuge pieces of concrete, which counteract the emerging centrifugal force and keep the unit in place, save the vibrations and jumps in the bathroom. They refer to heavy elements as balances, and, despite their firmness and external firmness, problems often arise with them. So, it is often required to tighten the bolt holding blocks, replace the cracked stone with a whole one or temporarily remove it when the machine is completely disassembled. How to do this is described in detail in the article.

How to get to the counterweight?

To tighten or remove the counterweight in the washing machine, you will have to find it. Fortunately, finding a solid concrete block or three separate parts is easy. It is enough to adhere to the following instructions.

  1. Turn the machine back wall.
  2. Unscrew the top cover of the machine.
  3. Remove rear panel.

The counterweight may crack, crack, or sag, causing imbalance and serious damage to the machine.

All that remains is to visually check the status of the balances. In addition to a surface inspection, you can pull the stone inserts and check the tightness of the clamps. It is recommended that such “checks” be carried out at least every 6 months in order to timely fix problems and make the necessary repairs.

Dismantling a part

If you need to temporarily or permanently remove the stone from the washer, then we begin by loosening the fasteners - their role is played by 2-3 wide bolts on each concrete element. We find an open-end wrench or head suitable in diameter and completely unscrew the locks from the block. Then we cling to the protrusions of the balances and gently pull them out. It is worthwhile to understand that these blocks weigh 5-15 kg each, so it’s better to think about an additional pair of hands.

Ariston machine counterweight wrench

Owners of cars from Indesit will have a little harder. Here, the counterweights are attached with special bolts, which are not suitable for standard keys and heads. But there is a way out - to make a tool yourself. To do this, take a pipe with a cross section of 20-22 mm and a length of at least 20 cm and saw one end in the middle with a depth of 5 cm. From the other edge, drill a 2 cm hole and screw a 4 * 16 bolt into it, and then weld the screw from the inside. Such a device can easily catch on the latch and facilitate the removal of blocks.

If the counterweight is damaged

The diagnosis of the counterweight is extremely important, because if it is damaged, you should not count on the safe operation of the machine. Weakened or split blocks will not be able to damp vibrations from the rotation of the drum and will provoke an imbalance with devastating consequences. Therefore, if abnormalities are found, it is necessary to immediately begin to repair them.

counterweights are often damaged

So, if the bolts holding the concrete have lowered and pulling does not help, we pay attention to the growers. These elements are compressed and loosened over time, which affects the fixation of the balances. It is better to renew a coupler, and to tighten screws qualitatively.

Do not continue to operate the machine with a cracked counterweight. Especially if a big piece fell off him. It is necessary to immediately remove all the blocks, accurately measure their sizes and find an adequate replacement. There shouldn’t be any problems with finding a new “load”: it can be ordered by the model’s serial number in the online store, manufactured independently by measurements made, or contact specialized technical centers.

Finding a counterweight in a washing machine, inspecting and removing if necessary is very simple. It’s enough to have a suitable wrench and muscles that can handle a heavy load.

   

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