Samsung Loose Drum
Hi All,
I have a Samsung Ecobubble WF1602W5S which has worked fine for about 3 years now.
My wife recently washed a load much heavier than the recommended load which seems to have damaged something at the back of the drum. You can read my discovery thread here (posting while working) https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/251958/Drum+struggles+to+spin
As you can see no one has answered me over there so though I would look for help here.
As per my last update in that thread, I have opened the back and can see the motor is spinning, the belt has tension and is spinning the spindle behind the drum, however the connection between the spindle and the drum itself seems to be the problem as it is lose, if I hold the spindle I can turn the drum and visa versa.
I attempted to losen the nut at the back to try and see if I could find anything interesting but could not get the nut to budge, no matter how hard I tried.
Does anyone perhaps know what the problem could be or recommend a better way of trying to remove the rear nut other than just holding the spindle in place and hammering my spanner?
Regards,
Solution Summary
AI-generated from this discussion
This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.
Samsung Ecobubble WF1602W5S drum turns independently of drive spindle
- The problem
- On a Samsung Ecobubble WF1602W5S washing machine, after an overloaded wash the motor, belt and rear spindle were reported to spin, but the drum itself was loose and could be turned separately from the spindle. The machine still appeared to rotate smoothly, suggesting the issue was not simply rough or seized bearings.
- Likely cause
- The original poster’s own research pointed to a failed drum spider or another failure in the connection between the drum and rear spindle. This was not physically confirmed in the thread. The accepted reply only addressed possible left-hand threading on the rear pulley bolt, not the underlying fault.
- What fixed it
- The accepted advice was to check whether the rear pulley bolt might be a left-hand thread before attempting removal. Another reply warned the bolt may be secured with threadlock or a locking tab and that forcing it the wrong way could shear the bolt head. The exact repair to the drum/driveshaft connection was not confirmed in the discussion.
- Checks to try
- Motor spinning
- Drive belt had tension and was spinning
- Rear spindle behind the drum was spinning
- Drum could be turned separately from the spindle
- Machine reportedly still spun smoothly
- Rear pulley bolt/nut could not be loosened
Safety: Take care not to force the rear pulley bolt in the wrong direction, as noted in the discussion this could shear the bolt head. Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer.
4 Answers
Could the bolt holding the drum pulley on be a left hand thread?
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
After doing some more research it seems the issue lies with the drum spider, I doubt it is a bearing issue, as the unit still spins smoothly, it is just that the motor and the drum are not fastened to eachother, which I imagine they would have to be unless there is a mechanisim which can hold them together or let the one spin freely for some other reason?
I still have not managed to get the rear bold off to try and investigate it myself.
Any help would be much appreciated.
To be honest I didn't check, if I remember correctly there was a large washer blocking view of the thread, I will give this a shot and see if I can get anywhere turning the other way.
Thanks for the suggestion.
The bolts fastening the drum pulley on are either secured in using loctite or have locking tabs to prevent them coming undone. If there is no locking tab then it must be held tightly in place by loctite although most manufacturers use some form of locking tab. Bolt could be left or right thread but most likely a normal thread. The problem with not knowing which thread is that if you guess wrong you are actually tightening it instead of undoing it and you can sheer off the bolt head. This would in effect ruin the machine so be very careful.
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
Your Answer
Sign in to share your expertise and post an answer.
Related Questions
Power button not turning on washing machine
0 answers • 2 replies
Samsung Ecobubble wd80j5410aw misterious problem
1 answer • 7 replies
Samsung Ecobubble not draining
1 answer • 4 replies
Samsung ecobubble keeps blowing the heating element.
1 answer • 26 replies
Samsung Ecobuble Washing Machine stops mid cycle
1 answer • 9 replies
Samsung auto dosing washing machine not dispensing softner
1 answer • 18 replies
Samsung EcoBubble (WW80J5555FX) - AC error and power issue
1 answer • 1 reply
Samsung eco bubble?
1 answer • 1 reply
Creaking noise from Samsung Washing Machine when drum turning
1 answer • 1 reply
Samsung 7kg Ecobubble just stops at random timer in the wash and does no more.
1 answer • 3 replies