Solved

Jlwm1201 Noisy Drum

SIsixx66
Asked almost 15 years ago 5,588 views
0

Dear Forum,

My JLWM1201 has developed a noisy drum over the last few weeks which I assume may be the bearing/s. I've had the machine about six years and it is unfortunately out of the JL extended warranty. Is it possible/safe for a novice such as me to carry out a repair? If so, are spares easy and cheap to obtain, or special tools required? If not, do you think it is financially viable to have this fixed by an engineer or would it be cheaper to buy a replacement machine?

Thanks, Simon

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.

JLWM1201 noisy drum likely due to drum bearings

The problem
A John Lewis JLWM1201 washing machine developed an increasingly noisy drum over several weeks after about six years of use. The poster suspected worn drum bearings and asked whether a novice repair was safe and worthwhile, or whether replacement would be more economical.
Likely cause
Probable drum bearing wear. This was not confirmed by a completed repair, but it was the fault suspected by the poster and discussed in the accepted reply.
What fixed it
The accepted advice was not to attempt drum bearing replacement as a novice because it is a major job with significant scope for problems. For this model, the recommended repair route mentioned was replacing the back tub assembly, which should include the bearings and seal. The stated part price was £147. Exact repair completion was not confirmed.
Checks to try
  • Noise from the drum had increased over the last few weeks
  • Machine model identified as JLWM1201
  • Accepted reply referred to noisy washing machine guidance
  • Back tub availability for this model was identified, including bearings and seal
Parts or tools mentioned
  • Back tub assembly
  • Drum bearings
  • Seal

Safety: Do not attempt this repair unless competent, as drum bearing replacement is a major job. Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer.

Cause identifiedGenerated 13 Aug 2026 · AI summaries can make mistakes — read the full thread below.
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1 Answer

Accepted Answer
0
WH
WhitegoodshelpVerified Engineer
Answered almost 15 years ago

Read the advice on washing machine is noisy which covers all the advice I can think of. I normally advise against trying to replace drum bearings though some people can manage it, it's normally a big job with plenty of possibility to go wrong and the parts can be ridiculously expensive. Having said that, the JLWM1201 is made by Zanussi who tend to have slightly more reasonable parts prices and designs so you could check out all the JLWM1201 washing machine spare parts on 4washerhelp spares. The back tub is available, which should come complete with the drum bearings and seal but it's £147.

Whitegoods Help — appliance repair expert and forum host.

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