washing machine Rubber pieces

[JFM]

Hello.

I recently replaced the brushes on the drum of a Haier washing machine but when I turned it on its side I found a small piece of damaged rubber (about 4cm long by 2cm diameter, with a ¾cm hole through the whole length) on the floor, and now that I'm about to put it back up again another one has appeared from somewhere!

Anyone know what they're for? I've included a picture so hopefully someone can recognise them and tell me they're not important!

 

Thanks,

 

John

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hi John. They look like they've been there for years. They also look like they could be from the transit packaging that was removed before use. 

[JFM]

Good to hear because I couldn't work out where they could have come from! The machine has indeed been there for years, before I bought this place about 8 years ago, and hasn't been moved for a long time.

Thanks!

 

John 

[andyr12345]

they look more like pipes you would find on a car's engine! like petrol pipes or vacuum pipes off the engine.
Maybe someone originally put them there to stop some kind of noise or vibration coming from the washing machine when it was in use

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

You used to get things like that in the transit packaging. They acted as spacers to keep the drum held centrally and fitted onto the back of the drum. Bolts threaded through the casing, through the holes in the spacers and into the drum. They acted as a spacer to keep the drum central in the casing. 

But if those are soft, and not fairly hard then they probably wouldn't be what I'm thinking of. 

 

[JFM]

OK, thanks for all the replies and it seems like they should be something originally used for transporting the machine, so I don't know how they've been left there for so long!

When I did an online search I noticed that most results were to do with cars or scooters and I couldn't really find anything related to washing machines.

And yes, they are hard rubber.

So, mystery solved. Thanks!