Bosch Wet 2820 Bearings/seal Squeak

[blueboy2001]

My Bosch WET 2820 washer-dryer started putting dark grease marks on the washing - with the help of the site I diagnosed this as grease from the bearings entering the drum.

This machine has a metal "spider" that holds the bearings and seal against the tub so they can be removed without splitting the tub. The seal had failed and the bearing grease was contaminated with water, although the bearings were still running smooth. I had to split the tub to clean the grease (and other accumulated gunge) out - cue much cursing and cuts to hands and wrists!

I fitted a genuine Bosch bearing and seal kit, along with a new tub seal - not sure if the latter was really required, but for the sake of £8 or so I thought it was better than finding out it leaked later on and having to take it all apart again.

Got it all back together and the machine is washing perfectly, but the drum is squeaking each time it starts moving at low speed during the wash cycle and the anti-crease when it's finished. I thought it was the belt slipping initially, but it's definitely the drum because I've taken the belt off and moved the drum by hand and it makes the noise. It's more of an annoyance than anything, but the machine is in my kitchen and I can hear it in the living room.

A look around suggests the most likely cause is the drum shaft against the seal is causing the squeak. I tapped the drum out of the bearings and reseated it carefully ensuring it went in square, but the squeak returned after a couple of minutes washing.

Is the noise likely to reduce as the seal beds in, or would I be better putting some sort of lubricant on the seal and/or shaft? Someone suggested putting a little silicone grease on the seal? Should I have greased the bearings too? Thinking about it there was grease around the bearings when I took the machine apart because it had blocked the drain hole in the spider - there was no evidence of water on the bottom panel of the machine.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

I fitted a genuine Bosch bearing and seal kit, along with a new tub seal - not sure if the latter was really required, but for the sake of £8 or so I thought it was better than finding out it leaked later on and having to take it all apart again.

Good call. It's just not worth the risk of having a leak and either not noticing because it's small but does damage over a period of time or noticing and having to strip it back down again.

Got it all back together and the machine is washing perfectly, but the drum is squeaking each time it starts moving at low speed during the wash cycle and the anti-crease when it's finished... Is the noise likely to reduce as the seal beds in, or would I be better putting some sort of lubricant on the seal and/or shaft? Someone suggested putting a little silicone grease on the seal?

Make sure it isn't catching on the door seal, maybe at the top. If it's definitely the drum bearing seal and it doesn't disappear after several washes you may have to strip it back down and put a little grease on it and make sure it's definitely fitted flush.