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My washing machine was about 6 years old which appears to be about the age the suspension rods fail. The rods are full of oil which eventually leaks out. Additionally there are rubber straps which connect the rods to the drum chassis which stretch over time. It is worth replacing both at the same time. Surprisingly, this is a relatively easy fix and will save you big dollars doing it yourself. Check that you don't have a soap scum build up on the drum before commencing this repair first. You can look down the detergent cap recess after removing the cover to inspect the outside of the drum. I didn't have any so I went ahead and changed the rods and rubber hangers.
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First step is to disconnect power.
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Then disconnect all the hoses at the back and move the machine to a place where you have some room to work.
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Removing the lid is the easiest part. Just push back until the lid is perpendicular with the top of the machine, then lift upwards and it will release.
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Simply pry off the plastic screw covers then unscrew the two forward screws. Note there is no need to remove the cover, just tilt it backwards on its hinge to gain access. Be careful with hoses and electrical wires at the back of the cover.
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I used an old coat hanger to suspend the plastic cover out of the way by hooking it onto the trolley that I used to move the washing machine. This gives you access to the 4 rubber straps and 4 suspension rods.
Thank you very much for help in replacing the above parts .I did most of it myself but because of a wrist problem had to enlist help for the rods.Saved a substantial amount as travelling alone would have been at least $100.00 if I could get someone, o/wise take to next town 60klm.
much appreciated, the lady of the house.Jo
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You will see there are four rubber straps, one in each corner. I decided to replace these as well just to be on the safe side. When the old and new rubber straps were placed next to each other there was a significant difference in length. Just pull them straight off.
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The metal cylinder down the end is full of oil which leaks out over time. When I removed this one it was very greasy. Note: Im not sure if it was a defect or not, but my rear right rod appeared to have a bend in it and was unique to the other three.
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Place your left hand under the drum rim and support it. Remove and replace one rod at a time. You don't want the weight of the drum on the motor and pump below as you may break something underneath. By replacing them one at a time, the other three can help support the weight of the drum.
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To remove the rods lift the plastic hanger off the chassis and then jiggle the bottom part of the rod out of the slotted holder. There are no fasteners holding the rods in place. Its just the weight of the drum holding them in place.
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There is a clip half way down the rear right rod that needs to be undone. You also need to move the hoses and electrical looms out from under the plastic hanger prior to removing the rod. To remove the rods lift the plastic hanger off the chassis and then jiggle the bottom part of the rod out of the slotted holder.
Not correct. All 4 rods are the same. If you see a bent rod you bent it taking it out.
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Once you have replaced all of the suspension rods and rubber straps you can reassemble the washing machine cover and lid. Then you are finished. My washing machine ran beautifully after I completed this repair. Best of luck to you.
Excellent instructions. Thank you very much. The only difference I noticed was all the rods were the same. But just completed the repair and all works fine now. Cheers
Thank you very very much for these instructions,followed them,fitted new rods and rubbers and it works great again.
rexie
A job well done ,happy wife happy life
Thank You so much, our aquasmart machine was repeatedly stopping with load out a balance and it just got worse. I googled, found your instructions, ordered the parts from F&P online here in 2 days and my 17 yr old son helped with the replacement. Your instructions were spot on and the task was done and dusted quickly and machine up and running like new. Thank You.
Thank you so much!! My aquasmart was constantly going off balance so I turned to Google and found these instructions. Ordered the parts from F&P and replaced the rods and rubber bands today. It was really easy. I did a small load afterwards as a test run and it didn’t go off balance once. Thanks for sharing! Michelle
Brilliant - just replaced the rods and straps in the machine, it was occurring for some time and I was going to replace the machine until I cam across this post. Saved me considerable $$$ and it is running like new, for just $135!
Thank you for these instructions. I purchased the f&p rod set from my local appliance store, which had 4 straight rods, however when I opened the machine up, the rear right rod was bent per your instructions. Called the store and they swore that it should be straight and that there was no such thing as a set with one bent rod… so I just replaced the old bent rod with my new straight rod. It is also worth mentioning for others that the clip that attaches to the back right rod was very difficult to remove from the rod and in the end I really had to force it off and bend the old rod to get the correct angle.
I also replaced the rubber necking / bands (some of which were broken or hanging completely loose) but couldn’t work out from your instructions whether the bobble (?) at the end of each strap should be up or down (ie whether it should slide into its holder bobble-first - and I could do this by jamming it in - or if the bobble goes in last). In the end i put it in bobble-last and that seemed correct.
Instructions are correct except for two points.
1. All four rods are the same.
There are NO bent rods.
2. There is NO oil in these rods.
They are FRICTION STAYS.
Definitely NO OIL
just a very small amount of
Light grease.
Thank you I just order parts.
If it were not for the balance issues latly it has been a work horse
Exactly what was wrong with my machine. So easy to fix with these steps. All I needed was my husband to hold the drum whilst I switched out the rods. Thank you!
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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Amazing guide. Super easy to follow and did just as promised. I barely know which end of a screwdriver to use but I had no trouble following the instructions and photos which made the job simple. $100 for parts and this guide and I have my washing machine back as good as new. You saved me at least $500 and the hassle of getting a new washer. Cant thank you enough or rate this guide highly enough. Well done sir.
James,
What was the reason you changed these parts out. Was it going out of balance in rinse and spin or were you getting codes. I have this issue, it goes badly out of balance on the rinse and spin cycles. The Tech that came out (under warranty) thinks it is the electronic module or motor. He is ordering both parts. I think it is the rods and rubber straps as we don't get any codes just the washer trying to walk out of the room! Nice guide by the way.
Hi JMC,
Unfortunately, being amateurs I guess we are always having to gamble when we take the plunge and buy parts. From my research the warn out rods is a common issue. Overtime they lose the oil out of the cylinders. If it's possible to get your fingers down at the base of the rods you might find that they are leaking oil which causes the problem. However if your washing machine is under warranty I'm guessing its newish. This problem seems to occur as they get older, possibly over 5 years. To answer your question, the problem I had was that it was going out of balance during rinse and spin and then just stopping, whilst making beeping noises and lights etc. the shaking was extremely violent. Hope this helps. Anymore questions don't hesitate to ask.
James -
James,
Thanks for the reply. Mine is a bit over two years old. Worked perfectly till two weeks ago and then out of balance on rinse. We were able to redistribute the clothes and it would work but it gradually got worse and worse. Covered under the extended warranty and now waiting on the parts to arrive. The repair tech thinks it is the control module or motor, I disagree but I am not a repair tech. He was not going to order the rods but I convinced him to order them and the bands at the same time so we are not without the washer for two weeks. Tried to do a small load and it went out of balance so bad it was bouncing. I think one of the rods lost the oil then the others gave out gradually making the problem worse. Thanks for the great post and pics, I'll let you know how it goes. Up till two weeks ago it was the best washer we have ever owned. The only issue is parts seem to take a while to arrive.
Thanks James,
Great guide. Mine's a 93125-A.
One of the four was leaking oil. Have replaced all but kept good three for spares.
An easy job to replace, i just followed your instructions.
I initially blamed the missus not loading right but even with light loads it would stop on rinse cycle. Replacing suspension rods has resolved and now all back to normal operations. Cheers.
After having all the same issues with my washine machine of nearly identical age and model, I decided to inspect the suspension rods... And discovered to my surprise they were not the same as yours (at least to look at)! Instead they are an open spring where the [oil ram?] should be. Above the spring is a plastic washer (effectively) on which the drum rests. It is quite a fancy washer in that it appears to be self-lubricating (or perhaps more intended to dampen rebound), by means of a sponge insert and a grease reservoir incorporated into its structure. The grease is really quite sticky and the washers are quite reluctant to slide along the rod. I wonder if this is intended or is due to deterioration...
Hi Adam,
I found a set of suspension rods with that same damper design in an Auasmart washer at the local tip. Although yours might have a problem, they appear to be a more reliable design with a black plastic tube sliding through a felt gland. The gland is compressed by the spring force going through it. I'm hoping that I had found a new improved design that will replace the poorly designed shiny tube type. I'm wondering if someone knows more about these rods?
There is another possible cause of OOB. The holes in the metal part of the bowl become blocked, not allowing the water to completely escape during spin.
xavier -
Extremely clear guide. Even with small loads the machine would stop with an out of balance alarm. I replaced the rods and bands in about 15min and the problem was gone.
By the way, for those about to try this - I'm in Australia and bought the suspension kit from bigwarehouse.com.au. .Parts arrived in a few days. Just had to find model number on the back of the machine to ensure the right kit was purchased. It cost me about $116 ex postage. Would have cost at least $150 to get the technician to take a look plus so much more. Thanks again James.
This is the best guide I've found by goggling. Machine was out of balance and making violent.. banging noise at the last cycle. In the end, I bought suspension kit and straps from F&P online with no postage required for $116.60 and pretty much arriving to my house the next day. Hubby and I changed the parts and machine is all good again.
I showed to my friend this website a few weeks later and found out that she got the same problem for the same machine. I ordered parts and we went to her house and changed for her.
Thank you so much, James!
Lily
Thank you so much for your clear guide on how to fix. I had the same out of balance issue in my 6 yo Aquasmart. Purchased the parts on line and replaced them myself. It was just as easy as you said, thanks to your guide.
Now to the mountain of washing that has accumulated....
Thanks again.
I had same issues with Aquasmart machine shaking violantly and researching problem found your guide.I lifted top of machine up as you described and saw two leaking rods and two broken bands.I ordered directly from fisher @ paykel for $125 free delivery and recieved in two days.Replacing as you suggested was very easy but all my replacement rods are straight,no bent one.Where the right rear one has the hose connected to it is the same place the bend occurs.l guess the hose and clamp are so rigid over time this puts the bend in that rod.I loosely cable tied the hose to the rod to keep it away from bowl but not to tight to cause same problem as the clamp.Thanks for the guide ,saved me time and money,
D Morgan.
HI James our machine is stopping at every rinse and spin cycle. When it try's to spin it make s two or three funny loud unusal banging sounds and then just stops and sits there. Eventually it re-sets its self and goes back to the beginning. David called the service man out and because it won't give him an error code he is assuming it is the electronic board and has ordered a new one. The fact it is not giving us an error makes me wonder as well if is is the mother board however my gut has been telling me all along it is the balance and it doesn't seem to want to spin. The part wont be here until next Thursday so I decided to investigate myself and found your amazing tutorial and I am thinking it may be the problem. our machine is just over 6 years old and as far as I am away have never had the belts and rods re-placed. Before I buy them if I open the machine up will I be able to tell if this could be the problem. Thanks Louise
Hi Louise, yes I would recommend lifting up the machine. Then feel around the base of the shock rod cylinders for oil or grease. Once the cylinders start leaking, you will get the over balance issues. There's always a possibility that a control might be to blame, however from my experience in the maintenance world, when in doubt always blame the moving part first.
I have the same problem with our aquasmart.
I have ordered some replacement rods and have had a trial run at removing the existing rods. I follow the instructions but can't jiggle the bottom end of the rod out. There seems to be a red clip holding it in place. Before I go any further does anyone have any advice?
It is Mike again. Fixed the problem. Jiggling the rods to get them out is not enough. There are small clips on the red housing that needs to be unclipped.
Mike -
My washer was breakdancing around the garage and shutting down. Found this page online in a Google search, James you're a legend! Your guidance gave me the confidence to Tackle this by myself and save me a ton of money. After Ordering the parts on a Tuesday, they were delivered on Saturday, I went straight to work and had the rods and rubber strapped swapped out and a load going in less than 30 minutes. Best of all my wife is super pumped. thanks!!!! Mike
Thanks for sharing your fixit guide James...my machine was doing exactly the same as everyone else's....so glad i found your post. Ordered the parts from Fisher and Paykel...had them the next day...took about half an hour to fit everything and washing is back to normal...fantastic...cant thank you enough...saved a bundle getting a repairman in or buying a new one. Cheers, Gerry
On the Fisher and Paykel Website they're called Neck straps. I called them to double check before I ordered mine online as well as the Suspension Rods. Be careful ordering the Rods as they advertise 2 different types and it's the second lot that fit the Models WL70 and WL80 only.
We had same issue bought the suspension rods and dampeners and replaced easily .. having never tried anything like this before. Unfortunately in our case this did not solve issue as still would not spin... in diagnosing we did not consider the "freight train"noise it had been making for some months was another issue. So we have now replaced the machine . Upshot is we have some almost new suspension rods and 4 plastic dampeners available very cheaply.
Hey Deb, how much are you selling your rods and dampners for?
Great guide easy as to change out , took me 30 mins total start to finish. Although I could only see one of the suspension rods leaking so I think I could have got away with just replacing the rubber straps only. My advice would be try this first and will save you even more money. I think the main problem was the straps as they were very stretched around 30mm on each side . Thanks for this excellent guide made it extremely easy to fix - Adam
Awesome guide seems easy .
Were was the fastest place to order the parts from
Thanks
Hi Annie, the rubber straps are sold separately. When I rang up to order the rods, I asked for the rubber straps that went with them. If you give the vendor the washing machine model number they should be able to give you the rubber strap part number too. I went through the below site http://www.statewideapp.com.au/
Fairly easy fix took about 25 minutes. The hardest rod to replace was the back right, I needed help to take the weight of the drum to get the rod out. Test load in machine now but noticed much reduced spin area. Fingers crossed. Thanks for easy to follow instructions!
When I told my husband I was going to fix our washing machine he laughed & handed me the credit card to just go buy a new one (that we couldn't afford!) Ha! In his face! Me, a mere woman! I fixed it! Thank you for this post! You saved us so much money!
Brilliant. Fixed mine in 15 minutes. Bit tricky unhooking the clip on the back right but got there in the end . Managed to clean oil off the floor under washer at same time. Thanks
Hi James, followed this instruction easily but got a bit worried on Step 6 as there was no bend on my rear right rod, looked at old one of the machine or looked for a bend on the new ones, nothing. They are all in and it is working so just thinking that some models (93251-A in this case) may be a bit different. I think I spent more time looking for the bent rod than fixing it :)
So if you have this model, don't be surprised if it doesn't have a bent one. Also the rear right clip may have bent the rod when it was out of balance, just thinking out loud.
I feel so lucky I found this link. I, sure you've saved me $500 on getting a repairman to come and fix my poor machine ( it was either that or I was going to put a sledge hammer to it!). So $130 later and half an hour of my hubby and I fitting the new rods and straps I have a machine that works a treat....not my idea of fun an a Friday night but it works! I was so lucky to find a local supplier of these parts too. Thankyou so much for the easy to follow instructions , they made it so simple. The only thing that was different was our back right hand side rod wasn't a different shape to the others but that might be due to the age of the machine and after confirming all the rods were the same with the news ones we just flew through replacing them. Thankyou again
Hi James, sorry for the stupid question. You mentioned that the rear right rod is unique and different from the other three, is it by design or a damaged suspension rod.
Thanks
Thank you for this guide. It was super easy to follow and saved me a tremendous amount of money. I ordered the wrong part the first time. So make sure you double check what washer you have etc. Our rear right rod was not misshapen either. I was worried there for a minute. It works so well now though. I did so much was today and I did it fast. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for your presentation and everyone else's comments. I have the same problem violent spin/halting problem. As previously suggested, looking down at where the rod is seated there was yellow water that looked and felt suspicious. Once I wriggled the rod out of its seat, sure enough, I could feel the oil. It was just too easy to check thanks to your instruction. I ordered the rods for my aquasmart off ebay for $98 (including postage). Cheers.
What can I say? James you are a legend!! What better Mother's Day gift could a husband give his wife and family than a working washing machine. Picked up the parts this morning and had the job done in 30 minutes. I also checked that the machine was leveled properly as this may have accelerated the wearing out of the parts replaced. Thanks.
Our washer stopped working amid cycle after a crack sound and I noticed that the bucket appeared "dislocated". Upon closer inspection it seemedlike atleast one of the suspension rods was broken. I am going to open up the top (per these instructions Thanks James!) later today and take a closer look. Most of the comments here are from people who replaced the rods before they were broken. Given that mine broke while it was running, what is the likelyhood that something else also got damaged. Our washer is 12 years old - wondering if its even worth attempting this repair. Would appreciate your feedback/thoughts?
Thank you so much! My dad and I fixed it thanks to your instructions!!!
James, thanks so much for your comprehensive & step by step guide to to replace the suspension rods & straps which enabled me to order the correct parts from Fisher & Paykel and fix the problem with our machine going out of balance & stopping on both rinse & spin cycles. It works just like a new again & have no further problems in the last six(6) months saving us having to outlay for a new machine. You are brilliant and I appreciate that you have passed on your knowledge and experience. Brian 31 July 2017
Thanks so much for the clear instructions. We just completed the fix. The rubber straps were much longer than the new ones. The machine had been running since 2006/7 with out a hitch until the balance went.
Really useful guide, gives confidence pre start.
Parts were $130 - set of rods and set of straps - in Australia from Doug Smith spares in Pymble.
Only issue was the indentation in the back left corner bracket got stuck a bit hard in the frame ended up bending the frame; fixed with pliers and a bit of car enamel i had.
Re bowl support i made up a simple frame from a piece of 25x40 timber 510 long- drilled 60 from each end ; this fits inside the bowl; 2 threaded rods 200 mm or longer and a piece of 25 x 40 x 800 with matching holes goes across the outer frame; - make this up like a double barred H ; you can screw up the inside piece to hold gthe bowl up while you are working on it
can you fix the rods
I was ready to trash my washer and buy a new one because it kept going way out of balance no matter the load. I thought I would try to find a fix just one more time. Thank you thank you thank you!!! I followed your instructions and now I have my washer back in perfect working order! You saved me a bunch !!!! Thank you again!!
Wow! This could not have been more perfect! Both washer & dryer went on the blink at the same time. Service call was going to cost $130.00 JUST to come look at them, as well as any parts $$ and $80.00/hr to fix! After guess-timating it would cost around $500 to have someone else check it out/fix it, I went internet searching and came across your guide describing my exact problem. Great step-by-step, well-written instructions and images to show details. I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to post this. This repair couldn’t have been easier. My washer is now running like a champ. Highly recommend this guide to anyone with this washer. Thank you!!!!!!!!
Great post thank you.
Easy to follow and saved me $$$$
my spares i got from https://shop.onlineappliancespares.com.a...
I just replaced the rods and rubbers and it is working perfectly and it did only take me 30 mins. I had to push rods out with screws driver as red caps had small latches on them but it was easy. Thank you so much for the tutorial and the pics were invaluable. Mandy
This tutorial was awesome my machine nowmworking perfectly again. Thank you soo much.
Another huge thanks to James for this tutorial. Successfully replaced the 4 rods and straps in our machine.
In our case, the 2 rear straps were the likely fault, one had come undone, another had snapped. But I replaced the 4 rods and straps in the one go.
As Ken notes above, online appliance parts is where I got mine - ordered on Sunday, in my letterbox on Wednesday.
Ours had 4 rods the same, none had a bend.
Replacing the first rod and strap took about 5 minutes, just going slowly. By the 4th one it took all of a minute as I knew exactly what to do.
I earned some husband points today! :-)
Hi I just want to know if Im on the right track. I looked up the parts manual and I think I have the correct ones. Can you confirm?
Suspension Kit (pkt 4) I take this to mean 4 rods?
Strap Moulded Straight (pkt 4) I take that to mean the rubber straps?
Where did you get them from?
Cheers
Dare I say: “What rubber straps”
Also": if the rods have broken, are they meant to have bent the sheetmetal they’re attached to?”
Awesome howto for diagnosing, cheers. A shame that mine is so stuffed. for now, I’ve screwed timber supports everywhere to help the brocken mounting points.
I should put some rubber straps in, it might make it last a mite longer.
Thanks again for this awesomely simple tutorial.
I was about to turn it upside down to try and fix from that crappy access.
Success! This old grandma got the parts and fixed the washer! OKI have some scratches but I did it! No handyman, just a handy woman with excellent directions from you James. The top right suspension rod is the tricky one but eventually I did it. My washer is purring and so am I. Thank you James!
Success! This old Grandma went to the shop, got the parts and fitted them! My machine is purring and so am I. OK, I have some scratches (wear gloves) but also have a sense of getting it working without a handyman, just a handy woman. If someone in their seventies can do it, anyone can.
Thank you James. Excellent instructions. The top right rod is the most difficult. The clip on mine wasn’t going to budge for ages but I wouldn’t give up.
I have been pleased to find this helpful information. My biggest disappointment is that the “Out Of Balance” problem has been experienced by so many people. I cannot help feeling that this problem could even be described as a “design flaw”.
Does anyone have an opinion, or actual information, about whether these “shock absorber” mechanisms can be serviced, or recharged with oil?
Thanks, Wilfred
Hi James, your guide inspired me to fix my WL80 washing machine. Our machine is 7 years old and has had heavy use, but recently it was almost unusable, continually was going out of balance. I purchased parts directly from the manufacturer (finding the prices better than other dealers!), replacing both struts and bands using your instructions. I did note one band I replaced had a small tear and was on its last legs while the struts had no give left in them at all - just worn out.
We have just completed 3 washes now without any issue and delighted.
We actually do like this washing machine and your guide saved us buying another - which helps when on a tight budget.
Thanks so much
Peter
Melbourne
Hi amazing instructions!!! But mine is a Washsmart how I remove the cover lol. It doesn't have the little plastic bit to remove it. It is different altogether and am so confused and can not find any other instructions besides these. Mine is an Australian model but I think they are all the same. Model # WA1068G1 Washsmart 10kg
hi there, just wondering if you found the instructions for the washsmart ? I am after them as well!
You’re a legend James. thanks for posting this. we found the post, it sounded just like our problem, my not-so-handy-hubby ordered and parts and followed your instructions, and machine now working perfectly. thank you thank you thank you!!!!! you saved us a wad of cash in call out fees and/or new machine!
Hi James where do you stay, how much do you charge to change?
Thank you so much. Easiest appliance repair ever! I didn’t even move the machine - replaced everything standing in front of the machine. AMAZING. Did this 3 days ago - today the dryer belt broke. HA!
Thanks so much for this post. I am facing the same prob at the moment. My F&P model is >> WL70T60D and Product 93127 - A
Can someone suggest the best place to by these parts ?
Thanks a lot James.
Does anyone know how to take off the top of a similar Fisher and Paykel machine I have, a washsmart WA1068G1
It doesn't have any screws at the front ?
I just found out how to do this , there are 4 screws at back of display panel , but first you must take off display panel, which has 2 screws and take care to take off all wiring going back into the machine , take lots of photos and disconnect the wires that stop you from taking the top off.
Also , remember to disconnect the hoses and turn water off.
I did this and then just followed the rest of the above instructions , by the way , for the WA1068G1 you don’t need the bands , just the 4 suspensions rods will do, the kit costs $107.42 from your nearest parts supplier . My machine is like new again .
Thank you so much for sharing this fix-it guide - it was super easy to follow, quick to complete, and our washing machine is now as good as new (and super quiet again!). Shout out to Fisher and Paykel too, for the speedy delivery of the spare parts.
Thanks for your fix it tips and step by step guide. We experienced this problem with our washing machine. I ordered the suggested parts and my husband and I followed the steps outlined. We now have a washing machine that’s once again working perfectly. Thank you! This guide saved our family a lot of money.
THANK YOU! You saved me nearly $150 by posting this easy step by step guide. My machine was doing the exact same ‘banging about’ on the rise cycle. I looked up the parts and bought them direct and couldn’t believe how simple it was to replace. Thanks from Australia!
Where can I buy the parts from ?
mine always stops before the spin cycle and at times leaves black dirt on clothes
A little newer model. Same problem. Ordered $100+ in parts and husband followed great instructions. We are back!! Many thank you’s from this house (which saved $$ on a replacement) and the earth (which doesn’t need one more broken down piece of junk).
James,
Thank you so much for writing these directions in such a way that my husband and I, who happen to be seniors, thought we could tackle this job alone. We saw that your rating of “Easy” gave us the incentive to at least try to fix our Fisher Paykel washing machine. We were torn between just buying a new machine or undertaking this repair. We chose the latter. We ordered our parts through Fisher Paykel directly and paid no shipping. We also got suspension kit and neck ring straps within two of placing order. After switching out the old parts for the new parts, we were surprised how high the tub is now. We still weren’t sure if this would solve our problems, but we were both surprised when we ran our washer how, for the first time in a while, it didn’t bounce all over the place and sound like a rocket taking off. Thank you again for taking the time with such good directions and pictures.
Jeepgirl7197
Thank you for posting this guide. I have just finished following it to replace the struts of my machine. Much appreciated!
What a great guide, thank you. I placed the parts order today. Your links no longer work (it’s been 5 years after all). I couldn’t find the parts on the F&P website either. So I phoned them and got a delightful British parts specialist.
I am in the United States and my washer model number is WL37T26.
The specialist confirmed that the two parts you recommend are indeed the correct parts to use and that the part numbers are still valid. She assured me that these parts would work with my model.
Neck Ring Straps 420978P
Suspension Kit 424495P
She also recommended doing a wash before starting the work consisting of hot water, a cup of vinegar, and 3 tablespoons (45ml) of baking soda (bicarb). Let it sit with all that for a couple of hours then drain.
Prices have gone up of course but it’s still way cheaper than a new washer. The suspension kit is $148 (USD) and the neck ring straps are about $6. Shipping (they have an American shipping center in Texas) is $10. With tax, my total was $179.79.
UPDATE to my original comment. The parts arrived a couple days after I placed my order and we swapped them out today. The rubber straps were very stretched out. The rods looked okay but we replaced them anyway (they might have had a bit of oil coming out). It was super easy and your instructions were dead on. I ran two loads (of both sheets and towels because they were what I was holding back before as they go out of balance easily) and they were both done so fast I wasn’t even ready. Not a single beep. Before today it would take all day to do a load because I’d have to rebalance the machine 20-30 times to get it to finish. Thanks again!
What model number is your Aquasmart? The suspension rod kit I ordered appropriate for my model has 4 identical rods. None are curved, as you mentioned. Just curious…
Your instructions were spot on except for removing all the rubber straps first; I found it easier to support the drum by replacing each rod and strap one corner at a time.
It was quick and easy, though I enlisted the help of my landlord because I am not so physically strong and a flashlight needed to be held to see what we were doing.
The machine runs like a dream now!!!
James = you rock! Just took my husband and I 25 minutes to complete this task on lockdown day 3 in New Zealand, after we got delivery this morning of the new suspension kit and bands. Washing machine now going and fingers crossed it does not interrupt itself.
Much appreciated for your clear and concise instructions.
If you are curious - the old rods had ‘suspa-inc.com’ stamped on the bottom of the cylinders. They are some form of a friction damper.
I have used your instructions in the past to replace the rods. How about the neck ring? I’m not finding anything out there on this topic, on how to remove/replace. WL26CW2
Never mind! Figured it out!
Just swapped out these parts on our washer. its lasted over 10 years before needing the replacement.
Its now as good as new. Cost a total of NZ$200 for the parts inc delivery. (https://www.appliancespares.nz/)
Note - the rubber bands get replaced after the rods, and it was helpful to have someone else hold the bowl up while unclipping the old rods
Hi James
I have a fisher and paykel smart drive model WA1068 G1 . My problem is it fills great washes then drains doesnt go to spin to get soap off . Then just fills again washes drains and wants to fill again before final spin ? I see , the water pressure on the drain hose is very slow as well. It was fine before . Worked like fill rinse spin rinse then final spin . Now its annoying me . With eco ect . Before problem starting happening . Its was trying to do the spin rinse but couldnt get to do the stop spin and do the final rinse so i interupted it as it tryed and tryed please help ? Thanks syd aus.
Thanks for the article. My machine (Model WL80T65CW2) has stopped mid cycle and I suspect that it’s the suspension which needs replacing. Our control panel has also completely shut down as well - I’m not sure if this is a separate issue or linked to the suspension i.e. a fail-safe option to protect the machine until the suspension gets fixed. Could you please comment on whether your control panel also stopped working.
I just don’t want to spend $150 on parts (neck ring and suspension kit), do the repair only to find out that the control panel is a separate issue altogether. Appreciate any feedback. Thanks
Hey James,
Appreciate the effort you went to with this post. It helped a lot and I was able to order parts from fisher n Paykel. Replace the suspension rods and bands in 30 mins. Machine is running great now and gets through a full load without the violent shaking!
I replaced the rods and rubber bands but still having some balance issues and the rubber band keeps coming loose from the tub. Anyone have a similar issue and have a fix?
Yes, I just replaced the rods and bands and not have worse balance issues! Could it be the tub and the drive that could be un-balanced?
Bret -
Legend , was just the rubber bands.
My Aquasmart (WL70T60C purchased in 2009) has been in storage for 5 years so its usage age is 6 years.
The problem it developed wasn’t listed here in the blog or in anyone’s comments which is why I thought I’d leave a comment for anyone else who ran into the error we did.
Our machine wouldn’t complete a spin cycle. We’d program it to do a spin only and each time we did it would revert to doing a rinse after a few minutes. Trying to get the water out of our laundry and it kept re-soaking it.
It had also been making some loud bangs and panicking more frequently asking us to rebalance the load inside but we thought nothing of it.
After reading James replacement guide and noticing that the (relative) age of our machine matched the description I took a gamble and ordered the rods and the rubber straps. When I opened it up I found that one of my rubber straps had snapped.
Replacing the parts was one of the easiest repair jobs I’ve ever done. End result was a success. Machine now works perfectly again! Thanks James!
Hi James, Our machine continually stops with a “my load is out of balance” message; it doesn’t shake or bang as if it is. It did it 8 times in one load recently and will do it even if run empty. Followed these instructions to get into the machine but the bands and rods all look fine and I can’t see anything that looks like an out of balance switch. Is there a counterweight anywhere that could have been damaged or removed by a service person? Do you or anyone else have experience of this problem or how to fix it? Colin
could somebody please inform me on how you access the cabinet (open the top of washer) on Fisher & Paykel WL4227P-1?! I believe I need to replace the suspension rods and suspension straps but have no idea how to open the cabinet lid, and have seen nothing on web on how to do this. Many, many thanks for assistance.
V
Awesome guide; super easy to follow. Took me about 40 minutes.
All the Neck Ring Straps were stretched much longer than the new ones and one was broken.
I found no oil around the bottom of the suspension rods but suspect they were totally worn out because our out-of-balance problem had become really bad. No wonder one of the Neck Ring Straps broke.
Two points I can add to help anyone else doing this easy DIY repair…
1. To free the suspension rods from the slotted holder at the bottom, there is a red cup that I had to push down with my thumb. Once it was freed and hanging below the slotted holder, I could then drop the suspension rods down and wiggle them out. One of the slots was a bit tight and I had to apply a little bit of force to get the rod through the slot.
2. The right rear rod has two things attached to it - the clip half way down, mentioned in the guide, and wires & tubes that tuck behind a bracket on the plastic hanger at the top. Be sure to tuck those back in when reassembling.
I also had a machine dancing around, have replaced the neck ring straps now machine stops at rinse and won’t automatically move to spin; I manually move it to spin and it doesn’t complete the spin cycle- clothes still wet (2% of time it work though). Does do one ‘shudder’ like out of balance. As my cost is $200 for new set of suspension rods I don’t really want to overspend if this wont fix the issue ($200 goes along way to a new machine)
I had alot of satisfaction taking the machine fully apart - the bowl rught out - soo much silt to be seen, a couple of buttons and one bra underwire in the flapper. Waterblasted the bowl shiny as bew, cleaned lint from the flapper and gunge from the bowl surround. Most satisfying
Now I have a super clean machine which I will baby along - until I decide new machine or take a punt on replacing rods.
Anyone in Auckland nz have any going cheap?
I see this is an old post but hoping to get some further clarity. I had the same issue and replaced the suspension rods (thanks for the great step by step guide). However, my machine does not have any neck ring straps in the corners. I am wondering if my model (WA80T65GW1) / product (92133-A) perhaps does not require neck ring straps. Are you able to advise?
21st November 2023 and this very helpful, easy to follow advice in the video has obviously been the answer to many. Thanks James!!
It seems, Fisher and Paykel had engineered a washing machine with, what I call "a factory fault"
The out of balance issue is fixed with the replacement of the suspension balance rods and if needed the upper neck ring rubber straps.
If you're having out of balance issues, replace the suspension rods sooner than later as severe out of balance machine tantrums can cause other dramas.
