I spent a fair amount of time during the teaching of my How to Turn Your Blog into a Business course last week emphasizing how IMPORTANT good photos are on your blog. It's a visual medium, like television so there has to be something to look at. Even newspapers which you think of as being something you read as opposed to see or watch, have good photos to enhance the story.
So it is with great pride that I show you what may be the grossest photos on the Internet at this moment. They are wonky, unprofessional and completely unattractive in every way.
I tried. I really, really tried to get some half decent looking photos of me changing out the belt on my front load washing machine when it broke down but … it just wasn't possible. For me. For someone else with more talent I'm sure it would have not only been possible but probably would have resulted in some sort of award with cash prize.
My washing machine/dryer combo has broken down a total of about 10 times in the past 15 years. I just keep fixing it. Part of the reason is I can't be bothered to call someone, wait around for them to show up, only to tell me that jeez … they don't have the part, and they'll be back next week. And I don't know what it is about appliance repair people, but much like many mechanics I automatically assume they're out to get me.
Appliance repairmen. The boogiemen of the adult world.
So, that's why I fix things myself. Usually a half an hour or so spent on Google will tell you what's wrong with whatever it is you're trying to fix. In my case it was a very old Bosch washing machine that wouldn't spin.
The problem apparently could have been a loose or broken belt (the belt that goes around the drum to make it spin), a problem with the door, or it could be worn brushes in the motor. Had no idea where or what they are so I Googled again.
Armed with 3 possibilities, I went about trying to diagnose and possibly fix my machine before I ran out of underwear. I was already into my "theme" underwear. You know the stuff with Santa Claus or red and white lace stuff it almost kills you to wear even on Valentine's Day. So clearly this was a problem that needed to be fixed stat.
As it turns out I discovered my belt was fine, the door was O.K., but when I jiggled the brush that goes into the motor (you don't need to know or care about that) the machine started working. Then it would stop a day or so later. This led me to believe the problem with my machine is a worn brush in the motor. A quick trip to the parts store and my washing machine will be fixed. For now it works on and off.
But while I was taking my machine apart, I thought I'd show you a little trick that will work with just about any belt on any machinery. If you've ever tried to get a belt on something that was really tight you know it's almost impossible to stretch it into place.
That's because it isn't meant to be forced into place it's meant to be guided by the track that it's actually on.
Confused? Don't worry. The really bad photos will take care of that.
First things first … ALWAYS unplug what you're working on.
With the back of my washing machine off I could get a look at the guts. This is the belt that turns the drum. There would be a similar belt on a dryer and a bunch of other doo daddy machinery in the world.
You can see the belt goes around the metal wheel.
And then down to the pin, that's attached to the motor. It's not called a pin, I have no idea what it's actually called but it's the thing that the machine actually spins, which in turn turns the belt, which in turn spins the wheel, which in turn spins the drum.
Removing the belt is easy. Just grab a bit of it (making sure to not squish your fingers in anything) ...
… and ease it off of the wheel. You can turn the wheel a bit if you have to, to help it along.
Done! That was simple. You feel great about yourself, your accomplishment and your dirty fingers. Now what?
The truth is, newer belts really don't break down or stretch out very often, but this is the procedure you would use to take a belt off then put a new one on. There are other times (although I'm not sure when exactly) that you would need to remove and then replace a belt. Oftentimes after overindulging in Chinese food.
To put the belt back on slip the belt around the pin.
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Then fit the belt onto the wheel as much as it will go without forcing it.
Now, with your free hand, just spin the wheel slowly. The wheel will pick up the belt all on its own and you won't have to force it at all.
Yeah, I know you're still confused. I figured that was going to happen so while I was busy taking bad photos, I was also shooting a bad video.
I'm nothing if not consistently and reliably bad.
Any more photos or videos like this and people will be offering me cash prizes to stop making them.
And there you have it. I'm sure you have no idea how you managed to get along in life without knowing how to properly change a belt on various pieces of machinery. I for one wonder how you've done it. But now you are blessed with the information which should make you feel secure. You know that when a belt breaks or comes loose and others are in a state of panic, calling 911, screaming, crying and trying to overthrow the government, YOU will be able to step up and fix it.
YOU are AWESOME.
My washing machine crapped out on me earlier this week. Because I am actually a child in an adult body, I brought my washing to my mama’s house in the hopes that I could charm her into doing it for me before remembering she’s on holiday. RUDE. So I chucked a load on and binge watched old episodes of Cougar Town until it the machine beeped out a little ditty telling me it was done and could I please hang out what it had washed for me? Only when I went to grab my clothes they were still soaked. After lots of angry pushing of buttons I realised it was an issue of the drive belt. I took the back panel off and lo and behold, it had popped off and tangled itself up in the pulley. Google led me to this article, I followed your handy dandy instructions and now the washing machine is fully functioning. High fives for self sufficient women! High fives for DIY fixing of things!
Glad to help. One down, one to go! (can't wait to find out if your mom's washing machine was broken before you used it. She'll be stunned when she gets home and finds out it's working again. ~ karen!
It always amazes me how much repair people charge for their services especially when what they do is as simple as what you have taught us all today. We need for information like this. Please keep up the good work.
Thanks Debbie! I've found the hardest part is usually the elimination of possible causes. Well that and knowing the exact right swear words to use when you drop tools and such. ~ karen!
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This method totally makes sense. I don't know why it never occurred to me. Our washer has a broken belt right now, but frankly I'm using it as an excuse to get a whole new washer. I'm sick of that old piece of crap.
If I remember correctly, and it's been a few years, this is the same method we used when putting a bicycle chain back on that had come off. It would never have occurred to me to use that method for some other machine belt, so thank you so much for this. I just hope I can remember it, for when the time comes!
I think the quality of your pics was influenced by the subject matter. :-D
The video was quick & dirty. I wish more videos were like that. Again. :-D
This is actually very handy and useful information. I took the belt off of my drill press and then cussed at it the whole time I was trying to get it back on. If I had this information back then, I imagine it would have worked beautifully and with far less bad words.
That's O.K. Saying bad words is good for you. ~ karen
Ooh - good to know. Our "new" washer is a front-loader.
Sorry, the next week's worth of comments will all somehow be connected to our new house.
At least a week lol.
That's adorable Karen. LOLOL
My washing machine and dryer are stacked...in a corner... in the bathroom and I'm 64...Now what do I do?
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was great.
I do not know who you are but definitely you are going to a
famous blogger if you are not already ;) Cheers!
The closest thing I had to "themed" underwear (thank God I don't need them anymore) was my "period underwear".
I don't have any "theme" underwear..I feel underprivileged..what will I do if my washer breaks down??..Going panty-less at my age is probably illegal..Have you ever figured up how much you saved in a year doing your own repairs and such??
Big fun! I'd like to try this with my washer's belt—just to see if I can—only my machine is shoved into a closet and takes a couple of guys plus me to wrestle it out of there and then winkle it down the narrow hall to the back room where it can finally be worked on. Whew. Tired already.
But I have a different problem. My dryer won't heat up any more. And I don't want to call my appliance guy. I know, now I have to resort to Google.
Thanks Karen, good to know! And stop dissing stuff you do. The photos are fine, the vid is fine. So stop it! And I did learn to turn the wheel and walk the belt on--perfectly simple, but don't know if I would have thought of it! So there! You do what you do well!
A good skill to have!
And Karen, YOU are AWESOME.
My dear dad was an appliance repairman. When I was 16 or so, I overstuffed the dryer and broke the belt.
He made me fix it.
Now I can fix a bunch of things, but it's almost never just the belt!
Well, mower deck belts on ridîng lawn mowers definitely stretch so this instruction can be useful for that, too. Years ago, until I found the right belt (much harder in the early days of the Internet), my mower deck belt would pop of no less than 10 times in a mowing session. Aargh! I got pretty adept putting it back on- it was unbelievably tight considering it popped off so readily.
It was a little trickier to turn it onto the pulley because it also had an idler pulley, you had to wind it around and through four pulleys. (Just to sound impressive for the boys, you can refer to the pin as the drive pulley- attaches to the drive shaft of the motor. It's small on the washer but other equipment it is often looks more like a pulley)
My hubby is an electro-mechanical technician so I rarely have to get my hands dirty, unless I'm in the garden. I've done shocks, brake pads and shoes and I always used to do my oil but been there done that. Sometimes I miss the self sufficiency but he much more proficient so I'm prepared to rest on my laurels.
I have had a top-loading washer for about 13 years, and it is for this very reason that I will get a front-loading one the minute it croaks for good. It's a pain in the butt to replace the belt because we have to manoeuvre the silly thing on to it's side - in a very small space, might I add - in order to get to the equally silly belt , which is all the way underneath. Grrr....
Thankfully, we have only had to do it twice so far (I am convinced that some mysterious creature nipped it just to torture me).