How do I lube a sleeve bearing and rubber seal?

You can get waterproof grease, plumbers use it.

I wouldn't bother though. If the seal is toast, the bearing or bushing under it has enough slop to fast destroy any new seal, well greased or not.

Normally those are sealed bearing/seal units aren't they?

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Matt wrote:

I am replacing the shaft, the sleeve, and the seal.

Can't say what's normal. It is a six-year-old GE washer that was sold by the millions. But no doubt the design is bad. The seal fails, then water runs through the sleeve bearing mentioned, runs down the transmission housing, and puddles on top of an unsealed unshielded ball bearing at the bottom of the trans. The water leaks into that ball bearing and ruins it together with the trans. Seemingly preventable by putting a seal or a shield on the ball bearing. The cost of the trans is about $130.

I've repaired several G.E. Appliances with the help of the GE Answer Center phone line. I would ask whether the seal should be lubed and whether a special grease is needed.

Strange that seal and bearing would go out - never had to replace one. Had it been sitting dry for a long time?

Thanks. Maybe I'll try them.

Since I started the thread, I received the new transmission kit in the mail, and I see that the seal is prelubed with grease.

Now my only question is how to lube the sleeve bearing. The enclosed instructions are silent regarding lube. I am thinking maybe the sleeve is sintered bronze or so. But the sleeve and shaft that I removed were coated with something like a thick black grease. Here is the sleeve:

No. Apparently not so strange to the sales & service man. In a few minutes, he diagnosed the problem and explained it to me and said it is very common. See also:

If you see water leaking down the middle of the washer you will probably needa new tub seal ( # 311 ) and possibly a new transmission as the leaking waterdamages the spin bearing in the transmission.

GE ( Hotpoint, Moffat, McClary ) new style washer - common problems: The mostcommon problems with this washer has been the leaking problems. If you accessthe washer and see water stains on the back left of the base or you actually seewater coming out of the over flow tube you have a transmission problem. Whathappens is the brake does not hold the tub still during the agitation mode andthe tub spins and agitates at the same time. The transmission ( #320 in thepicture ) will have to be replaced, there is a kit available to repair the brakein the transmission but I have found this to be much less reliable thanreplacing the whole transmission. If you see water leaking down the middle ofthe washer you will probably need a new tub seal ( # 311 ) and possibly a newtransmission as the leaking water damages the spin bearing in the transmission.

Given the price of those parts a repair would probably make sense only if the owner could do it. Thanks for providing those references. I will check the insides of my two year old GE washer more often.

a new tub seal ( # 311 ) and possibly a new transmission as the leaking water damages the spin bearing in the transmission.

It is a one-hour job if you've done it before (e.g. if you are a GE washer repairman). It becomes "impractical" when the repairman is also a busy salesman who can make more money in the same hour by delivering a new washer that will also be impractical to repair when it breaks down a year out of warranty.

The instructions at

good except for the part about cutting out the hub nut. Just buy the special hub nut wrench for $20.

I don't know how long the spin bearing can hold out with water dripping into it. I would just replace the tub seal a month before the warranty expires. If at that time you detect rust on the spin bearing, have them replace both the seal and the tranny under warranty.

See also my recent thread in alt.home.repair.