HA6450 Amana Washer - Instructions

VERY EASY!!!
SAFETY FIRST-Always unplug the appliance.
Use 8mm socket to remove front panel screws. Loosened up two hose clamps connected to the pump and removed both lines (Hoses contain water, use a towel) which is located underneath the motor. Disconnect motor electrical connector on the left side of the motor. With socket, remove 4 mounting bracket screws that secure the motor and pump assembly. Pull back the tension/idler pulley to loosen belt off the main pulley to the washer drum. Tilt and pull out motor/pump assembly. Underneath the pump, use star-bit to remove the pump from motor assembly to remove the belt. Install new belt on motor pulley (Good time to check for debris or anything restricing free movement of pump) and re-install pump. Install the motor/pump assembly and loosely secure the motor/pump assembly. Place the belt onto the motor pulley and pull back the tensioner/idler pulley to allow slack of belt to be placed on washer drum pulley. Put the belt on the lip of the drum pulley and rotate while pulling back the tensioner/idler pulley until the belt is seated on the groove of the drum pulley. Tighten the motor/pump assembley. Re-attach the 2 hoses and tighten down the clamps. Re-connect the electrical connector to the motor...Don't forget to plug in the washer and secure the front panel...Piece 'O cake, you're done! About 15 minutes to do the job. Much like changing a belt on most vehicles.

This is not a bad repair, but give yourself some time. I did not have to take the tranny and motor out, but the inner and outer tub and all related parts had to come out, along with the outer tub base. If you are replacing the tub bearing, you HAVE to order the seal kit. Don't try to skimp like I did, since you will need the seal kit as this is what causes that bearing to fail in the first place. We forgot how quiet the washer was after I fixed it, and it saved us from buying a new washer since we were ready to say the heck with it and buy a new pair. You might need an 1.5 inch socket to get the big nut off the spindle, but I was able to get with a visegrip and hammer. The nice thing about this repair is even if you screw it up, you won't have water all over the place because of the seal design. I just checked under the washer a few times for the first few weeks and all seems fine.

Removed pump/motor assembly. Had a difficult time removing pump from motor. Was not aware that the shaft was not connected some way! After looking over the internet for help....I finally realized that the shaft was siezed in the pump. After much persuasion on my part....it broke loose... I did use some WD-40....but don't know if it....or my prying between the pulley and the pump finally did the trick. Found that the idler pulley was seized. When I replaces both belt and pulley... It worked fine...

Unplug the washer
Took off the front with nut driver to two fasteners at the bottom.
Took off two tub springs using channel lock pliers.
Tipped the tub back for more hand room.
Took brake bolts off with box end wrench.
Put Screw driver above brake clamps and pried down to make the old brake pads drop down below the seats and then take brakes off. You might have to use a screw driver to expand the brake clamps so they will release the brake. (brake clamps look like a pulley but the edges will spread some bit.)
Twisted large screw driver between the brake clamps and pushed new brake in as far as would go while beside (to the left or right of) the brake seat.
Pried brake clamps down and rotated brake around until it is lined up with the brake seat. Then pried pads up into the seat.
Re-twisted large screw driver between the brake clamps to separate them and pulled the brake pad back to within 1/8th to 1/16th inch of the back. This lined up the bolt hole.
Inserted the bolt with rubber grommett into the brake pad hole and twisted it counter clockwise and tightened with wrench. (If the bolt would not thread, then you have to adjust the brake pad forward or backward until the holes line up.) Tighten the bolt until it is firmly tight.

There are three brakes. Each is installed the same way. The one in back required a little cross legged contortion for me to reach around both sides of the motor and two front brake pad mounts. The key is lining up the bolt hole in the brake pad with the mount. I pretty well had it figured out after the second pad install. Time for me.. 4 hours. Cost, leg cramps, sore muscles from awkward positions, and the joy of not having to buy a new washer.

Return the springs to the tub on the front. Close front panel and return the two fasteners with the nut drivers.

How did I know I needed the brakes? When in agitation mode the tub spun the opposite direction of the spin cycle. When the agitator turned the opposite direction, the water inside went into a very strong vortex and sometimes sloshed out the top or around the top edges When there were a lot of clothes and a high fill level in the tub. We also had trouble with straps winding around the agitator. The tub spun so quickly that the water without agitation was driven to the top outer edges of the tub by centrifugal force.

This was my fist time attempting to fix a washer. I had to guess on the length of the belt since the model number on the machine had worn off and the belt had snapped in a way that made determining the length difficult. At first, I ordered a belt that was too small. I realized this after I was unable to remount the motor stand onto the bottom of the machine. This model had the motor assembly right in front of the unit. It was easily accessed after removing the panel on the front of the machine. It was easy to remove the 4 screws (they were all visible) on the motor stand. After that I was able to disconnect the pump belt. This machine has seperate belts for agitation and the pump. The pump belt must be removed in order to install the agitator belt because they both are driven by the same shaft and the pump belt is positioned on the bottom. There is also a tension wheel for the agitator belt which might be easily overlooked. Make sure to install the agitator belt so that the tension wheel is on the outside of the belt's path. The whole job is fairly easy if you have the right part to begin with. If you have to force the belt onto the wheels, then you probably have a belt that is too small.

The Speed Queen people were nice enough to provide a swing out door on the back of the machine to access the mixing valve. I had to pry it open because they did not supply enough slack in the hose that attaches to the mixing valve. The hose clamp securing the outlet hose to the valve was difficult to remove as the screw was positioned by someone that assembled the machine with no thought given to if it would ever to be taken apart.

Be sure to unplug the machine before attempting this repair. I unplugged the dryer instead and was greeted with a shower of sparks as I removed the valve. Luckily there was no damage to me or the machine. I needed some lubricant to slide the hose onto the new valve. There was some Linatone oil for my dog's coat handy. It did the trick I buttoned the machine back up and it works as good as the day I bought it.

It might be wise to replace the gaskets between the water hoses and the inlet valve. They are just standard garden hose gaskets. Replacing the strainers on the faucet side might be a good idea also. I took a video of the Speed Queen in action and will post it to You Tube. "They Don't Make 'em Like This Anymore"

Three brake pads are located just above the drive pulley and space symmetrically around the brake wheel. Remove the one screw per brake, slide brake out of brake wheel and replace with new brake. Apply silicone grease to new brakes before installing. Tools: 5/16 boxed end wrench.

Remove two sheet metal screws at bottom front. Tip up and remove front panel. Tip up top panel. Hold it up to allow access to rear of drum. Use soft piece of wire to loop around top of spring. Pull 4 springs up and off drum. Rotate the springs to release them from the base plate. Starting at the rear of the drum slip new spring end into washer base. Slip wire loop on the top of the new spring. Pull and stretch new spring onto drum. Repeat 3 more times. Replace front cover....you're done!

The only real problem was one spring loaded hose clamp to the rear of the pump. If it had been a standard clamp like the others I would have cut the repair time down by 2/3rd's. I did find that by removing one of the long wash drum springs, I then had more room to get my channellocks back there to get the stupid clamp to compress, and then used a screw driver to push the clamp back off the the connecting port. I replaced the camp w/ a standard clamp and the reassembly went quick and easy. Note, If you replace the pump drive belt with a new one, you WILL have to adjust the belt tension after a few minutes use.

Released idler pulley and replaced belt

After removing the front panel I was able to reach the bolts holding the brake pads in place. Without the above mentioned ratcheting end wrench it would have been very difficult to start the bolts while replacing them. I would probably consider removing the motor if I had to do this again. It would give a lot better access. no real difficulty other than hard to reach.

removed four 5/16 screws and two hose clamps. This released the pump and belt. With the pump on the bench, I removed a c-clip and removed the pulley. Just reverse the process and it was back together in about 15 minutes---total job.

remove agitator then remove center bolt from hub, match bolt with longer bolt so that gear puller will work. install bolt and gear puller and twist top of gear puller until hub is removed. remove old seal ,use sand cloth or emery cloth to remove all deposits from shoulder. make it shinny, use some dawn dishwashing soap to line the inside of the new seal at the bottom and slide into place.take a piece of 2" PVC about 4" long and slide over the top of the seal and tap with a rubber hammer until seal is seated firmly on shoulder. look to see that there are no gaps with a inspection mirror or a make-up mirror.If their are no gaps ,install the hub and tap on the new hub with the rubber hammer. the hub will not seat all the way down so use the old bolt to pull it down, now take out the old bolt and install the new one, this is because the new one has lock tite on it ,your done!

took the drive belt to the pump off then put the belt for the drum on .then put the belt for pump back on. basickly this unit is one of the easist to work on

I used your great video for pointers as to what to do. I took off the front, raised the top, vacuumed the whole thing up, that took quite a while. Took out the drum. Did more cleaning. Then took off the old retaining rings with retaining ring pliers, took off the old drum rollers and support. Replaced with new roller supports, washer, roller, washer and retaining rings. Then I replaced the belt. Tested it and turned the wrong way and it came off. Replaced and tested it again and I don't know why but it came off. Replaced the belt again, tested fine. Then I replaced the felt pads and glides, they were worn. I ended up asking my husband to help hold the drum so I could get the front back on. Replaced front and door. Tried the dryer. Works great AND very, very little noise. Note: when taking the wiring off the light and the door switch, I took photo's of those places with my cell phone and had them to look at to make sure the wiring was correct.