Bonding rubber to plastic...

[Darkflux]

Wasn't sure where to put this. I have a washing machine that has worked for over 2 decades, but just now decided to leak...but not from a crack in a tube or hose or even some crack in the large plastic tub. It is actually trickle-leaking from the hole in the side of the tub where the bleach dispenser connects!

As you can see from the quality Gorilla Tape job i've done, it's keeping the dispenser attached to the top plastic circle. But the leak is actually happening where the rubber hose connects to the tub. And only when the washer is spinning at high speeds. There appear to be no cracks in the rubber hose itself, and it is just that the seal itself is so old that it has started allowing infinitely small quantities of moisture through somewhere at that connection point.

And finding that specific part to try to replace it seems to be impossible, since when I looked up the part number, it is "no longer made by the manufacturer, and no substitute exists". And even searching the part number online, it seems that EVERY part supplier has the part listed, and EVERY part supplier is "Out Of Stock" for this item.

So instead, I was hoping to just "glue it together", and was considering some kind of silicone or even a super glue or epoxy, but of course, it needs to be a WATERPROOF adhesive, and it needs to be capable of adhering RUBBER to PLASTIC (which many waterproof bonding agents do not do, or do not do well, according to accompanying literature).

So what would YOU guys use? Or if you'd like to recommend an "Option B", I am all ears, as the next step after this fix will be "New Washing Machine", but I am hoping to squeeze another 5-10 years out of it at least

Appreciate any feedback!

 

[Jeff H Young]

put a clamp over the hose. or remove and plug hole, +I had one of those dispencers leak I glued it up with something but then I quit putting bleah in there and just dumped it in the main tub

 

[Sponsor]

 

[John Gayewski]

Yeah I think plugging a hole might be easier than trying to seal those two things. Maybe a little expandable boat plug siliconed into place? Not sure what kind of dimensions you have there, but there are some tiny little expandable plugs I've seen around.

 

[Jeff H Young]

redneck engineering gettr done!

 

[Darkflux]

put a clamp over the hose. or remove and plug hole, +I had one of those dispencers leak I glued it up with something but then I quit putting bleah in there and just dumped it in the main tub

Yeah I think plugging a hole might be easier than trying to seal those two things. Maybe a little expandable boat plug siliconed into place? Not sure what kind of dimensions you have there, but there are some tiny little expandable plugs I've seen around.

The hose itself isn't leaking, it is leaking from the point BETWEEN the rubber hose and plastic tub.

Plus, if i plug the hole, i can't use the bleach dispenser

I'd much rather seal the gap around the rubber and permanently affix it to the tub, if possible.

 

[John Gayewski]

The hose itself isn't leaking, it is leaking from the point BETWEEN the rubber hose and plastic tub.

Plus, if i plug the hole, i can't use the bleach dispenser

I'd much rather seal the gap around the rubber and permanently affix it to the tub, if possible.

Not sure what part of my response made you think I thought the hose was leaking. If I thought the hose was leaking the fix would be obvious and not a plug.

Rubber is flexible. Anything that sticks to it initially will come off as the surface of the rubber flexes. If you want to continue to use this washing machine your likley going to have to make a concession or two. Unless you can find the actual part you need I wouldn't count on using the bleach dispenser.

Try eBay for the part that's likley the only way if you're not willing to part with some functionality.

 

[Darkflux]

Not sure what part of my response made you think I thought the hose was leaking. If I thought the hose was leaking the fix would be obvious and not a plug.

Rubber is flexible. Anything that sticks to it initially will come off as the surface of the rubber flexes. If you want to continue to use this washing machine your likley going to have to make a concession or two. Unless you can find the actual part you need I wouldn't count on using the bleach dispenser.

Try eBay for the part that's likley the only way if you're not willing to part with some functionality.

that was actually a response to Jeff, who said to "clamp the hose" and that he had a dispenser leak, which wasn't my problem, and clamping the hose wouldn't help.

i've seen glues that say they will affix to both rubber and plastic, but they don't mention being waterproof, and you know what they say, "If they don't bother bragging about it, it's probably because it's not so".

i've also seen PLENTY of waterproof sealants, silicones, and glues, but none that specifically mention rubber AND plastic. so i wasn't sure if you couldn't have both worlds, or if there was a better option, or even just a "best practice" for this scenario.

heck, i'm not even sure that a replacement part would stop the leak, since as i said the piece does not appear to have any holes or cracks in it.

i appre iate your advice just the same, and if anybody else has any idea of the best route to take (other than sealing the hole) i would be grateful. at this point, i might even try gluing the waterproof glue over the rubber/plastic glue!

thanks!