I don't know, Finn.  I was under the impression that the seals (not counting Tracy's seals) were fairly brittle and broke before they bent.
 
I have the engine back in the shop and was starting the tear down, when the wife came down and informed me the washing machine wasn't working AGGHGGG!   Of course, the appliance makers now assume no one does home repair so there is not so much as a parts exploded diagram.  But, managed to get it apart expecting to see belts - but nope - direct drive.  But, I do spot the problem there is a plastic coupler between the motor and the gear box and it is clearly broken.  Well, because of no parts diagram have to search the inter net to find a diagram, locate the part number and find a store that had one.  But, great the store will print me out a diagram of the system!  Wife goes to get part while I return to engine.  Comes back with part, but because the lady I talked to had gone to lunch the new lady didn't know which diagram to print out ARRRGGG!  Anyhow as I write this the wife is cleaning up the mess around the washer and she has just called, so its back to putting the washer backtogether and then maybe to the engine
 
Arrrrrrgggg!
 
Ed A