Typically there are 2 reasons for this. Either, you have something trapped in the drum (Underwire Bra wires are the favorite for getting through the holes on the drum, getting caught near the bottom of the drum and making a horrible rattling scrape), OR your bearings are failing. If it's bearings then typically the noise will be far far louder on spin than on wash and you may have found bits of plastic and grey or greasy residue in your washing. This detritus will be from the grease in the bearings and small scrapings of the outer plastic drum, created as the inner drum, spinning erratically, catches it some of the time. If it's the latter, then sadly it's typically an uneconomical repair. Bearing replacements usually cost around £140, at which point you end up with an old machine, with one good part in it, which is questionable economics! If it is a "sealed drum" (that is to say, the drum cant be dismantled and the 2 halves of the outer drum are chemically bonded together during manufacture), then you are looking at the cost of replacing the entire drum, which usually works out at between 60%-75% of the cos of the machine when you bought it new.
I'm sorry to say that tis
is potentially very bad news. the problem you describe is almost certainly
because the main bearing on the drum is worn out, allowing the inner drum to "flop about".
To test your
bearings, open the door of the machine and by putting a little lifting pressure
on the top of the inner drum, attempt to rock the stainless steel inner drum up
and down.
The outer
drum is mounted on springs and shock absorbers, so it will rock about (and it
should do this) but the inner drum should not move up and down in relation to
the outer drum. If the bearings are bad enough
then symptoms will typically include:
A clonking
noise as you lift and release the inner drum (this is the inner drum rattling
on its bearings and or hitting the outer drum)
You will
have become aware of the spin cycle becoming far noisier recently and possibly
even a grinding crunching noise when the machine spins
The drum may
feel like something is crunching or stopping you turning it when you spin it by
hand with the door open
A leak from
under the machine, which you will probably be able to trace to the back of the
machine, coming from the centre of the drum. This is the result of the failing
bearing allowing water to escape through the seal at the rear
94 views
Usually answered in minutes!
×