Knocking noise when spinning!

(1) The tub bearing is mounted in the middle of the outer tub. The tub bearing helps to keep the inner tub spinning smoothly. Replacing the tub bearing is a very involved repair and will require disassembling most of the washer. If the tub bearing is defective, i recommend replacing both the outer tub and bearing.

hi Rick.
Reasons a washer will make noise during spin mode:
1. Main tub bearing faulty
2. Main drive pulley
3. Motor coupling worn
4. Bad clutch
5. Worn out drive belt
6. Clogged or damaged drain pump
7. Transmission is worn out
8. Shock absorber (front loader washers)
9. Springs or dampening straps (top load washers)
10. Agitator directional cogs aka "agitator dogs" (top load washers
When the washer spins, it rides on a bearing that allows the tub to move freely with zero resistance. If this bearing is worn out, a loud noise will be heard when the washer spins. A good way to tell if your washer problem is the main tub bearing will be that the washer noise will get worse or louder as time goes on. This means the bearing is becoming more worn out and close to complete failure. The bearing in your washing machine is a circular metal object that has many small little metal balls inside. These small metal balls inside the bearing sit in a track and move when the washer is spinning. If the tub bearing begins to wear out, usually the small metal balls inside can fall out one by one causing the noise you hear. (If your washing machine is a front load washer, open the door and turn the drum by hand. If you hear a rubbing sound or the drum spins uneven, then the main tub bearing is most likely bad and needs replaced.)
Washing machine tub bearing

Washer has noise during spin cycle
The bearing may also be without lubrication. If the sound you hear is more of a squeaking noise than a grinding noise, it may mean the bearing needs to be lubricated with a mechanical grease. If the sound is more of a grinding noise, then this usually means the bearing is falling apart and will need to be replaced ASAP. If you suspect your washers main tub bearing is worn out, the repair process is one of the most difficult to perform yourself. A worn bearing can also damage the tub of the washer. This means the tub (inner or outer) may need to be replaced also.
A washer making a loud noise during spin cycle can also be caused by a faulty drive pulley. The pulley is what the belt (if applicable to your washer) rides on to spin your washers tub. The pulley can be made of plastic or metal. It could be simply worn out or just loose. To find out if the drive pulley is causing the noise, you will need to take the washer apart and inspect the pulley for signs of damage.
WASHER MOTOR PULLEY
The motor coupling could also be the cause of the loud noise. The motor coupling in your washer connects the washers transmission to the motor. It is made of plastic and built to break if the washer gets overloaded. This is so the motor and the transmission do not become damaged. The motor coupling is an easier repair and can be done by most people.




Washer Washing Machine Motor Drive Coupling Coupler
The clutch in a washing machine connects the inner wash tub to the transmission. The clutch lets the washer get to the proper spin RPM in a gradual way. If the clutch is worn it can make noise when the washer is spinning. A bad clutch needs to be removed and replaced to stop the noise.
Washing Machine Clutch
The belt in your washer can become worn and cause noise while spinning. If worn out, replace the belt. Replacing the drive belt on a washing machine is an easy task and can be ordered online for less.
Washing machine belt
The drain pump in your washer that drains the water out could be clogged or damaged. While in spin mode, your washer may drain out the water by using the drain pump. If the loud noise only happens at certain intervals during the spin cycle, it may be the drain pump. Usually this can be fixed by simply removing the drain pump and removing any debris that may be clogging it up causing the noise.
Drain Pump for Washing Machine




The next part of your washer that can be causing a loud noise is the transmission. If the transmission is bad, usually the cost to fix this outweighs the cost of a new washer.
If you have a front loading washing machine, they all have shock absorbers. The shock absorbers are used to center the tub movement while in the spin cycle. These shock absorbers are connected from the washer frame to the outer tub. If the shock absorbers in your front loader become weak the washer will make a loud banging sound during the spinning cycle.
Shock Absorber for washing machine
Top load washers usually have springs or dampening straps holding the tub centered. If a spring or strap falls off or becomes weak, a loud noise will be heard in spin mode. Simply replace the strap, spring, or springs to remedy this issue.
Washing machine suspension springs
Agitator directional cogs are used to operate the upper part of dual action agitators (Top load washers). They engage the cogs on the inner area of the agitator as it turns in one direction. They release when the agitator reverses its direction. This lets the top part of the agitator to ratchet in only one direction. The bottom part will agitate in both directions. The cogs are made of plastic and wear out with regular use. They will start slipping and make a grinding noise. Another way to be sure that this part is bad is if you notice the top portion of the agitator does not move in a smooth motion. Removing the top half of the agitator to see if the cogs are worn out.

It's very difficult to advise on a noisy washing machine because you can't describe noises accurately enough. People often describe the same noises quite differently.

Generally though, if a washing machine is rumbling, and noisy on spin, the main suspect is the drum bearings. Drum bearing failure is common on washing machines due to water getting into them if the drum bearing seal fails. To check for drum bearing failure you can take the belt off and spin the drum by hand. If the drum rumbles when spun then the bearings have probably gone.

Another drum bearing failure symptom is excessive up and down play in the drum which can be checked for by lifting the drum up and down from the drum lip behind the door seal. A further symptom of drum bearing failure is a brown rust patch underneath the washing machine and down the back of the outer drum, underneath the drum pulley (where the belt goes) There are usually two small holes at the back of the drum bearings where water that has got past the drum bearing seal trickles out, and it's usually stained with grease and rust.

Other causes of a noisy washing machine are coins and other obstructions inside the water pump. This will cause noise when the washing machine is emptying the water. Coins or other obstructions can get trapped between the outer tub and the inner drum. This would produce a lot of noise on spin as they coins get tossed around inside. Usually, spinning the drum by hand will not reproduce the noise in the case of coins as the coins drop to the bottom of the tub when the washing machine isn't spinning.

A light scraping noise when the drum is turned by hand is usually a bra wire trapped between the tub and drum.

A high pitched squealing or harsh noise can be motor bearing wear. This can also be checked for by taking the belt off and running the motor alone.

A knocking noise can be a loose tub weight. This would be worse with heavy loads and would not be present on spin with no washing in. This is because the knocking noise is caused when the tub (or outer drum) shakes about on spin. Without washing inside the drum the tub doesn't move. Another symptom of a loose tub weight is grey concrete dust under the washing machine.

It's very tempting to ignore noises while the washing machine is still otherwise working. Some noises can be ignored as they will not develop into serious faults. Other noises, if left, will cause extensive damage and can end up costing considerably more than if tackled early or these days writing the washing machine off. Of course the problem is that you can't tell which of the categories a noise falls into - so ignore them at your own risk.

It's very difficult to advise on a noisy washing machine because you can't describe noises accurately enough. People often describe the same noises quite differently.

Generally though, if a washing machine is rumbling, and noisy on spin, the main suspect is the drum bearings. Drum bearing failure is common on washing machines due to water getting into them if the drum bearing seal fails. To check for drum bearing failure you can take the belt off and spin the drum by hand. If the drum rumbles when spun then the bearings have probably gone.

Another drum bearing failure symptom is excessive up and down play in the drum which can be checked for by lifting the drum up and down from the drum lip behind the door seal. A further symptom of drum bearing failure is a brown rust patch underneath the washing machine and down the back of the outer drum, underneath the drum pulley (where the belt goes) There are usually two small holes at the back of the drum bearings where water that has got past the drum bearing seal trickles out, and it's usually stained with grease and rust.

Other causes of a noisy washing machine are coins and other obstructions inside the water pump. This will cause noise when the washing machine is emptying the water. Coins or other obstructions can get trapped between the outer tub and the inner drum. This would produce a lot of noise on spin as they coins get tossed around inside. Usually, spinning the drum by hand will not reproduce the noise in the case of coins as the coins drop to the bottom of the tub when the washing machine isn't spinning.

A light scraping noise when the drum is turned by hand is usually a bra wire trapped between the tub and drum.

A high pitched squealing or harsh noise can be motor bearing wear. This can also be checked for by taking the belt off and running the motor alone.

A knocking noise can be a loose tub weight. This would be worse with heavy loads and would not be present on spin with no washing in. This is because the knocking noise is caused when the tub (or outer drum) shakes about on spin. Without washing inside the drum the tub doesn't move. Another symptom of a loose tub weight is grey concrete dust under the washing machine.

It's very tempting to ignore noises while the washing machine is still otherwise working. Some noises can be ignored as they will not develop into serious faults. Other noises, if left, will cause extensive damage and can end up costing considerably more than if tackled early or these days writing the washing machine off. Of course the problem is that you can't tell which of the categories a noise falls into - so ignore them at your own risk.

The spin bearing or basket drive may be worn or seized. These components allow the inner tub to spin freely inside the outer tub. When this is the problem, you usually hear a loud sound during the spin cycle.If the bearing is getting out of its way then its faulty weak motor causing this.Check out both the bearing and the motor. You can get required parts from www.repairclinic.com

Thanks. Keep updated for any more query. You can rate this solution and show your appreciation.

This could be the start of Outer Tub Bearing issue.


Raise the lid of your washer and rotate the wash basket CCW as fast as you can. Does is spin down slowly to a gentle stop after several revolutions with no bearing noise?

The Service Manual for reference. Sears Parts Direct for reference.

I would by removing the Clutch Pulley and check for One-Way Roller clutches bearing wash water contamination. That will give you a feel for the integrity of the Tub Seal. See my Clutch Fix post for support.

If this is Outer Tub Bearing noise you will have to replace them along with the Tub Seal and Tranny O-ring. The Series 16 machine (I have that one also doesn’t use the upper Clutch bearing ring. That upper One-Way Roller clutches bearing is integrated into one of the Outer Tub bearings.

See this post. This guy bothered me for his statement that I left him hanging. I’m a DIY’er not a appliance tech and most AT’s won’t touch this with a 10 foot poll due to lack of knowledge. I did replace the Outer Tub bearings on a ebay win Series 10 machine. See this post for the details of that.

Don’t get too excited by any of this. 1st determine if the squeaky noise is Outer Tub bearing noise I haven’t had them fail yet but I would suspect you will hear metal against metal grinding of the ball bearings in the bearing race. There will be down time for the tear down and work. You need to determine if this is worth it for your situation. No more than a $85 to replace Outer Tub bearings tub seal tranny o-ring and buy Maytag Spinner Nut removal tool for reassembly and you extend the service life of your $1K machine.
If you want to DIY further let me know……Rich

Washing machine is noisyIt's very difficult to advise on a noisy washing machine because you often can't describe noises accurately enough. People can describe the same noises quite differently.
Here's a general guide though -

• If a washing machine is rumbling, and very noisy on spin, the main suspect is the drum bearings. Drum bearing failure is common on many washing machines due to water getting into them if the drum bearing seal fails. (Hotpoint and Zanussi in particular in my experience) To check for drum bearing failure you can take the belt off and spin the drum by hand. If the drum rumbles when spun then the bearings may have gone. There should be a constant rumble all the time the drum is revolving.
• Another drum bearing failure symptom is excessive up and down play in the drum which can be checked for by lifting the drum up and down from the drum lip behind the door seal. A further symptom of drum bearing failure can be a brown rust patch underneath the washing machine and down the back of the outer drum, underneath the drum pulley (where the belt goes) although this patch is not always present. There are usually two small holes at the back of the drum bearings where water that has got past the drum bearing seal trickles out, and it's usually stained with grease and rust if water has got into the bearings.
• Loud noises when turning the drum by hand can also be caused if the drum itself splits, or the spider at the back of the drum has come away from the drum, is corroded or even broken. This would normally be a loud noise on each revolution of the drum whereas the noise when drum bearings have gone is constant all the time the drum is turning. Lifting the drum checking for excessive play can often reveal a broken or loose drum spider which sometimes only occurs at certain points round the drum (the spider has three arms and is bolted to the drum at three points)
• Coins or other obstructions trapped inside the tub under the drum can make horrendous noises as they get tossed about on spin. They often don't make the noise unless laundry is in though. Look out for obvious dints and creases in the drum itself as evidence of a coin or similar stuck inside although be aware that it only shows there's been an obstruction in at some point and the coin could have fallen into the sump hose or filter and not actually be the cause of the noise at this time
• Other causes of a noisy washing machine are coins and other obstructions inside the water pump. This will cause noise when the washing machine is emptying the water. Coins or other obstructions can get trapped between the outer tub and the inner drum. This would produce a lot of noise on spin as the coins get tossed around inside. Often, spinning the drum by hand will not reproduce the noise in the case of coins because the coins drop to the bottom of the tub and lay flat when the washing machine isn't spinning
• A light scraping or ratchety noise when the drum is turned by hand is commonly a bra wire trapped between the tub and drum. They can often be removed from underneath with the sump hose taken off. It's always worth checking that the wire isn't poking through one of the holes in the drum which can be pulled back out from inside the door. It's rare, but I've retrieved 3 or 4 this way over the years.
• A high pitched squealing or harsh noise can be motor bearing wear. This can also be checked for by taking the belt off and running the motor alone.
• A knocking noise can be a loose tub weight. This would normally be worse with heavy loads and would not be present on spin with no washing in. This is because the knocking noise is caused when the tub (or outer drum) shakes about on spin. Without washing inside the drum the tub doesn't move. Another symptom of a loose tub weight is grey concrete dust under the washing machine. Warning: These days most washing machines have plastic tubs and over tightening a tub weight bolt can easily shear the bracket resulting in a new tub being required. Try loctite. Often, once a tub weight has come loose the plastic tub is damaged anyway especially if it isn't caught early enough
• Sometimes a badly worn drive belt can cause a surprising amount of noise. I've even come across some where i was convinced the drum bearings were gone until I took off the belt and spun the drum by hand to find no noise.

It's very tempting to ignore noises while the washing machine is still otherwise working. Some noises can be ignored as they will not develop into serious faults. Other noises, if left, will cause extensive damage and can end up costing considerably more than if tackled early or these days writing the washing machine off. Of course the problem is that you can't tell which of the categories a noise falls into - so ignore them at your own risk. If you have a specific noise you are concerned about, either call an engineer

The outer tub bearing is worn out but the problem is it's not repairable or replaceable. Replacement of the complete outer tub assembly is required to resolve the noise problem. The outer tub assembly costs between $400 and $500.

Remove the rear access panel and allow the washer to spin then verify the source of the noise which is likely to be the outer tub bearing right behind the drum pulley.

This is indeed a known issue in LG dryers. Mine does the same thing. Instead of contacting LG, I contacted an LG authorized serviceman. He advised me that replacing the rollers would still make the same noise. The LG techs that he spoke with (these are REAL techs, not the bozos that the consumer talks to) said that the problem can be minimized by selecting the Wrinkle Care option. After the drying cycle is over, Wrinkle Care will tumble the clothes 5 revolutions or so, every 10 minutes. This keeps the rollers round as they are cooling down. It does help, as mine still thumps on start-up, but not for nearly as long. I have come to accept this as a small price to pay for a superb dryer.
Here's a general guide though -

• If a washing machine is rumbling, and very noisy on spin, the main suspect is the drum bearings. Drum bearing failure is common on many washing machines due to water getting into them if the drum bearing seal fails. (Hotpoint and Zanussi in particular in my experience) To check for drum bearing failure you can take the belt off and spin the drum by hand. If the drum rumbles when spun then the bearings may have gone. There should be a constant rumble all the time the drum is revolving.
• Another drum bearing failure symptom is excessive up and down play in the drum which can be checked for by lifting the drum up and down from the drum lip behind the door seal. A further symptom of drum bearing failure can be a brown rust patch underneath the washing machine and down the back of the outer drum, underneath the drum pulley (where the belt goes) although this patch is not always present. There are usually two small holes at the back of the drum bearings where water that has got past the drum bearing seal trickles out, and it's usually stained with grease and rust if water has got into the bearings.
• Loud noises when turning the drum by hand can also be caused if the drum itself splits, or the spider at the back of the drum has come away from the drum, is corroded or even broken. This would normally be a loud noise on each revolution of the drum whereas the noise when drum bearings have gone is constant all the time the drum is turning. Lifting the drum checking for excessive play can often reveal a broken or loose drum spider which sometimes only occurs at certain points round the drum (the spider has three arms and is bolted to the drum at three points)
• Coins or other obstructions trapped inside the tub under the drum can make horrendous noises as they get tossed about on spin. They often don't make the noise unless laundry is in though. Look out for obvious dints and creases in the drum itself as evidence of a coin or similar stuck inside although be aware that it only shows there's been an obstruction in at some point and the coin could have fallen into the sump hose or filter and not actually be the cause of the noise at this time
• Other causes of a noisy washing machine are coins and other obstructions inside the water pump. This will cause noise when the washing machine is emptying the water. Coins or other obstructions can get trapped between the outer tub and the inner drum. This would produce a lot of noise on spin as the coins get tossed around inside. Often, spinning the drum by hand will not reproduce the noise in the case of coins because the coins drop to the bottom of the tub and lay flat when the washing machine isn't spinning
• A light scraping or ratchety noise when the drum is turned by hand is commonly a bra wire trapped between the tub and drum. They can often be removed from underneath with the sump hose taken off. It's always worth checking that the wire isn't poking through one of the holes in the drum which can be pulled back out from inside the door. It's rare, but I've retrieved 3 or 4 this way over the years.
• A high pitched squealing or harsh noise can be motor bearing wear. This can also be checked for by taking the belt off and running the motor alone.
• A knocking noise can be a loose tub weight. This would normally be worse with heavy loads and would not be present on spin with no washing in. This is because the knocking noise is caused when the tub (or outer drum) shakes about on spin. Without washing inside the drum the tub doesn't move. Another symptom of a loose tub weight is grey concrete dust under the washing machine. Warning: These days most washing machines have plastic tubs and over tightening a tub weight bolt can easily shear the bracket resulting in a new tub being required. Try loctite. Often, once a tub weight has come loose the plastic tub is damaged anyway especially if it isn't caught early enough
• Sometimes a badly worn drive belt can cause a surprising amount of noise. I've even come across some where i was convinced the drum bearings were gone until I took off the belt and spun the drum by hand to find no noise.

It's very tempting to ignore noises while the washing machine is still otherwise working. Some noises can be ignored as they will not develop into serious faults. Other noises, if left, will cause extensive damage and can end up costing considerably more than if tackled early or these days writing the washing machine off. Of course the problem is that you can't tell which of the categories a noise falls into - so ignore them at your own risk.

The noise coming from this machine as it spins is due to -- If the tub seal lets go water will weep into the tub bearing. This will rust the basket shaft and normally wreck the tub bearing. Once the bearings starts to get worn enough it usually gets very noisy. The tub bearing is pressed onto the outer back half of the tub shell assembly. Normally need to replace the inner basket/shaft assembly  and the outer shell with the tub bearing. 
Sometimes the inner basket support will crack, this can give an clicking or banging noise as well.
 
Pictures of this job...
A sure indication was the brown junk/gookus leaking out if the rear bearing area and the belt has spewed it around in the drum that the rear bearing and seal was bad...
Picture1 - Picture2
The whole outer shell and basket come out to do this repair....what bad bearing and rusted shaft looked like...
Picture1 - Picture2 - Picture3
I had to remove the back panel. Undo the pump hose & water level hose, remove the 2 shocks, remove the motor, undo the front boot from the outer panel and remove the 2 springs to lift the whole assembly out from the back to work on it.
Picture1 ( boot pushed inside ) Help page1 - Help page2