If you're dealing with washing machine drum problems or excessive washing machine noise, you'll need to fix the fault to get your washing machine's drum working properly again. However, a noisy or faulty washing machine drum could be caused by any one of multiple issues. That's why we're going to show you how to diagnose drum problems in a washing machine and get your appliance back in action.
How to diagnose drum problems in a washing machine
Let's take a look! To learn how to diagnose drum problems with a noisy washing machine, either watch the video below or follow our step-by-step guide beneath.
Safety first!
Remember, always make sure your appliance is switched off and disconnected from the mains before carrying out any work.
Washing machine bearings
When it comes to washing machine drum problems, also known as the washing machine tub, one of the most common issues your appliance can run into is faulty bearings. The main indicator of worn bearings is if your washing machine drum is making a grinding noise while turning. You can test this by placing your hand inside the tub, giving it a spin for yourself and listening out for any grinding noises.
Another way to check if your washing machine's bearings are faulty is to see how much movement the drum has. You can test this by placing your hand inside the machine and pushing against the top of the drum. If there is excessive movement and the drum is noticeably moving away from the door seal, this is also an indicator that the bearings need replacing.
You can also check the washing machine bearings by taking a look at the back of your machine. Turn it around and unscrew the back panel to get a good look inside. As you can see from the picture below, there is noticeable rust from leaking water on the small shelf above the element, which is another sign of faulty bearings.
Then, you can remove the bolt from the centre of the motor and pull off the circular panel.
Again, there will be noticeable rust beneath this motor panel if the bearings are worn.
You can then remove the ring from around the centre of the motor to get a good look at the bearings themselves.
As you can see below, the bearings here are basically falling out. The bearings should actually be evenly spaced around this ring, so if they have started to fall and gather around the bottom, they will need to be replaced.
The replacement process for bearings is quite lengthy and complicated, but it is one you can carry out for yourself if you know which steps to take. Our washing machine bearings replacement guide is here to walk you through the process step by step.
Checking the drum for trapped items
While drum bearings are a major factor in your drum's performance, faulty bearings aren't the only washing machine tub issue that can occur. Items such as bra wires and zips can get trapped in the drum, which will result in your washing machine making loud noises as the drum turns. So, when you have a noisy washing machine, you should also check around the inside of the drum itself for any trapped items, and remove any that you may find. You can find out more about removing stuck items from a washing machine drum in our guide.
Checking the drum for damage
Another thing to look out for is direct damage to the drum itself. If you find that any items of your laundry are coming out of the washing machine ripped or torn, this can be because trapped items have damaged the perforations in the tub. When this happens, the perforations can lift up and catch the fabric, resulting in damage to your clothes. You can test this by carefully rubbing a soft cloth or old pair of tights all the way around the inside of the drum, feeling for where the fabric is catching as you do so.
As shown in the picture below, one of the perforations is damaged and has become a little jagged. Fortunately, damaged perforations can often be fixed. You can simply use a crosshead screwdriver or a wooden spatula to very gently press down onto a damaged perforation to even out the edge. You can then check that the perforation is no longer catching by once again rubbing a cloth or some old tights gently over it and seeing if it catches.
Another reason your laundry can come out torn is a cracked or loose drum paddle, as clothes will also catch onto a faulty paddle in the same way they could catch onto a damaged perforation. This issue can also be fixed fairly easily by simply replacing the faulty drum paddle, as demonstrated in our drum paddle replacement guide.
Checking and adjusting the counterweights
Another cause of noise in your washing machine is loose weights. Inside your washing machine, there are weights that are attached to the drum to help control any excessive movement while the drum is spinning. If these weights become loose, they will produce a loud thumping sound in your washing machine and will therefore need tightening back up again.
To access the weights, unscrew the top panel of your washing machine and place it aside. You will be able to see the counterweight on top of the tub inside the machine, and you can check if it's loose by feeling the washers that hold it down. If the washers are loose, the counterweight will be loose as well.
Then, if you shake the weight with your hand, you will be able to hear that it's loose as it will be quite noisy.
Unbalanced loads
One of the ways the washers and the counterweights can become loose is due to unbalanced loads. This is when you wash a load of laundry, and there is an imbalance in the weight. An example of this is washing a load of lighter items such as underwear, but then also washing a heavier pair of jeans with them. This unbalance means the weight isn't spread around evenly inside the drum, which will cause it to shake excessively and gradually loosen the counterweights. You can prevent this by simply washing multiple heavy items together and lighter items together for better weight distribution.
The drum is also held in place by springs at the top (as indicated below) and dampers underneath. These also help to control the tub's movement, so if they are faulty, this can also cause the drum to move around excessively. You can learn more about identifying and replacing faulty dampers in our washing machine damper replacement guide.
Ensure the machine is level
Finally, you should also make sure that excessive washing machine noise isn't caused by the machine itself rocking. If this is the case, the fix is easy. Simply check that the washing machine's feet are level, and if they aren't, adjust them by screwing or unscrewing them until the washing machine is level again.
There you have it! Everything you need to check to diagnose washing machine drum problems. Hopefully, with this guide, your appliance is now working properly at a normal sound level again.
Now that your washing machine is back in working order, it's also a good idea to make sure you're familiar with its settings. This will help you get the best performance out of your machine, including a longer lifespan, lower running costs and more effective cleaning results. Head over to our guide on washing machine settings to learn more.
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