Check the transit bolts first if the machine is newly installed, and the levelling feet if it is not. Violent shaking on spin is nearly always one of three things: shipping bolts never removed, a machine that is not sitting level, or a load that cannot balance. A deep rumble that has grown worse over months is a different problem — that points at the drum bearings.
New machine? Check the transit bolts
Washing machines ship with steel bolts through the back panel that clamp the drum assembly rigid so it cannot swing during transport. They must be removed before the machine is used.
If they are still fitted, the drum has no suspension travel at all and every bit of spin energy goes straight into the cabinet and the floor. The machine will hammer, walk, and — if it is run like that for long — damage its own suspension and bearings.
Look at the back panel for two to four bolts, usually with plastic spacers. Unscrew them and keep them somewhere safe — you will need them again if you ever move house. The holes are then closed with the blanking caps supplied with the machine. Plumbers and delivery crews miss this more often than you would expect.
Common causes
| Cause | How likely | Typical sign |
|---|---|---|
| Transit bolts still fitted | Very common on new installs | Violent hammering from the very first spin |
| Machine not level | Very common | Rocks when you push a corner; walks across the floor |
| Unbalanced or single heavy item | Very common | Only shakes on certain loads, fine on others |
| Overloaded drum | Common | Shakes on full loads, settles on smaller ones |
| Feet locknuts not tightened | Common | Was level, gradually got worse |
| Weak or suspended timber floor | Occasional | Machine is level and balanced, floor flexes |
| Worn suspension rods, dampers or springs | Occasional | Drum drops and bounces when pushed by hand |
| Worn drum bearings | Occasional | Deep rumble rising with speed, worsening over months |
How to fix it
A washing machine is heavy and awkward, and it is heavier still with water in it. Get a second pair of hands rather than dragging it on your own — and unplug it before you move it.
- Remove the transit bolts if fitted
Covered above. On a new or recently moved machine, do this before anything else.
- Level the machine properly
Put a spirit level across the top, front to back and side to side. Adjust the feet until it reads level in both directions, then tighten the locknuts against the cabinet. Untightened locknuts are why a machine that was fine six months ago starts moving again.
- Confirm all four feet are loaded
Push down on each corner in turn. There should be no rock at all. A machine sitting on three feet will pivot on every spin, however level it reads.
- Redistribute the load
Spread the washing evenly and break up any tangled bundle. A single duvet, coat or bath mat is the classic offender — add a couple of towels so the drum has something to balance against.
- Reduce the load size
Try a smaller load. If the shaking disappears, the machine was simply too full to distribute the weight.
- Check the floor
On a suspended timber floor, a machine can be perfectly set up and still bounce because the floor itself is flexing. A sheet of thick plywood spread across several joists, or relocating the machine to a solid floor, makes a substantial difference.
- Test the suspension by hand
With the machine unplugged, push the drum down firmly and let go. It should settle smoothly and stop. If it bounces repeatedly, the dampers or suspension rods have worn out and no amount of levelling will fix the shaking.
When it is the bearings
Bearings announce themselves differently from a balance problem. The signs:
- A deep rumble or roar that rises and falls with drum speed, loudest during spin.
- It has got gradually worse over weeks or months rather than appearing suddenly.
- Grabbing the drum at the top and rocking it produces play or a grinding feel.
- It happens regardless of load size or how carefully you distribute it.
This is the point where the economics matter. On many modern machines the bearings are pressed into a sealed outer tub that is not designed to be split, so the repair means replacing the entire tub assembly — often more than half the cost of a new machine. On an older machine that is usually the end of the road.
A machine with failed bearings will eventually damage the drum shaft and seal, and a failed seal lets water into the bearing housing and out onto your floor. If it is rumbling badly, stop using the spin cycle until it has been looked at.
When to call a professional
Call an engineer for a deep rumble that rises with spin speed, for visible drum play, if the drum drops and bounces when pushed, or if the machine still moves after being properly levelled with a balanced load. Suspension rods and dampers can sometimes be replaced economically; bearings usually cannot.
Stop and call a qualified appliance technician or electrician if you find scorched or melted wiring, smell burning, see water that has reached electrical components, or if the fault returns immediately after a repair. Never bypass a safety device — thermal fuses, door interlocks and flood switches fail for a reason, and defeating one converts a broken appliance into a fire or flood risk.
