Make sure to stop the machine in the middle of a cycle as this method relies on there being an issue with the way that the clothes are arranged inside the machine. If an incorrect distribution of clothes does end up being the issue, then running the machine without any clothes in there won’t actually indicate any issue to you.
This is the single most common cause of an unbalanced washing machine. Clothes can often get caught up in one area of the drum which results in more weight on one side. This is why you often hear a rhythmic banging while the machine is running. There needs to be a fairly severe imbalance of clothing distribution for this to be the cause, so you’ll be able to see the clothes very obviously bunched up.
It can also help to spread out any clothes that have become bunched up such as a pair of jeans or some other item made of heavy material. The machines work much more efficiently when each item of clothing is spread out normally. Very large items like bed-sheets or towels shouldn’t be washed on their own as they have a tendency to end up in one area. With no other items to act as a counterweight, this can often throw your machine into imbalance.
The agitator is the pole-like thing that sticks up in the middle of a top-load washing machine. The reason it is there is to help move the items in the machine around, so they are more effectively washed. Clothes often get wrapped around the agitator which can result in the clothes bunching up. This, in turn, causes the machine to end up unbalanced.
Most washing machines aren’t designed to be packed anywhere near to the top before starting the cycle so ensure that there is still plenty of room in the drum. Overfilling is a common occurrence with people trying to get a lot of washing done at once so if you’re close to being full, just split it up into two loads.
Doing this allows you to get a look at the front legs of the washing machine. The legs of the machine form the platform which it sits on. When the legs aren’t even, the machine tends to shake during the spin cycle. If you don’t have someone to help you hold the machine up, use a piece of wood under the front of the machine to help prop it up.
All four of the legs should be in firm contact with the floor. If you can’t seem to find any difference in length when measuring, put the machine back onto the ground and take a look at the legs to see if they look even. Most machines have self-adjusting rear legs so don’t worry about these.
Sometimes, rust can build up on the nut which prevents you from adjusting the length of the leg. If this is the case, tap the leg a few times with your wrench. This should help dislodge the rust. Make sure you tighten the nut back onto the leg once you’re finished adjusting the length of the leg.
It’s really common for people to forget that one of the legs may be sitting on a gap between tiles, or one of the legs might be right up against the wall where the floor surface is different from the rest of the floor.
To install the vibration absorbers, have someone help you tilt the machine backward and then forward so you can slip the discs under the legs of the machine. This process is the same for carpet squares however the rubber discs tend to be more effective as the carpet squares sometimes have a tendency to slip.
