Each apartment has a lot of different household appliances, so the owners try to monitor the quality operation of all appliances. When any strange sounds appear during operation, this should alert you. Such situations are especially typical for washing machines; this cannot be ignored. And there are plenty of reasons for this - incorrect installation, violation of the operating instructions, etc. But knocking is a general understanding. You can hear grinding, rustling and other signs.
So, sometimes the drum in the washing machine knocks. For this reason, you will have to pay close attention to all noise. And the very first thing that is required from the owner is to stop the working cycle and turn off the water supply. It is drained, the laundry is removed and the solution to the problem begins.
Where should you start?
When the drum in the washing machine knocks loudly, the cycle is stopped and the cause of what is happening is identified. And here it is important to pay attention, if it is new, then the problem is as follows:
- Forgot to remove the shipping bolts.
- Wrong choice of installation location.
- The plane of the floor is broken.
When problems do not arise in this direction, then it is worth looking at how the laundry is filled. There are special recommendations and weight standards. When this is violated, then during spinning the rotation of the drum is maximum and an imbalance occurs. This is what leads to such sounds. Sometimes any items that are not removed from the pockets before washing cause noise. To do this, you need to rotate the drum by hand and listen carefully.
These are situations in which each person can figure it out on his own without a master. But could the drum in the washing machine be knocking for other reasons? Yes, they may be present, but in such a situation you cannot do without a competent master. When small sounds begin to appear, they cannot be ignored. Otherwise it will be a big problem and serious damage.
Another option is to find certain signs characteristic of certain breakdowns. If the drum in the washing machine is knocking, and after removing the laundry, rust is visible, these are worn out bearings and deformed rubber bands or seals. The appearance of water under the unit is also a cause for concern. You can check the integrity of the bearings - you need to try to turn the drum by hand. If it doesn't work out, there can be no doubt. Bearings to be replaced.
Reasons for knocking when the washing machine is operating
If you hear knocking while washing for the first time, do not rush to panic. First, remember what you loaded into the car? Perhaps it is some parts of the loaded clothes that are knocking . For example, knocking noise may occur when washing jeans. Their metal buttons can knock on the glass of the hatch or on the drum. Therefore, if there are large metal or plastic parts on things, turn them inside out while washing or use special bags.
If a knocking sound in the machine appeared while washing soft items without any decorative elements, then it may be due to a malfunction. There may be several reasons for this behavior of the washer:
- uneven distribution of laundry in the drum;
- incorrect installation of the machine;
- malfunction of drum suspension parts - shock absorbers or springs. It is also possible that the fasteners and dampers of these parts may be damaged;
- or its fastenings are weakened, loose or cracked The counterweight is a heavy balancer made of cast iron or concrete. It gives the machine stability and also reduces vibrations during spinning, especially at high speeds;
- faulty bearings or seals in the drum drive. In this case, in addition to knocking, there may also be a burning smell from the seals. Often, it is the destruction of the seal that causes bearing wear. The bearing is adversely affected by the ingress of oil seal particles, dust and moisture. When a bearing fails, squeaks appear first, and then knocking. Naturally, the car begins to vibrate strongly;
- weakening or destruction of fastening parts of various internal components of the washing machine. The knocking noise may be caused by a fallen hose, pump housing or surge protector. During operation, they simply hit the tank or machine body;
- ingress of foreign small objects between the walls of the tank and drum. It could be a button, coin, bolt that fell out of your pockets;
- shipping bolts that were forgotten to be removed when installing the machine. This sometimes happens, especially when installation work is done in a hurry. In some cases, the plastic bushings for these bolts must also be removed.
What's wrong with the underwear?
Often the washing machine drum knocks when rotating. This is typical for older models. This especially begins to happen when the laundry is collected in one lump (imbalance). Because the cylinder begins to knock in one direction and this gives strange sounds, grinding, etc. But not every cycle will be done this way. There are obvious situations:
- Lots of small things.
- Bed sheets.
- Loading weights that are not permitted according to the instructions.
To eliminate the knocking, the cycle is stopped, the drum is opened and things are laid out or unnecessary items are removed. To prevent this from happening in the future, you should adhere to the operating rules and load small laundry halfway with large laundry. Today, manufacturers take this error into account and create new models of the unit with a stacking control system. Therefore, when purchasing, you can already get rid of the occurrence of such a problem in the future.
In addition, laundry can be the simplest reason why the drum in the washing machine knocks when washing. Namely, items left in pockets, as well as buttons, straps and fasteners. They are capable of breaking away and getting into any gaps. And children in the family can do interesting things by stuffing small things into the drum or powder tray itself. This is a serious issue because such items get into the drum and it breaks down. If you manually spin the drum, it is easy to understand that there is something inside.
You can remove these elements yourself, using a small wire, placing it in the cracks. But the simplest method is removal through the installation holes of the heater (heater). It is worth doing some minor disassembly and only then removing the items. When everything is returned to its place, you need to install a new seal and lubricate it.
Line filter malfunction
An equally popular malfunction is an unscrewed or broken-off surge protector, which is designed to dampen electrical network impulses. It is located on the back wall of the washing machine.
When the filter flies off the mount, it swings on the wires between the housing and the tank, which leads to a characteristic unpleasant knock. Also, such a breakdown can lead to a short circuit, and these are more complex problems in the operation of the unit.
To resolve this problem, the filter must be securely fastened.
Incorrect installation
The drum in the washing machine knocks during the spin cycle due to non-compliance with operating instructions. Often the owners, after installing the unit, are in a hurry and do not level it, and also forget to remove the shipping bolts. It is at high speeds that this becomes apparent. And the task of the bolts is to hold the drum back, so an unusual sound will be heard.
Installation must take place on a solid base; some cast it from concrete. In addition, it is worth adjusting the legs. This is true in cases where the floor surface is already finished with tiles or something else. So in such a situation, it is worth correcting the situation, and the operation of the machine will return to normal. To check whether everything is done correctly, you need to try to rock the device with your hands. If there is no movement, everything is done correctly. The machine should not shake.
Cleaning
One of the innovative features of modern Samsung washing machines is Eco Drum Clean. It allows you to remove odors and dirt caused by bacteria that accumulate on the walls of the centrifuge.
To get rid of them, there is no need to buy expensive detergents. The washing machine itself displays information on the screen that it is time to clean the drum . The owner of smart technology will only have to select the appropriate function and launch it.
If the model is outdated, then you will have to clean the drum yourself. This requires chlorine bleach and powder, which are placed directly into the spinner and run on a high-temperature wash cycle. Read more here.
Drum pulley
If nuts or bolts become loose over time, vibration occurs. When a part is restored, the attachment point is additionally sealed with sealant.
These are the simplest breakdowns. The rest lead to expensive repairs, although some purchase a new machine. Because to restore functionality, the technician has to disassemble the entire machine. To answer the question why the drum is knocking in the washing machine, you need to work through each option.
Shock absorber failure
A broken shock absorber has very similar symptoms to a broken spring:
In addition to the shock absorber, the mount may break, or the mounting bolt may simply become loose. It is possible to determine why the extraneous sound occurs only after disassembly. It is recommended to first carry out diagnostics by calling a specialist. After identifying a malfunction, the shock absorbers are replaced with new ones.
Useful arguments from experts
In the professional work of washing machine repairmen, questions often arise to which they do not always know the answers. Because the reasons can be common and unexpected, depending on the model of the unit. Therefore, you need to know what to do if the washing machine drum is knocking. The division is based on models characteristic of their work:
- “Veko” - this model is known to many. What does it mean if the drum starts making a knocking sound during the spin cycle? To fix the problem, you need to replace the bearings, but at the same time install new seals. You can also view the cross shaft.
- "Atlant". Increased knocking and vibration may occur during operation. The problem is eliminated when the unit is installed level and according to the instructions.
- "Ariston". Complaints about knocking and vibration. After replacing the seals and bearings, the problem did not go away. As a result, it was necessary to change the shaft.
- "Samsung". After a long period of operation, vibrations began and a grinding noise appeared. After another job, a heap of substance comparable to cement and dust fell out from below. This is a breakdown of the heating element. In addition, such processes can lead to failure of the motor itself.
- LG – often suffers from squeaking. This happens when any small particles get caught between the drum and the side of the machine.
Some models have their own breakdowns. But this is optional. They also have a shelf life without repair (again, this is all on an individual basis). The only point that applies to each model is that if any knocking or grinding noise occurs, you cannot end the cycle and not pay attention to it. Otherwise, you will have to invest a lot of money on repairs.
A common problem is bearings.
Oddly enough, it is the bearings that quickly fail. This is indicated by grinding and knocking at high speeds or the appearance of any new sound. This is normal wear and tear, especially for those who use the machine frequently. The longest shelf life for such a part is 5 years; you can simply check its suitability by twirling the drum with your hands.
And if the drum knocks when the washing machine picks up speed, then this is a sign of bearing wear. Today it is not so easy to find this component. Repair involves disassembling the machine in the bottom area. But the procedure itself is not as easy as it might seem. You must not disturb anything during the process, otherwise more expensive repairs will be required.
Although many who know how to use tools cope with this task themselves. But if you have no experience, then it is better to go to a master. Because a person without experience may be mistaken in his assumptions and simply disassemble the unit in vain. Shock absorbers and springs fail no less often and must be replaced. The procedure is carried out in several stages, but if something is done wrong, the drum will fail and half of the machine will have to be replaced. Because the drum is skewed, but it cannot work like that.
Sometimes, after replacing a part, it fails again after some time. Therefore, you should not assume that the master is not doing his job fully.
The counterweight has weakened
This is the part that makes the washing machine stable. It is a concrete block, which in most cases is attached to the underside of the tank. Thanks to the counterweight, during the spin cycle or at the moment when the device picks up speed, the machine remains in its place. During operation, the fasteners holding the counterweight become very loose. As a result, it hits the drum. Solving this problem is not that difficult. What do we have to do? It is enough to disassemble the washing machine and tighten the fastenings. If the counterweight fails, it can be easily replaced.
