On a new or recently moved front-loader, violent shaking usually means the shipping bolts are still in the back panel. On any other washer, the most common causes are a foot that isn't touching the floor, loose lock nuts on the leveling feet, or a single heavy item like a bath rug washed by itself.
New or just moved: remove the shipping bolts
Front-load washers ship with long bolts through the back panel that hold the tub rigid so it can't bounce around in the truck. If they're left in, the tub can't float on its suspension, and the first high-speed spin will shake the whole cabinet hard enough to walk it across the room. Whirlpool says all shipping materials have to come out for the washer to run properly and quietly.
LG offers a quick test. Open the door and push the drum forward and back. If it moves on its springs, the bolts are already out. If it feels locked solid, they're still in.
With the power cord unplugged, remove the bolts from the rear panel with a wrench, turning counterclockwise. Pop the plastic caps that came with the washer into the empty holes. LG also ships its front-loaders with a foam block supporting the tub from below; if it's still wedged under there, pull it out. Tilting the washer back to check is a two-person job. Keep the bolts in a bag taped to the washer, because you'll want them back in if you ever move it.
Check that all four feet are solid on the floor
Grab the top edge of the washer and try to rock it, front to back and side to side, then corner to corner. Whirlpool and LG both use this test. Any rocking or clunking means at least one foot is off the floor, and that small gap turns into a hammer during spin.
Adjust the feet until the rocking stops and a level on the lid reads true both ways. The leveling guide on this site has the full procedure, including which way to turn the feet on different brands.
Tighten the lock nuts on the leveling feet
Whirlpool calls them jam nuts: the nut on each foot's threaded stem that sits tight under the cabinet and stops the foot from turning on its own. If the nut is loose, vibration gradually backs the foot out, the washer drops onto three legs and the shaking gets worse week by week.
With the washer level, spin each nut up to the cabinet with your fingers and finish with a wrench. LG says to use the wrench that came with the washer. Check these nuts any time the shaking comes back.
Look at the floor and what the washer sits on
Washers spinning at high speed need a floor that doesn't flex. A washer on a springy wood subfloor can bounce even when it's perfectly level, so check for sagging or give underfoot. Whirlpool says not to put a washer on a raised wooden platform, and on its leveling page suggests securing a sheet of 3/4 in (19 mm) plywood to the floor under the washer and dryer to cut noise and vibration.
On a pedestal, the problem is often the pedestal rather than the washer. Whirlpool's checklist is to tighten the screws that hold the washer to the pedestal, make sure all four pedestal feet touch the floor, and tighten each foot's lock nut against the pedestal frame.
Fix the load
A single bulky item causes more shaking than a full drum. When one waterlogged bath mat or jean jacket sits on one side of the drum, the washer tries to balance it, fails, and either shakes or stops the spin with an unbalanced-load code.
Here's what Whirlpool and LG suggest:
- Pair one bulky item, like a rug or jean jacket, with a few other pieces so the weight spreads around the drum.
- Fill a front-loader to about two-thirds of the drum, LG's guideline, so clothes can tumble freely.
- Don't mix very heavy items with very light ones in the same load.
- Don't pack the drum tight, and untangle sheets before they go in.
- If the washer starts shaking mid-spin, pause it, spread the laundry evenly around the drum and restart.
Worn suspension parts
If the washer is level, the bolts are out and normal loads still make it bang, the suspension is the next suspect. Front-loaders hang the tub on springs at the top and shock absorbers (dampers) underneath. Top-loaders usually hang the tub from four suspension rods with springs at the corners. RepairClinic rates worn shock absorbers, broken suspension rods and broken counterbalance springs as highly likely causes.
With the washer unplugged and empty, push down on the tub or drum and let go. It should settle back with little bounce. A tub that keeps bobbing, sits lower on one side, or knocks against the cabinet points to a worn part. Fix.com adds the snubber ring found on some top-loaders, which wears down and lets the tub bang against the side of the cabinet.
If one shock absorber is worn or broken, RepairClinic suggests replacing all of them as a preventive step. Search for the part by your washer's full model number so you get the right fit.
Shaking with a grinding or rumbling noise
Shaking that comes with a grinding or rumbling noise during spin is a different problem. RepairClinic names the tub bearing as the most likely failed part when a washer is loud on spin, and on top-loaders it also points to the transmission if the inner tub feels loose. Both are major repairs. At that stage, compare the quote against the price of a new washer before you commit.
Unbalanced-load codes
Many washers stop the spin and show a code instead of shaking themselves apart. The code page for your brand has model-specific steps.
- LG and GE: UE
- Samsung: UB
- Whirlpool and Maytag: F0E5
- Bosch: E32 / F32
- Frigidaire top-loaders: E4
When to call a professional
Book a technician if the shaking continues with the washer level, the bolts out and normal loads, if the tub sits visibly low on one side, or if there's a grinding roar during spin. Those point to suspension, bearing or transmission work.