A washer that bangs, shakes hard, or literally walks away from the wall during spin is off-balance — and while a wild spin looks alarming, the causes are usually simple and cheap to fix. Here's the order a tech works it, starting with the free stuff. (Left unfixed, the shaking wears out other parts, so it's worth chasing down.)
The most common cause: a few heavy items (towels, a comforter, jeans) clump on one side, so the drum can't spin smoothly and the machine bucks.
Check it: Open it, redistribute the load evenly, and add a towel or two to balance a single bulky item. On front-loaders, avoid washing one heavy item alone.
If the machine isn't sitting level, or the floor flexes, it rocks and amplifies every spin into a walk across the room. Common after a move.
Check it: Check with a level on top; adjust the leveling feet until it's solid and doesn't rock when you push a corner, then tighten the lock nuts. A plywood base helps on a soft floor.
Front-load washers ship with transit bolts in the back that MUST come out before use. Left in, they lock the tub and cause severe shaking.
Check it: If the washer is newly installed and shaking badly, check the back for shipping bolts and remove them (keep them for future moves).
If it's level, balanced, and bolts are out but it still shakes hard on normal loads, the shock absorbers/springs that steady the tub are worn and letting it swing.
Check it: This is a tech diagnosis and repair — worn dampers/springs are an affordable part and restore a smooth spin.
Repair — most shaking is free to fix (redistribute, level, pull shipping bolts), and worn suspension parts are affordable. A washer that shakes is almost never worth replacing over.
In Middle Tennessee or the Baton Rouge area? We'll come to you, same-day. Anywhere else in the U.S.? Send a 10-second video, a real technician tells you exactly what's wrong for $50 (credited toward the repair), and we ship you the exact part. 24/7 — text, call, or upload anytime.
Almost always an unbalanced load or an unlevel machine. Redistribute the laundry evenly, make sure the washer is level and not rocking, and (if it's newly installed) confirm the shipping bolts were removed.
It's off-balance and not sitting level, so each spin nudges it. Level the feet until it doesn't rock, balance your loads, and if it still walks on normal loads, the suspension/shocks are likely worn — a tech fix.
Yes — sustained hard shaking wears the suspension, bearings, and other parts over time, so it's worth fixing. Your $50 Quick Check credits toward the repair if a part is needed.