How to Troubleshoot a Shaking Samsung Front Load Washing Machine

Gather a drill or screwdriver with a Phillips bit for the covers and panels.

Have a 10 mm socket wrench ready for shipping bolts and some shock absorber hardware.

Have a 19 mm socket or impact gun ready if you plan to remove the rotor.

Place a level on the washer to check for sagging to any one side.

Check level at the front and at the rear of the washer.

Adjust the feet at each corner by screwing them in or out until the washer is level.

Make sure the floor is firm and hard, because a weak floor can cause shaking even if the washer is level.

Install anti-vibration pads or a mat if the floor is imperfect and you still have movement after leveling.

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two screws at the rear of the top cover.

Slide the top cover backward, and lift it off the washer.

Inspect the two springs that hold the tub up from the top of the washer.

Look for springs that are warped, damaged, or off their mounting brackets on the tub or the chassis.

Use a trampoline spring tool to remove and install a spring if you need to replace one.

Inspect the counterbalance weights on the front of the tub for cracks or damage.

Check the counterbalance under the front of the washer by tilting the washer on its side and looking for concrete dust or debris.

Open the washer door and try to wiggle the inner metal tub independently of the outer plastic tub.

Treat any independent play or shifting as a strong sign the internal spider bracket has broken.

Spin the drum by hand and watch for a non-circular, warped, or wobbling pattern.

Check the drain trap, if your model has one, for small metal chunks that suggest internal metal parts are disintegrating.

Inspect the four shipping-bolt locations on the rear of the washer for bolts that were never removed after installation.

Remove any shipping bolt using a 10 mm socket wrench.

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the four screws securing the rear metal panel.

Slide the rear panel down, and pull it away from the washer.

Inspect the rear shock absorbers for separation, because some can come apart and sometimes pop back together.

Remove a shock absorber to test it if it looks damaged or if the washer still goes out of balance.

Use a 10 mm socket to remove the top and bottom hardware on this style of Samsung shock absorber.

Press the shock in by hand and confirm it is extremely difficult to compress.

Test each shock absorber individually, because a washer may have two, three, or four shocks depending on the model.

Use a 19 mm socket or impact gun to remove the rotor bolt.

Pull the rotor plate off evenly by pulling from both sides with equal spacing.

Inspect the rotor magnets for cracks, missing pieces, or other damage that could cause improper rotation during spin.

Inspect the stator on the tub for similar damage.

Check for excessive play in the spider bracket and bearing area, because too much movement can let the tub assembly rub the front of the washer.

Expect brief movement and some noise during early spin, because these washers may intentionally shift to rebalance clothes before full-speed spin.

Treat violent shaking, failure to spin out, or the wash time increasing as signs of an out-of-balance failure that still needs a mechanical cause found.

Consider a control board or PCB malfunction only after mechanical checks, because the source video describes it as difficult to diagnose.