Have you ever thought your favorite and expensive washing machine can give you such a shock?
You just start the washer and out of nowhere, it begins to make grinding noises loudly. The terrible sound gets on your nerves and you may feel like the whole house is going to fall apart.
Now, you might be wondering what thing is causing your washer to make such noises, especially during agitating. We expect like many people, you are in trouble to find why the washing machine making noise when agitating?
Honestly, there is no simple answer to the question. Because there could be several reasons behind the problem. From an improper installation to defective components, any reason may be responsible for producing the sound.
However, it is crucial to diagnose the reason and fix it as soon as possible.
If you let the situation unchanged, your washing machine will fall under serious trouble.
But don’t be upset!
Because, In this article, we are going to help you out by examining most of the common reasons and a number of solutions to that problem.
Reasons Behind The Production Of Grinding Noise In Your Washing Machine
As I said earlier there could be many reasons why your washer may be making an unusual noise. These reasons include faulty components, lacking the knowledge of proper maintenance, or imperfect manufacturing.
We will mainly focus on the reasons that are mostly responsible for why your washing machine making noises when agitating. Let’s get started!
Slipping Agitator Directional Cogs aka Agitator Dogs
An important component, agitator dogs control the rotating motion of the agitator. When the agitator moves clockwise, these dogs engage cogs on the inner area then release right before the agitator starts reversing its direction.
Therefore, the agitator dogs limit the top portion to one direction but allow the bottom part to agitate in multiple directions.
But with time, these cogs start to wear out and you will hear a grinding or crunching noise during agitation as they begin to slip.
A Defective Drive Pulley
On a belt-driven top load washing machine, a drive pulley plays a vital role by supporting the belt as well as the pump belt in some cases. If the drive pulley is cracked or worn out, it will cause your washer to make grinding noises.
To fix the issue, at first, you need to detach the drive pulley from the washer. Then closely inspect it to see if there is any sign of burning or excessive wear. If you notice any signs of damage, it would be best to replace the part to solve the noising problem.
Failed Drum Bearings
Failed drum bearings can lead your washing machine to end up making grinding sounds when agitating. By turning the machine off, you can simply verify it by spinning the drum. If the machine is making loud and rumbling noises during spinning, it is obvious the drum bearings are the culprit
There is another way to check if the drum bearings are faulty. Look closely at the movement of the inner drum. If it moves faster than the outer tub, you’ll need to replace the drum bearings.
Motor Coupler Wear
On some popular top load washers, you will find a motor coupler that transfers the power from the motor to the transmission and driveshaft assembly.
If the motor coupler gets worn out, it might fail to take the fall when the machine is overloaded. As a result, it won’t be able to protect the motor and transmission and the agitation process will be slow and noisy.
You can get rid of the problem by replacing it.
A Defective Belt
If your top load washer makes a loud screeching and thumping sound either in the wash cycle or in the spin cycle and your washer is a belt-drive model, you may have a defective belt. As it is irreparable you have no other way but to replace it.
You have to locate and remove the belt. Then carefully check the belt for any signs of fraying or glazing which may cause the high-pitched squealing.
Remember the main reason for premature belt failure on lop load models is from overloading. So use caution when loading the washer.
A Bad Tub Bearing
A tub bearing is responsible to make the inner tub and wash basket rotate freely. When the tub gets damaged, your washing machine will start emitting a loud roaring sound in the spin cycle.
Top-loading washers sometimes use two bearings. One is normally situated at the bottom of the outer tub where the transmission or driveshaft assembly enters the tub and another is located at the base of that transmission. A tub seal protects the bearings from water.
Over time and with regular use, the seal may break down and let the water reach the bearings. As a consequence, the bearings fail.
To replace the bearings, you’ll need to remove the washer’s cabinet to locate it. Take a look at the bearings for any symptoms of rust, cracks, wear, or water damage. Don’t forget to change the tub seal as well.
U Joint Failure
U-joint is an expensive and major drive mechanism for starting the process of agitation. So a faulty u joint can cause your machine to make noises.
Repairing the U joint seems not so difficult if you are a DIY type person and have experience in home maintenance.
But I would suggest that instead of repairing it, you should buy a new one since the part is really expensive.
Worn Out Clutch Assembly
A clutch is nothing but the connection between the inner tub and transmission. It helps the tub to come up with the exact spin speed gradually. But after frequent use, it begins to wear and make scraping sounds during the agitation or just after the cycle completes.
As a worn clutch is irreparable it needs replacement.
How to prevent washing machine noise when agitating?
First off, we must come to know the pain points. For example, if you will get to see the problem is with the drum bearing, then start replacing it. By the way, if you are a bit mechanical savvy then you can do it yourself. The easiest stuff is with the drum removal part as it is located at the outer panel.
However, if you are friendly to do such kind of work, then you had better seek help from a professional worker. Let us not forget to tell you the other parts like the drive pulley and motor coupling, if they cause trouble then replace them as well.
Last not but most importantly, a washing machine fails to serve mostly when it overloads the stuff. That time, the agitating issue breaks out, here is why our recommendation is to keep the loads light for the washer.
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Wrapping up
These are the most common reasons why your washing machine is making noise when agitating. By diagnosing the reason with the help of this article you can fix most of the issues.
But let me inform you one thing. Some washers can create sound after starting as the agitator switches the direction of rotation. This is quite normal and you have nothing to worry about in that case.