The short answer
A grinding or scraping AEG almost always has something hard in the gap between the drum and the tub, and an underwire is the usual suspect. A machine that bangs or walks is unlevel, unbalanced, or still has its transit bolts in after a move. Bearings are last, and they announce themselves by tracking drum speed and worsening steadily.
What you observe
- A metallic scrape that rises with the spin — Something hard in the drum-to-tub gap.
- A rattle you can hear when turning the drum by hand — The same object, moving with gravity.
- The machine walks or hammers at spin — Unlevel feet, or an unbalanced load.
- It has hammered since the day it was delivered — Transit bolts almost certainly still fitted.
- NEAR MISS — a whine that changes with drum speed — Normal motor noise on a variable-speed machine.
Causes, most likely first on this brand
- Underwire or coin in the drum-to-tub gap — First because the geometry invites it: a narrow gap, a perforated drum and a high spin speed. The scrape appears at spin, rises with it, and is audible when turning the drum by hand.
- Machine unlevel, or its feet not locked — Second: at this spin speed a foot that is a fraction proud, or a locking nut left loose, turns a balanced load into a machine that hammers and walks.
- Transit bolts left fitted after a move — Third, and dramatic when it applies: the bolts lock the tub rigidly to the cabinet, so every spin goes straight into the floor. It is unmistakable from the very first cycle after delivery.
- Drum bearings worn — Last, and the serious one. A growl that tracks drum speed and grows over weeks is bearings, and on a front-loader that repair usually decides whether to keep the machine.
Check in this order, and why
- Turn the empty drum slowly by hand and listen — A rattle here names the trapped object immediately.
- Check the machine is level and every foot is locked — Free, and it settles most banging complaints.
- Ask whether the machine has been moved recently — Transit bolts only apply after a delivery or a move.
- Note whether a growl tracks drum speed — Left until here because it decides the machine's future.
What an owner can safely check
- Unplug and turn the drum a full turn in each direction — Listen for a rattle and feel for roughness.
About 15 min
- Level the machine and lock each foot — Check both diagonals, then push each top corner.
Tools: spirit level, spannerAbout 30 min
- Look at the back panel for transit bolt positions — After a recent move, check they were actually removed.
Tools: torchAbout 15 min
- Open the pump filter and feel for a trapped object — Wear gloves. Do not force anything through the drum holes.
Tools: glovesAbout 25 min
- STOP HERE if a growl tracks drum speed — Bearing work means stripping the machine.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the washer and turn off the supply tap before opening the filter flap or any panel; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Wear gloves when reaching into a filter housing or a seal fold — broken glass and underwires are the usual finds. Never run the machine with a panel removed, and never reach into a drum that is still turning.
When to call a technician
Call when the machine is level, the feet are locked, no transit bolts are fitted and a scrape or growl remains — a trapped object behind the drum or worn bearings is then the answer, and both mean opening the machine. Ask for the bearing price before agreeing, since it often approaches the cost of a replacement. Stop and unplug it if you smell burning at spin.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page is written for the brand and the appliance class, not for one family or model line. Where a family- or model-specific page exists for your unit, that page is the more specific answer and you should start there. Deliberately absent: spin speeds, bearing and bolt part identifiers, suspension details and fault-code meanings, all of which differ between the front-loading, washer-dryer and integrated families.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
