Start here
For a ALWF unit: the sound that matters is a deep rumble that rises with spin speed and is there whatever is in the drum. That is the bearing signature, and it is the one that gets worse rather than staying the same. That is the same list the brand-generic page carries, in a different order.
The observations that matter on a ALWF unit
- A rumble that rises with the spin speed — The classic drum-bearing signature, and it is there regardless of what is in the machine. On these ALWF models it is the observation that decides the order.
- A grinding noise only when the drum is pushed by hand — Useful: it isolates the bearing from anything driven by the motor.
- A knocking that started the day the machine was delivered — Transit bolts still fitted, which is the most common brand-new-machine fault there is.
- NEAR MISS: the machine is noisy and also leaking — A failed bearing seal leaks as well as rumbles, so start with the leak page if there is water.
What it usually turns out to be on the ALWF line
- An unbalanced load — Ranked first because it is the most common and the most completely free: a single heavy item, or a load that has knotted itself into one lump, makes a machine bang and walk at spin. The ALWF build does not move this one: its rank is the same here as on the brand-generic page.
- A foreign object between the drum and the outer tub — Coins, buttons and underwires are the usual find. The noise follows the drum rotation and is often loudest at low speed.
- A worn or slipping drive belt — A squeal rather than a rumble, and it usually comes with a machine that struggles to reach full spin.
- Worn drum bearings — Last of the mechanical causes and the most serious: a deep rumble that rises with spin speed, gets worse over months, and eventually takes the bearing seal and the tub with it.
The order that narrows it
- Run a spin with the drum completely empty — A quiet empty spin points at the load; a noisy one points at the machine, and that is the single most informative test here. The ALWF layout is the reason it comes first here.
- Check the back panel for transit bolts if the machine is new or has moved — They are usually four bolts across the rear panel and they are missed constantly.
- Feel around the bottom of the door seal for trapped objects — Coins and underwires collect in the seal fold before they work their way past it.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the machine or switch off its breaker before opening the kick panel or reaching into the drum — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is gone. The drum coasts for a while after a spin, so wait for it to stop on its own rather than slowing it by hand.
Models in the ALWF family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| ALWF190WH | aviva:washer:alwf |
Where the owner side ends
Call once the load, the level, the transit bolts, the seal and the filter are all eliminated and a rumble remains. A bearing is a tub-splitting job and it is not owner work. Call sooner if the noise arrives alongside water under the machine.
The nearest pages for the ALWF line
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
