The short answer
On a UniMac washer, a washer noise is nearly always about balance, about something that got into the machine, or about the drum bearing — and the first two are free to check. What decides it is which part of the cycle the noise happens in, so listen through a whole cycle before taking anything apart. A commercial machine runs many cycles a day against a metered supply, so utilities and load discipline outrank component failure until they are ruled out.
What you are actually seeing
- A metallic click that tracks the drum — Something between the drum and the tub.
- A rumble that rises with spin speed — The drum bearing.
- Violent noise since the day it was installed — Transit bolts still fitted.
- NEAR MISS — the drum will not turn at all — That is a starting fault, and it is a different page.
Causes, most likely first on this washer
- Unbalanced load, an unlevel machine, or feet that are not all loaded — Ranked first on UniMac: machines bolted in a row on a hard floor pass vibration to each other, so one badly loaded drum is heard through the whole bank. On this one, remember that it runs many cycles a day against shared utilities, so clear the utilities before the machine.
- The drum is still bolted to the cabinet — Second: a machine that has been violently noisy since the day it arrived is this until proven otherwise.
- Drain pump whining or rattling on something hard — Third: the timing does the work: a noise only during the drain is the pump, whatever it sounds like.
- The drive between the motor and the drum — Last, and that is the point of the order: it squeals or slaps at the start of a wash rather than during the spin, which separates it from everything else here.
Check in this order, and why
- First — push each top corner and check whether the machine rocks, then look at how the load sits — Any rock means a foot is unloaded, and an unloaded foot turns the whole cabinet into a drum.
- Then — ask whether the machine has been moved or installed recently — A new or newly moved machine that is violently noisy is a transit bolt question first.
- Third — listen specifically during the drain part of the cycle — A noise confined to the drain stage is the pump and nothing else.
- Only then — listen at the start of the wash rather than at the spin — A squeal or a repeated slap at low speed belongs to the drive, which is why it comes after everything above it.
What an owner can safely check
- Level the machine and redistribute the load — Adjust the feet until it does not rock at any corner, spread the laundry evenly in the drum, and check the cabinet is not touching whatever is beside it.
Tools: spirit level, adjustable spannerAbout 25 min
- Open the pump filter and clear it — Switch off first, lay towels, and clear whatever is in the trap before judging the pump itself.
Tools: towels, shallow trayAbout 30 min
- STOP here if the next thing to check is behind a fixed panel — Everything above can be done without tools on live parts. Past this point it is a technician job.
Before you open anything
Safety
Switch the machine off at its breaker before reaching into the drum or opening the pump filter, and keep the power off while the floor is wet. Never run a washer with a panel off to watch what is making a noise — the drum reaches high speed and nothing in there is safe to be near. A washer is heavy and a spinning one is unstable: do not lean on the cabinet to steady it. If transit bolts are still fitted, do not run the machine again until they are out.
When it stops being an owner job
Call when the noise is a rumble that rises with spin speed, when it is getting worse week by week, or when it comes with water at the back of the machine — all three point at the bearing area. Call sooner if the machine moves across the floor on every spin after being levelled, because that is more than a balance problem. A rattle only during the drain is usually a filter job and you can do it yourself.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page is written for the UniMac washer as a class, not for one family or one model line. Where a family-specific page exists for your unit it is linked above and it is the more specific answer. Deliberately not here: part numbers, wiring colours, torque figures and any measured value, all of which differ by family.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
