Kenmore Washer Shaking Violently On Spin Cycle

I have a lot of experience with Kenmore washers shaking violently on the spin cycle.

First, check the load weight and capacity. Second, inspect the washer’s feet. Third, open the Kenmore washer’s cabinet and check the condition of the following parts: shock absorber, snubber rings, suspension rods, and dampening straps. Fourth, if the problem lies with the driver bearings, I recommend you buy a new washer.

This article outlines the troubleshooting protocol I follow when repairing a washer shaking violently. 

As I said before:

Repairing a driver bearing is pointless because it requires opening the whole unit, which takes time and costs a lot. Before we start, let’s find out why the Kenmore washers shake violently on the spin cycle.

Why Does My Kenmore Washer Shakes?

There are reasons why.

First, Kenmore front-loading washers vibrate a lot more than top-loading washers. Second, a Kenmore front loader is a high-efficiency model that spins fast. Third, when the shaking goes beyond certain limits, you know there’s a problem: unbalanced load, insufficient floor bracing, stacking kit issues, cracked drum spiders, etc. 

A shaking Kenmore washer can cause serious damage to the floor and the internal working parts of the washer. 

But that’s not all.

The loud noise from a shaking Kenmore washer can annoy your neighbors and people living above and below you. And the best part is? Several DIY solutions to shaking Kenmore washers and a few expert repairs can do the trick.

How Do You Fix a Kenmore Washer that Shakes?

Level the feet

The floor and the foot level need to be stable.

A sloping or sagging floor in the middle destabilizes the washer. The unlevelled Kenmore washer won’t be stable when the drum spin. The instability causes the Kenmore washer to shake, bang, and vibrate. Therefore, leveling a Kenmore washer is vital for three reasons. 

First, it works well. 

Second, to prevent the possibility of loose water hoses that can cause floods. 

Third, to prevent damage to the internal components of the Kenmore washer. Here’s what to do to level the Kenmore washer.

• Inspect the floor conditions under the Kenmore washer. Pull the Kenmore washer forward to see the visible part
• Check for signs of loose anti-vibration pads. A Kenmore washer must have four or no pads on a level surface.
• Inspect the surface conditions for signs of crooks, saturation, or rot. 
• Repair uneven floors or use the 3/4 -inch marine-grade plywood to level the surface.
• Assess whether Kenmore washer legs are in good condition with the surface.

Buy the marine-grade plywood and the anti-vibration pads.

Anti-vibration pads help to reduce the noise and vibrations of the Kenmore washer. The anti-vibration pads will make up for uneven floors. Remember that the goal is to balance the Kenmore washer, so you don’t have an elevated platform. If you are a DIYer, you may need to buy a full platform with 2×4 and marine-grade plywood to correct uneven floors and level the Kenmore washer.

Kenmore shipping bolts and supports

New Kenmore washers have hard plastic spacers holding the spring suspension in transit.

Their role is to protect the Kenmore washer from rotating, vibrating, shaking, and moving during transit. The shipping materials are supposed to be removed from the Kenmore washer before you start using the machine. Failing to do that causes the washer to shake and vibrate violently. The solution here’s to find a Kenmore washer manual and follow the guide on how to remove them. 

To remove the transit bolts, use a wrench.

You’ll find most of those materials at the back of the Kenmore washer. A Kenmore top-loading washer will have the following materials that need to be removed:

• Three bolts, 

• Spaces, 
• Metal clamp.

Stacking Kit Issues

A Kenmore stacked washer and dryer come with a stacking kit. 

The role of the kit is to keep the washer and dryer in stable condition during operations. Stability allows for the distribution of the weight of the dryer well on top of the washer. And the kit absorbs vibrations from both the Kenmore dryer and washer. 

Excessive shaking from stacked washers and dryer means you have loose screws or worn brackets. 

The solutions here are two. 

First, you can tighten any 1000 screws or bolts using a screwdriver. Second, you can build a frame. A frame will hold the Kenmore unit in place. Here’s how you can do that:

• Measure the base of the Kenmore washer on all four sides.
• Choose three to four inches off the measurement for the length of the slats.
• Go on Amazon and purchase four 1×3-inch slats of wood for each side of the unit.
• Next, you’ll nail, screw, or glue the slats on the floor. The slats must be on each side of the Kenmore washer and close to the machine to prevent movement.

Balance the Kenmore Washer

Load imbalances make your Kenmore washer shake and vibrate violently. 

The causes of imbalances in a Kenmore washer include items like jeans, heavy towels, heavy comforters, blankets, and e.t.c. 

I’ll give an example.

First,  heavy comforters and blankets use a lot of water in the washing process, which causes imbalances in a Kenmore washer.

Second, keeping five sweaters on one side of a Kenmore washer and five towels on the other will cause imbalances.

Third, filling a Kenmore washer with too much water and little room to move will cause imbalances and make the washer shake.

A good rule of thumb is to balance your clothes. Here’s how you can go about it:

• To distribute the weight, move heavy clothes around like towels, comforters e.t.c heavy laundry shouldn’t be around the spin.
• The load shouldn’t be more than two-thirds of the Kenmore washer capacity. The washer needs room to move around.
• Medium to heavy garments should be washed separately.
• Bras, socks, and other small garments should never be washed with large loads. And if you have to do that, make sure to put them in a mesh laundry bag.

Inspect the suspension rods.

The role of suspension rods is to suspend or stabilize the tub assembly to absorb the vibration from the Kenmore washer’s drum while operating. 

With time the suspension rods can damage, stretch, or detach from the drum causing the Kenmore washer to shake and vibrate excessively. The solution here is to confirm the condition of the suspension rods. Follow these steps:

• Unplug the Kenmore washer from the power socket and water supply line.
• For the front loading washer, remove the front panel. For top-loading washers, remove the top panel to access the suspension rods.
• Check for signs of wear or damage. Also, confirm if the rods are secured at both ends. Any damage or wear and tear mean you’ll have to buy a new suspension rod.
• Finally, reattach everything and test the washer to see if it is still shaking.

Replace the Shock Absorbers

Kenmore front-loading washers have a shock absorber whose role is to reduce tub movement. 

You’ll find shock absorbers at the base frame of the washers. With time shock absorbers get weakened or damaged, causing unbalanced loads that make the Kenmore washer shake and vibrate during the spin cycle. 

First, you’ll have to confirm that the shock absorbers are causing the Kenmore washers to shake violently. Follow these steps:

• Unplug the Kenmore washer from the power breaker.
• Find your Kenmore washer’s guide to locating the shock absorbers. It can either be found on the front or back panel.
• Once you have removed the correct pane and checked the shock absorbers, look for damage or leaky fluid signs.
• Any damaged shock absorber will need to be replaced.

Replace the Snubber Ring

The role of the snubber ring is to reduce the noise and shakiness of the Kenmore washer. 

It supports the leg and dome assembly. With time the snubber wears out, making the leg and dome assembly lose support. When that happens, the Kenmore washer’s tub bangs against the cabinet during the spin cycle. In the process, the snubber ring also emits a scraping sound. The only solution for this is to replace the snubber ring.

Fix Driver Bearings

The role of the drum bearings is to support the drum when rotating. 

The driver bearings are found at the back of the Kenmore washers. All Kenmore washers have two driver bearings. Like the snubber rings, the two bearings wear and tear. And the worst part is that water can seep through the bearing, causing it to rust.

The tell signs of rusty driver bearings are two: 

One, when the Kenmore washer sounds like an airport runway. Two, when the inner drum moves more than two millimeters.

Fixing the driver bearings required one to disassemble the whole Kenmore unit. Replacing the driver bearings cost more than buying a new washer. I would recommend buying a new washer instead of fixing the driver bearings.

Read: Best Large Capacity Top Load Washer: The Only Purchase I Can Guarantee Won’t Leave You With Buyer’s Regret