A drum is the central element of any washing machine. Washing is not possible if the drum is spinning poorly or not spinning at all. In this case, it is important to correctly determine the cause of the breakdown and try to fix it yourself, in order to save on repairs and return the washing machine to its previous performance.
Next, we will consider the reasons why the drum of the washing machine does not spin well and propose methods for solving this problem.
Why does the drum spin weakly and unevenly
The first thing that should worry you if you have trouble with the drum is the cause of the failure. Based on the cause of the breakdown, repair methods are also determined. Most often, difficulties with the rotation of the drum arise for the following reasons:
- Overload. In many modern models equipped with sensors, washing does not start if too many things are loaded. If you suspect that you have downloaded more than expected, cancel the program, open the hatch and ship the excess laundry.
- Drive belt wear. In this case, the drum will rotate if you spin it with your hands, but the machine itself cannot do this. Not necessarily the cause of the breakdown in the wear of the belt, it could just jump off the seat.
- Worn electric motor brushes. In cars with a collector engine, the weakest point of the motor is its brushes. If the engine for all the years of using the machine has not received proper maintenance, it is likely that the brushes need to be replaced. Usually after replacing the brushes, the performance of the AGR is fully restored.
- Programmer Failure (electronic unit). This failure can be attributed to the most difficult, since firmware or module replacement can be quite expensive.
- Motor malfunction. If the drum rotates unevenly or does not spin at all, the motor may be to blame. A short circuit or breakdown are the most likely causes of failure for this case. As a rule, users trust specialists in such a complicated repair.
How to find out what caused the breakdown
The primary diagnosis of a malfunction is within the power of any user and it consists in the following procedures:
- Check the maximum allowable weight of things in the user manual.
- Check if the sunroof is locked. If the drum does not spin when the hatch is locked, the drain filter is probably clogged.
- Turn the drum by hand. If the drum rotates in manual mode, but it stays dead during automatic washing, there may be a problem with the tachogenerator, wiring, or control module.
- Check for foreign bodies in the cavity between the drum and the tank. If there is empty, then the breakdown of the heating element is not excluded. If the heater burned out, the drum may not rotate, as the machine blocks the washing as a whole.
- Inspect the drive belt. It could jump off or break, then it needs to be corrected or replaced with a new one.
- Disassemble the machine and see if the bearings are leaking. If your SMA is already “aged”, and there are no bearings, then it's time to change these parts.
What to do when the drum wedges
For repair, you do not need so much: an instruction manual, self-diagnosis with an explanation of the causes of the breakdown, patience and several tools that can be found in the case of any home master.
Replace brushes
If the reason is the wear of the motor brushes, which is why the drum rotates tightly or slows down, these elements must be replaced. Repair consists in disassembling the SMA housing, removing the motor and installing brushes. The entire process is described in detail in the article “How to replace the engine brushes” - there you will find step-by-step instructions with photos and videos.
For owners of washing machines brand Bosch, we have a separate instruction "How to replace the brushes on the washing machine Bosch."
Replace heater
If the drum is jammed and the washing does not start at all - the problem is in the heater: you need to get and replace the heater. It could just burn out, short-circuit, and even explode.
In each brand, the heater is extracted in its own way: front or rear. For example, in SM Bosch, Siemens and AEG, the heater is replaced exclusively from the front panel. And in other common models (Whirlpool, Ardo, Zanussi), to replace the heater, just unscrew the back panel.
Replacing this part does not require special repair skills, and your main task is to purchase an original analogue that matches your brand and model of washing machine. You will learn more about checking and replacing this element from the articles: “How to check the heater” and “How to replace the heater”.
We also have separate replacement instructions for owners of Indesit, Samsung, Bosch and LG washing machines.
Remove foreign object
If you notice that the drum rotates heavily or jerkily, sometimes sticks and wedges, and this is also accompanied by a knock from the body, it is quite possible that the problem is with the object stuck between the walls of the tank and the drum.
To check this, in most models it is enough to unscrew the back wall and remove the heater (at the same time you can check it or clean it from scale). If it is difficult to see the object, shine a flashlight into the hole in which the heater was.
On a note! Usually the cause of jamming of the drum are the bones from the bra. Get a special cover for washing such laundry.
Check control module
If the drum rotates slowly during washing, breakdown of the control module is possible. In this case, firmware or replacement of the electronic unit is needed.
If you do not feel like a specialist in this industry, entrust the repair to a good master. If you are confident in your abilities, look for instructions in the article “Repairing the control board of the washing machine with your own hands”.
How to find and fix a vertical machine breakdown
If the drum of the vertical washing machine is jammed, the cause of this trouble may be the open doors in the tank. If the door latch does not open at the top, but at the bottom of the tank, the drum jams and it stops rotating. In this case, you can try to crank the drum with a homemade hook made of wire, or disassemble the washer body by removing the side or bottom panel.
Repair without disassembly:
- Find a strong steel wire of such diameter that it passed into the holes of the drum.
- Bend with a pair of pliers 0.5 cm of wire from the end, making a small hook.
- Insert the hook into the hole.
- With one hand, wield a makeshift hook, with the other - illuminate yourself with a flashlight. The idea is to close the sash so that you can crank the drum.
Important! There are models with very narrow holes, and no wire will fit there. If the AGR is no longer under warranty, simply expand the hole to the diameter of the wire.
If all else fails, then the best way to solve the problem is to disassemble:
- Examine the drum and determine where the door is now. If it is from below, then it is easier to get to it from the bottom.
- Disconnect the device and disconnect the SM from the water supply and sewage.
- Lay the washer on its side.
- Remove the pallet, acting carefully so as not to break the wires.
- Find a small counterweight and unscrew it (it is most convenient to do this with a socket wrench).
- Under the counterweight you will find a small hole - it is often enough to stick your hand in and close the opened sash.
Some masters practice side disassembly. To do this, unscrew the side wall, get the heater, and through the hole in which it was, you can close the door to rotate the drum.
Important! If the doors have time to bend, it will be impossible to close their doors. In this case, there are two ways: calling the master or disassembling the tank, removing the drum and aligning the wings.
Now you know what to do if the drum rotates weakly in the machine, barely spins, or is jammed at all. Having determined the cause, in most cases you can fix the breakdown with your own hands without contacting the master.