My Samsung washer has been throwing error code 3E.

I've put the washer into service mode and tried running the
drum spin and pulsator spin tests. The pulsator jerks and vibrates
rather than running smoothly. Sometimes the tub spins, sometimes
it doesn't.

With power off, I tried to rotate the pulsator by hand. As I turn it, it moves freely, then suddenly gets harder to turn, like something gummy has taken a hold of it. After a few more rotations it turns freely again for a bit, then feels gummy again. It makes no difference which way I turn it.

Currently I can't turn the drum itself by hand at all -- it feels seized or something. I've taken apart the direct drive motor and inspected the motor coupling and the transmission widget that selects pulsate or spin mode and all looks OK there. The transmission currently select pulsator rotation only (i.e. the drum is not connected to the motor).

Looking in the service manual, I don't see any evidence of a braking mechanism, and I can usually turn the drum by hand when the power is off.

My next step is to check between the inner and outer drum to see if anything has fallen between the two (although I should be able to rotate the pulsator freely even if something is entangling the drum).

Thinking at this point, this is a fault with the clutch mechanism DC97-15494B. Does this line of reasoning make sense?

Scott