I just bought a used Maytag washer. Everything works except for the severe thumping during spin cycle. Checked leveling, removed panels - everything looks normal. With front panel off the tub spins and seems out of balance at top but the shaft assembly at bottom looks good. It will spin fine when empty but when even a pair of short are in - thumping.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Further to the description above, I had taken the front panel off and not only all appeared ok but while spinning the base and shaft look tight.
When empty it will spin fine, with just water it will spin fine. Also, while with a load the thumping is subdued if I rest my entire body on machine.

Thanks you for your help in advance

I have about a 6 year old Whilrpool LSQ9110PW0 direct drive washer that I recently purchased used. I bought this kind of washer due to the fact that my mom has a 95 model that has been awesome and a breeze to work on when minor things need replaced.
Mine has a similar thumping problem in the spin cycle where it shakes the tub in this rhytmic, repetitive pattern and creates a thumping sound that goes along with the shaking. It is not severe yet the machine sits in my kitchen and is annoying. Plus I know this kind of direct drive type machine can run flawlessly due to the example of my moms for years.
I have checked the springs and pads which seem fine. I took the basket out to check the drive block which seems fine. The balance ring also has the water in it. The welds are all fine on the basket.

MY thought is that maybe the shaft that turns the basket is not completely straight, thus causing an out of balance repetitive balance issue during the spin cycle.

-Can these shafts get bowed or slightly bent if someone has overloaded the machine?

-Are the shafts for the transmissions machined to be perfectly straight or do they have some occasional issues with being slightly bent or bowed when made?

-Could the basket itself have an out of balance issue due to a manufacturing flaw?

I would lean toward it being a problem with a slightly bowed or bent shaft on the transmission, yet I don't want to spend $200 to test this theory:)

Has anyone replaced a transmission for this problem and had it be solved? My fear from some of the post that I seen and read is that this can be an occasional problem with these type of machines and that some my consider this to be just the nature of the beast. Yet I still lean toward thinking that the shafts on these style of machine are not, or have not been being made to very stringent tolearance as far as the shaft being straight. So it you happen to get a transmission with a shaft that is a bit bowed then this problem will occur.

Your thoughts?

Thanks,

I will pick up some spring in the next week and try that.
I had already operated the machine with the cover off and it all seems fine. In fact, when I was down toward the motor and tranny everything sounded and looked smooth other than the repetitive balance issue.

I will respond in about a week after I try the new springs.

Thanks,:)

Interesting, those are usually not the signs of a failed coupling. Thanks for the update.