Symptoms diagnosed and root causes determined: The drum was moving around so much it would not spin smoothly without banging around even when empty on the lowest spin speed. Turns out the spider and drum were heavily caked with soap and residual dirt, completely unbalancing the drum, and the balance ring was starting to fail with noisy bearings inside the balance ring (lack of fluid). The bearing had failed on tub, and the spider mounting bolts broke off during removal (expected).

Ordered spider, back tub half and balance ring. The original tub back half has been discontinued and is no longer available (part #DC61-01450A). I ordered a new back half, part #DC97-15328L which includes new bearings and seal. Only after I reassembled the new spider, seal and tub and got ready to connect the drain hose did I notice the drain hole was moved about 3" toward the rear on the new tub half. As a result, the tub to pump hose does not reach the original pump (part #DC61-02496A), which on this model is mounted at the very front of the unit with a short inlet pipe about 1.5" in length.

Problem: The APP database and drawings all show a newer pump design where the drain pump has an additional 5" long fitting that reaches back to the side of the drain hole. The new pump design uses different pump mounting points than my model, apparently a running change that was made after this model was released. I cannot replace the existing pump with the new design to mate up with the tub because the mounting points do not exist on the subframe.

My options appear to be:
1. Rig 2" of PVC as an extension tube and a short length of radiator or similar hose with 1.25 inch inside diameter and a couple clamps to bridge the gap. At least I can use all the parts I have and will not have to pull it back out.
2. Dissassemble all of this, split the tub and order bearings and a new seal for the original back tub half which has been discountinued. There is some damage to the seal area of the old one so I am concerned that this might leak, but was not leaking when I took it apart. Then return the new back half tub and drain hose (even shorter than the original and points in a different direction).