Siemens Washing Machine - Knocking Noise On Medium Spin Speed

[pototea]

I have a ~10 year old Siemens washing machine.

On medium spin speeds there is a knocking noise. The volume of the noise / shaking of the drum varies depending on the load weight. When I wash bed sheets and towels the noise is louder and the drum moves more than a clothes load.

I typically fill the drum to 70% full - enough space at the top to make a fist with my hand. I have always loaded the machine this full for the past 10 years. The noise seems to be getting worse every few months. I do about 3-4 washes per week.

The noise is only apparent on medium spin. On slow spin and fast spin the noise does not occur.

Here is the machine washing bed sheets. The knocking noise comes in around 30 seconds:

Here is the machine washing clothes. The knocking noise comes in around 40 seconds:

Any ideas what the excessive drum movement and knocking noise could be?

 

[Burnerman]

Open the door, reach in and grasp the drum top and bottom. Try to rock the drum (which will be floating, naturally) against the central spindle which locates in the back of the drum.
If you can feel any movement or play here then the drum bearings have failed - or at least are starting to.
John

 

[jj4091]

Could be something between the inner & outer drum or bearings beginning to fail. Is there any noise when you rotate the drum by hand when it's empty or is there any play when you hold the outer drum & try & waggle the inner one up & down or in & out? (John replied while I was typing)

 

[pototea]

Thank you (both)

I will check tonight when I get home.

 

[pototea]

Ok so I have moved the drum as much as I can. From side to side there is very little movement and it doesn't hit anything.

There is no noise when I rotate the drum by hand.

When I move it back and forth - if I push it hard enough then it knocks the back panel of the machine. However I have not noticed the machine move in this manner when it is making the knocking noise.

I think I will open up the machine and watch it on a spin to see if I can find out more. I'll post another video in a few days once I've done this.