Kenmore Elite Oasis unbalance load fix

[@ameliaemahiser2158]

You, sir, are an angel!! Thank you!!

[@scrag2841]

Love that Red Neck ingenuity - will be going to Amazon to purchase the parts

[@_TJ11b]

I love you man! Best fix ever

[@yadinflammer]

DO NOT TRY THIS. As some others have noted, not only does this not work, it makes thing 10x worse. The reason is the side motion is required to absorb the forces of the spin cycle. With this noodle in place all that force transfers directly to the housing and sets up an extremely violent harmonic. The washer damn near ripped the hoses out of the wall because it thrashed so hard and moved so far. Apparently this also makes the sensors not work right because they didn't trigger and shut the things down like they should. I see some people claiming this worked for them, I don't see how. The video doesn't show the washer in spin cycle with this in place. Honestly I think there is a lot of trolling going on here because this "fix" is extremely dangerous. The real issue with an unbalanced load on these things is the vertical bounce due to the shock absorbers wearing out. That's why the commercial fix is to replace the 4 shock rods. Yes vertical bounce, even if it LOOKS like side to side. The reason is it's actually a diagonal wobble at high speed due to the bounce being too spongy. The cheap fixes involve increasing friction in the sliders on the old shocks by one method or another, like shoving material in the slider or putting tape around the rod to stop the distance the shock can bounce. Those fixes work, but they will wear out quicker than the original shocks, but certainly cheaper. There's another possible shimmy issue in the basket/drum assembly if you look around more, but again mitigating the bounce in the shocks is the main factor. Basically the design of these things is terrible and they wear out and are expensive to fix. I miss the old days when a washer lasted 40 years and didn't have any of these lights and chimes and suspended baskets and whatnot. They were simple and worked, now things are complicated and break.

[@andyodonnell6410]

Sorry it didn't work. Those noodle pieces slid down we tried the same rope you used we even put extra parts of the noodle to add it to the corners. I ran it after we did it.. empty it worked great. I put a small load it. At first it was spinning great then all he'll broke lose it was banging and the machine started walking out of the laundry room. It was going crazy. Although it may have worked for you. And it make work. After all that banging back and forth I'm sure now it's more than what it was and it must be on the bottom. We have the repairman coming Friday. I'll come back on here to let you know what they found.

[@dtirto]

Same here. Replacing the 4 rod suspension solved the problem. I only load the washer half full from now on.

[@firedog1116]

Didn't work. Still bangs, even worse than before.

[@formatos2008]

Wow man you saved me a lot a money thank you so much

[@shannafuller6309]

Well I didn't have to buy mine but I did get suckered into driving across town and paying for a truck and help taking it down 3 flights of stairs lol I noticed Kenmore added a dome spacer in the spring replacement kit rather then giving the spacers to customers for there poor design none the less your fix is better then there spacer upgrade and I thank you for your time and sharing you just saved me money and time having to figure out there spring kit is not going to work much better ...THANK YOU SIR WORLD NEEDS MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU !

[@jananisenthilnathan8768]

Did 3 loads. One big comforter load gave ul. We started it finished fine.

[@sharijohumphries1627]

Ingenious. Thank you for saving me further frustration and lots of money.

[@Hancocks4ever]

Exactly what I was looking for! Bought this set for $50 because the lady couldn’t figure out how to fix it. Guess who has twine and a pool noodle in the garage! Thanks a bunch!!!

[@monalisaposey]

I bought this pair new when they first came out at sears and I have had nothing but trouble with this issue. I paid quite a bit more than 140.00 it was more like 1,798 I have had it repaired twice and its doing this very same thing again. I barely use the darn thing and it breaks on me. I went and paid 150.00 for a used washer to have something in the basement until I got my Oasis repaired again and the used one broke on me after 2 months. I was about to cry and throw both of them out in the alley and do with out a washer until I could save more money up. You are a Godsend thank you for making this video and helping all us poor schmucks that these companies and repairmen take advantage of. You are a great person for taking the time to record this video and share this with us.

[@EwClubb1]

Did his fix work? Is it still working?

[@chantalfootprintofachristi4396]

This is why I love KZbin! Brother helping another brother out. Thank you for taking the time to help complete strangers save money.

[@rachaelclarke8304]

I love you! You made me laugh and I will try this!

[@basspig]

I just did this fix and ran the cleaning cycle (no load, just water) and on the spin cycle, the banging was suppressed, but the machine started shaking the whole cabinet and it walked across the cellar floor. I'm doing a load of wash now and will see if it is any better than before, but I'm not optimistic.

[@basspig]

With a load of wash, the problem was MUCH worse. Had to emergency shut off the machine because it was literally tearing itself apart. This "fix" is not the solution.

[@dtirto]

The right fix for me was by replacing the 4 rod suspension.

[@basspig]

@@dtirto Same here, replaced the suspension rods. That cured the out of balance. A month later, the bearing got real noisy, so on spin cycle, it's very loud grinding noise.

[@joeyfrenchfries]

I have a similar Kenmore and got fed up with it today. After finding another temporary fix with wedging a towel between the upper housing and the tub to keep it stable, the towel fell right into the wash. I had the idea for pool noodles too but didn't know how to get the upper housing off. Thanks to your video, I know have a solid "balanced" Kenmore Elite washer, fixed for only $3! You are brilliant. Thanks again!

[@karanovak6653]

We had this exact same issue and used your fix and it worked!!!! The only suggestion we have is make sure the pool noodle is a regular, not jumbo, size. I could only find a jumbo pool noodle and when we originally placed the noodle inside, it was too thick so the tub wouldn't rotate. Simple solution, we cut the noodle in half and continued with the rest of the instructions...worked like a charm!! Thanks so much!!!

[@a8rmb201]

85,000 views and 130 comments as of December 2022 -- The Redneck Engineer is a star!

[@jerrinelenaghan2073]

My husband did this fix a few days ago!!! It is working like a charm!!! I was ready to take a sledge to it...POS! A warning...it will "walk" the first load you do after the fix. After that, it was snugged in, and it works perfectly now!!! Wish we had seen this video sooner!!!

[@mikekopf1173]

Use Zip Ties to tighten the rope. I made two loops at the ends of the rope and used zip ties to tighten it up. Much easier than trying to tie rope in that small confined area.

[@dbergs2053]

Although we enjoyed this video and despise this washing machine...sadly, this did not work for us. Going to have to remove them because it seems to have made it worse. Thank you for your efforts, glad it's working for others :)

[@Hawkmeter]

Same.

[@dtirto]

Same here. I removed the pool noodles off. Replacing the 4 rod suspensions fix the vibration problem.

[@rjjarvis6506]

I tried this and it seemed like a good idea but it didn't work. The machine trashed more violently than ever. I think I'm going to try replacing the suspension rods next. This was a really cool idea but it didn't fix my problem--I hope it works for the rest of you out there.

[@deenahughes4044]

Same here

[@dtirto]

Same here. Replacing the rod suspensions soled the problem.

[@basspig]

I was looking at the price of pool noodles and they are ranging from $42 and up even at WalMart. I wonder if foam pipe insulation of the same diameter would work as well? It's only $3 for several feet of it.

[@jdlambeth]

Mine was unloaded off a truck, as trash, and it was free - I'll give this a try! As of now, I resolutely hate this washing machine.

[@anigirl14]

I have one of these washers for about 10 years now. Have had to do a number of repairs, BUT wanted to offer a suggestion to people who have the UL unbalanced load code. Although it could be a motor position sensor, a trick is to tip the washer back far enough to get under the front and tighten the Allen nut on the bottom of the motor rotor. If it gets loose, the motor position sensor can't tell where it is. I have to retighten periodically, especially after washing a heavy load. I tried blue threadlock, but it still works loose. On another point, I had the bearing on the tub start failing when the machine was only a couple of years old. I was able to disassemble and replace the bearings without doing the outer tub, but it was a real chore. Searspartsdirect sells (or at least used to) the outer tub assembly with new bearings installed. They really didn't want to sell me just the bearing assembly, but finally did. If your bearings are failing (grindy noise when it's rotating or spinning), that's the fix. Also as an aside, if you get and F2 code it could be a problem with the pump, which is the standard description of that code OR, a problem with the user interface board and/or the main board. I've also had a problem with the hoses under the lid splitting and has caused a couple of floods. Last comment, to open the top of the washer, there is a clip on both sides in the front a couple of inches in from either side. Slide a putty knife from near the middle to each side to locate them, then using the putty knife, push straight in on each one while pulling up on the top to release them. (I used to have to use 2 putty knives doing both at the same time, but Ive had to repair it so many times, now I can just pull up on the top and they will release.). My latest problem is the fill valve body has developed a small split, so that it sprays water around the software boards when the water is running. This has caused my F2 code. Hopefully replacing that and drying everything out will allow my boards to run properly.

[@basspig]

Yup, I was thinking of doing the same thing with ours. My thought was to use 4" thick bed foam and just stuff it into the gap, but this looks even easier.

[@a8rmb201]

Brilliant! Great video to solve a real problem. Thank you!

[@ScantPear]

These are actually pretty good washers. Just replace the suspension rods with the updated kit. And it will last longer.

[@pamelawest2316]

WHAT IS THE UPGRADED KIT! TY

[@Richo2850]

The upgraded kit has these plastic cups that sit up in the upper frame to support the ball at the end of the spring

[@kandramitchell4591]

​@@Richo2850what should I search to find the updated kit? I'm about to take mine apart but am a bit lost on how to find the replacement kit

[@robertarmstrong2323]

Awesome..I'm so fed up with this thing

[@Jacquelinemnop]

This is genius and you just fixed my washer so cheap!! THANK YOU!

[@chrishartley7342]

Great this fixed my OL problem. Only thing I would add is if you push in the clips with a putty knife when you are lifting the top you don't really have to pry hard .

[@sharijohumphries1627]

Do you know how to fix the F4 code on the machine dryer?

[@rswan25]

The top does not just 'pry' off like you suggest. Since it's clear that noticeable damage will result if the top of the machine is 'pried' on forcefully, I'll need to research the proper way to disengage the top part of the washer housing.

[@markk7075]

Nice rig!

[@karenpennington5073]

What about the lid lock?

[@alexandermcelhaney3942]

Did you figure this out?

[@susanwylie4460]

I like your style, good old fashioned ingenuity. This will save me a lot of headache. God Bless.

[@autumnnshoemaker]

Oh thank you, thank you thank you. I've never had more hatred for an appliance in my life.

[@BobBob30966]

Awesome fix, I'm going to get to it today. I've been waisting water for 6 years everytime it would go uneven it would fill the washer completely again. I really hope this works my wife and I have had it with this POS because it can never complete a load.

[@jaysonthomas630]

I did the same thing with my washer and I hate how some people are so dishonest. I bought a used fridge and the old lady said she was moving and didn't want to move it. Should have been a clear sign when she was trying to rush us out the door. Please be careful when buying used.

[@traciclark9727]

I was having the exact problem. I did your fix this morning except I didn't have the pool noodle. Instead, I made tubes out of bubble wrap. The first load is on now. Crossing my fingers! Thanks so much!

[@36USMC]

It work?

[@bertman234]

I wish this had worked for me. I did this, leveled the feet so everything is good to go and my washer still jumps around like a rabbit on crack. Anyone have any other ideas?

[@mathewhartig236]

Just got to start using one of these machines and OMG what a hassle the UL error can be! I will be buying the noodle and twine repair kit today. Thanks for posting!!!

[@mistyhensley83]

Omg! Victim here! Just bought this thing last night for $125 and the guy said it worked perfectly fine! Yeah right!! Lol Thanks for the video! Can’t wait to try this!

[@msjdowning99]

Dude that is ingenious and I couldn't help but laugh my ass off at your honesty and dry humor. Thanks for making my day.

[@DennyMarco1]

Mike Downing Dido

[@carolinehope1079]

Agreed! Thanks for the info and the laughs!

[@richardb7690]

What size pool noodle?

[@ryderpeejay]

Thank you ! I spent 2 bucks on a couple noodles. It's fix !

[@ismaelguadarrama1279]

ORALEEEEEE! THANKAS ALOT EH!!!!!

[@bunsonator]

Thank you very much sir! You are a true American hero, common sense fix to what seems to be a widespread problem. Thanks again!

[@steveburger7454]

Try this first: grab the basket, drum, whatever it is called, lift it up, then let it slide down. Do this until it moves freely. A tech showed me this and my washer now seems to be working perfectly. He says dirt and other accumulations on the drive shaft prevent the drum from engaging the drive unit completely. Cost of repair: $0.

[@frankblock9925]

Hi, I tried the noodling fix... the machine hopped around more and gave me “ c5 “ error message. Thanks for a good try! Frank

[@seanalix9737]

Thank you for this fix, we really appreciate it!!! Yes we too got a "deal"... Take care and God bless.

[@ryonmyarm]

Thank you. Fixed mine yesterday using your method. Works great!

[@richardbambenek2601]

I had the unbalanced load not very long after I bought this very same model. I was able to replace the tub hanger rods and springs and it has not happened again unless it was an actual unbalanced load. One of the springs was all rusted and had lost a lot of its tension. In addition to that I've replaced the water inlet valve assy twice, the drum bearings, the soft touch control panel, fixed the connectors to the control panel controller and now my wife tells me the soft touch panel is acting up again. And the real kicker is my wife says it doesn't clean worth a hoot and never has. All HE washers are junk.

[@fatscartips1206]

This didn’t work. All it did was transfer the load/shaking to the outside shell of the washer and send it scooting across the floor. I actually think this made it worse.

[@dtirto]

Same here. I ended up solving the problem by replacing the 4 rod suspension.

[@dianeditonno3569]

I am one of those unfortunate people.

[@blee0518]

Dont do this, you are counter acting the purpose for the machine to correct the unbalanced load. This will cause other parts to break in the future. I have a fix, stop over loading your washing machine. Have a nice day.

[@dtirto]

I solved the problem by replacing the 4 rod suspension.

[@alittleofeverything4190]

You are the best. Thank you. We inherited one of these and UB was lighting up with 12 min left in every wet load. Easy fix. Thanks again

[@santikzkz]

This is very useful, but I think You have to repair properly. In this case need to replace all four suspension rods

[@MarieKB]

We rent so we can’t really do anything to ours but this is genius (ours also isn’t the HE version so I think the center agitator effects it too)

[@jacquelyndavis4993]

Thank you for your enginuity

[@aaronfromlv1552]

Thanks g

[@mokaidi7187]

While I applaud your ingenuity, this solution does not solve the root cause of your load unbalance. You are essentially transferring the effect of the vibration to the entire washer assembly. If your washer machine is snug between your dryer and a wall, you may get by a smaller load unbalance. Those sensors are meant to let you know that your washer is overloaded and unbalanced. If your entire washer were to vibrate and move, it can result in you breaking your water hoses and flood your laundry room. I have the same unit and unless your suspension rods are worn, a simple fix is to simply redistribute your clothes inside the washer or just don’t overload it with a big loads.

[@13Alamo]

Mo Kaidi I ran a simple spin only cycle without any clothes in the machine. Got the UL code. It isn't just a 'move things around and it should work' issue.

[@kmw97]

You must not be familiar with these washers...a load of laundry can take ALL DAY....In which you are redistributing and removing clothes in hopes to get a load complete. I literally do the smallest load possible and this STILL happens.

[@dubbydub9245]

It's a worn out Tub Bearing. As Kendra and Alamo said, the smallest, or even empty loads still go off tilt. See the Elite Oasis Tub Bearing Replacement Videos here, and you'll see. This man here has it right - what good is another Tub Bearing that's just going to wear out. Now instead of only the bottom of the tub being fixed, the top is also fixed.

[@martybanks3798]

Sorry bro but this feller is pretty much on the money with the water noodle. Redistributing the clothes will help somewhat but main problem is suspension rods and there are several ways on fixing that and one of those is you can cut the spring and shorten it and the other one is you can take a piece of radiator hose and put around it and put a couple of zip ties and that will stiffen up your wore out Springs if you don't want to replace them or if you want to get it ready to sell without putting a lot of money into it so you can make a little profit but redistributing the clothes is not the complete answer to this I'm sorry about that

[@jananisenthilnathan8768]

We did this. It's not working. Machine is jumping more

[@iKayAshh]

Thank you so much my sister got these and they have been a pain

[@hildajoseph1821]

We just tried this and it seems like it's going to work. Thanks for the advice !!!

[@nkbelly]

Is the problem still fixed??? 2 months later?

[@Tiroskassie]

Thank you! I'm going to go try this right now!

[@Jonnynot1plate]

Did it work?

[@EwClubb1]

Yes. Did it work?

[@USArmy91222]

this is not the solution to fixing this problem,this is just putting a band aid over the real problem..replace the suspension rod and springs that support the tub,this will almost always fix the off balance problem..only $30.00 + shipping to fix it the right way!

[@martybanks3798]

Amen thank you very much for backing up what I've been trying to say

[@martybanks3798]

I do this repair about 4 times a week in my place of business and I've tried every Band-Aid there is in some of them work better than others but the real fix is brand new Springs

[@dtirto]

The right fix is to replace the 4 rod suspensions.

[@mikeholbert2503]

Just did this. You sir, are a genius! i dont know who you are or where you live but may God shine down on you with all your desires in life. Conversely, may Satan swallow up the designers of this wretched POS. In short: thanks, this thing has been a thorn in my side for more than a decade. It IS evil

[@sshelton1433]

Since it's January I doubt my kids will notice one of their pool noodles missing for at least a couple months....

[@amystreet5904]

At a new house, a kind of a new machine (less than 3 years - I would say it's pretty new) has the same problem. I'll try this method. I wonder how thick the noodle you used. There are many different diameters... 2", 2.5", 3.5"...

[@DesertPirate55]

It's approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Only one size will work.

[@leahryon6047]

Hey same problem, however I'm also getting squeaking really bad during washes and spinning..."Spinning"... What do you think the squeaking is from?? I'm going to get a water noodle and rope right now!!!

[@rekathegreat3024]

Wonderful. Im going to try this today as well! Thank you!

[@domenicocampobasso8859]

I tried don't work.

[@wallan-te4gn]

Lame the fix does not work the tub needs to be able to move so that it stays balanced. The pool noodles made it worse

[@ericdeslieres1652]

Big thank you to man. Its genious, my washer its good for another 2 year.. :)

[@larrykeese1948]

Yankee inginuity and a mind for things mechanical! Thanks

[@dubbydub9245]

Hahahaha. You just save me so many hours and busted knuckles. I'm doing this after work tonight!

[@msbeanstalk1720]

Thank you for this helpful video, we got a pool noodle but we're having a heck of a time trying to pry the top open. Scratching it up. I see the metal 'locks' sticking up on your machine just like ours--we're using a flathead screwdriver as the tool but it's not working. It's not your exact model though, from 2008. Any advice? Thank you, hope everyone is staying safe.

[@johnjamrowski7505]

I used a 2 inch putty knife. The clips are about 6 to 61/2 inches from each end. Push in on the clips and pull up on lid. It will pop open. Do that to each side. The clips are on the front of the washer.

[@ierealestate4u]

I tried this with a noodle that has no hole in the center which made it kinda snug and now the whole machine jumps all over the place like a huge quake! Even though the UL code didn’t pop up. Does it need to have a little give to it?

[@Capng123]

Nice idea, didn't work for me though. :(

[@MilosNorthShore]

I tried this with my father in law, but we ran into problems. Before this fix, the basket would get out of balance and bounce around. I thought this fix would absorb that energy. However the energy mostly transferred to the washing machine itself, so now the entire washing machine was bouncing around. Does your machine move or move more now than it did before? Is it still working fine?

[@illibrium]

Same here...did not get the "uL" error, but I thought the thing was gonna explode when it hit the spin cycle. I suspect something else is throwing it off balance like water in places it shouldn't be. Does yours always slosh when you try to spin it by hand?

[@MilosNorthShore]

Hank Scott Yes it does. There's supposed to be water in the balance ring, but the slosh seems like more than you would expect. Getting pretty close to calling a repair guy. I know someone who's good, won't suggest something expensive just to sell parts. Not sure what to do.

[@magicRay]

Same condition here as well. Tried the same fix last night and found out the vibration energy now transferred to the whole washer which shook the laundry room like earthshaking.

[@MilosNorthShore]

We were gifted a good hand-me-down washing machine, so I never got it fixed. However, I got by with it for a while by putting some foam down toward the bottom, where the motor hangs off the bottom of the basin. Sometimes the piece of Styrofoam was sufficient alone, sometimes I used my foot as a shock absorber with my toes on the bottom of the basin (I left the back off the washer this whole time). I hope you're able to figure out a solution.

[@kimberlysloan8631]

I just did this to my washer 🤞🏻

[@411shortnsuite]

Thank you 🙌🏻🙌🏻 we got ours the same way and I was wondering if a pool noodle would work!!

[@wjveryzer7985]

I just replaced the pump today on mine. Worked for one load than i got the UL code

[@robinabner3118]

This is the worst piece of crap washing machine I have had.

[@joecox9958]

smart idea! many thanks!

[@philwill1]

Did not work for me so I guess will try the rods next.

[@jeremiahpruett4476]

what did you do next because i am still having the same problem as you do bud? the pool noodles actually made it worse

[@philwill1]

Yeah they didn't work for me neither. First off I discovered that my screen on the bottom of shaft had worked itself loose. Because I didn't pit blue locate on it. That solved the problem for about six months and then the ball bearings went out. And that caused the same problem. So I changed bearings and shaft and been running like new ever simce.

[@philwill1]

Excuse the typos. I meant the bolt on the shaft and meant to say loctite.

[@dtirto]

Replacing the 4 rod suspension is the fix.

[@mans0n69]

I've been trying and trying with different water noodles and it's not working out for me

[@aviisrael3368]

Oh man does anyone know if I can still get a pool noodle somewhere early fall in Ga. I need to fix mine and this seems to be the best solution. Thank you RE this is the best advice yet.

[@aviisrael3368]

Update: Just tried it... So it definitely made the spin cycle quieter. Although it bounces off the noodles. Mine must have tickets to the ball cause it won't stop practicing its dance moves. But thank you anyway.

[@ashleytjones4702]

What tool do I use to get the screws off in the back

[@jentleil2183]

I had to buy a socket wrench from Home Depot $19.99

[@heartbreaking4u]

Ashley T Jones I did not have to take any screws off.

[@aprilmayne8028]

I spayed a lil wd40 on them

[@mr.nocollusion3913]

My husband is resorting to.uour way after all the other options and failing to find the problem

[@t52159]

Thanks, I’m going to try this😀

[@cynthiahammond9135]

Thank you

[@PeteyPablo408]

Will this work for the Kenmore elite Kenmore connect not sur if that's the model but dam it's been too like suffering with this uneven crap takes all dam day to wash 1 load

[@ManojPatel-jz9sf]

if you get UL code on kenmore elite washer change four suspension rod that will solve the problem

[@DelosJohnson]

Not always true. We had Sears do just that, the machine worked fine until the repair guy left and then went back to UL. We are getting NO help from Sears service in fixing this problem. Will try the noodles.

[@rodneyhoward8423]

Just changed rods.. same ul code

[@MrNightnemisis]

I'm a technician that works on these and while yes, this may get rid of your fault code, it is only ridding you of a symptom. This is one of the cheap fixes you do until you can replace the unit. Depending on the issue, this fix could make it worse as the tub is intended to move around to help absorb some of that energy. If it keeps it working for a few months then that's really all you can ask for and then avoid those salesmen that are just trying to make their bonuses and research the crap out of these new appliances because most of them are garbage.

[@NasserHasian]

As a technician that works on these appliances, which brands or models do you suggest then?

[@jennier135]

Great question!! That’s what I’m wondering? What brand is best?

[@neljav84]

Thank u. Will be trying this👍

[@EdsEverydayAdventures]

Mine actually did great for awhile..... then.....well.....on my way to town to get some water noodles and string!!!!!!!!!!!

[@bangitllc1821]

Bwahaha! What a piece of shit it is. I always turn off the cold water and baby sit, redistribute, etc. until dry enough. First issue was the tub bolt on the bottom fell off. At least it fell off at home. Yeah, same here unsuspecting soul I was...

[@Ghost-uh9ie]

Omg I pissed my self, very well said lol!!

[@jentleil2183]

Love it, very helpful, if I can get past the C52 code first. :-(

[@b3bilco]

From Sears Parts Direct website: "F52 Motor stop failure Check/ Repair Drive motor failed to stop after the stop command from the main electronic control board. This is caused by a failure in the main electronic control board. The main electronic control board will usually need to be replaced to fix this failure. Possible parts Main electronic control" Meaning, the big dog motor control board. I've found them rebuilt with warranty for under $100 out there. I replaced the main AND front panel boards in mine to figure out that it was only the front board bad lol.