Hub Assembly/Drive Block

Most Notable Symptom of Failure: The tub goes out of balance on an empty load when starting to spin.

You’re going to see a few different styles out there, but they all do the same thing – they secure the inner tub to the gear shaft. They’re generally called out as a hub or a drive block.

If the hub or the drive block become loose, damaged, or starts to deteriorate, the inner tub will no longer be secure to the transmission shaft, and the inner tub will have some play if you shake it by hand. The inner tub should not rock back and forth with respect to the outer tub, and if you do have some play, then you’d want to check the hub. This will cause the tub to go out of balance when there is nothing in the tub.

Now, keep in mind some units have floating baskets, and this is where the inner tub floats up with the water, which disengages the drive block from the gears that propel the basket into spin.

When you’re called out to a unit that is wildly going out of balance, you’re not only going to want to check the suspension rods, you’re also going to want to ensure the drive hub is secure. I’ve had a few instances where I overlooked this, replaced some perfectly good suspension rods, and still had the same out of balance issues.

Other Consideration

If you’re keying into a possible hub issue, be sure to check that the transmission shaft is not loose either. If the transmission shaft itself has some play, then you’re likely needing a new gearcase.