How To Replace A Samsung Washer Suspension Support Rod (With Video!)

An off-balance washing machine is a noisy frustration that can thankfully be fixed fairly easily with the right parts. When you hear that dreaded banging, or get a DC error on your washer’s display, there’s a good chance it’s being caused by a faulty suspension support rod – that’s the part that keeps the tub balanced during a wash cycle.

Don’t resign yourself to the annoyance of an off-balance washer, and don’t fret over a big repair bill. You can replace those support rods yourself, quickly and easily, with a few common tools and a bit of know-how. Don’t know how to start? Don’t worry!

We’ve got a complete how-to for replacing the suspension support rods in your top-loading Samsung washer. Read on to get started on that repair!

Need a replacement suspension support rod for your washing machine? Search below using your specific washer model number to identify the exact part needed:

How To Tell If Washer Suspension Rods Are Bad

Top-loading washers have four suspension support rods – metal poles with a spring on one end that, as the name implies, support the tub within the frame of the appliance. The four poles work in unison to keep the tub balanced when the washer runs especially during the spin cycles. Unsurprisingly, considering their job, these parts will endure a lot of stress in their years of use, and it’s not unusual for them to become damaged.  When one or more of your washer’s support rods go bad, your washer will go off balance. You’ll know it by the telltale banging sound – which is the sound of the inner tub banging against the sides of the washer frame. You may also find your washer stopping mid-cycle and giving a DC error code. Luckily, the support rods are incredibly easy to fix. Gather the tools you need, set aside an hour or two – you may be done even faster than that – and you’ll have your washer right back on track.

Finding The Right Replacement Part

Washer suspension support rods all look roughly the same, but they come in a couple of different styles, so it’s important that you purchase compatible Samsung washing machine replacement parts. To find a compatible support rod kit for specific washer models, type your appliance’s model number below to search AppliancePartsPros.com. We’ve got genuine OEM parts for every major brand, and they’ll be delivered to your door in just a few days.

Need help finding the model number? If you don’t have access to the manual, the model number should be on a label sticker somewhere on the appliance. Check behind the washer door, either along the wall of the front panel or on the door itself. You may also find the washer’s model number behind the kickplate at the bottom of the washer or behind the front access panel.

How To Replace A Samsung Washer Suspension Support Rod

In the how-to video for this article, we’re replacing the suspension support rods on a Samsung top-loading washer. While suspension support rods all look roughly the same for top-loading models of washers, the steps to remove them will be a little different depending on your appliance’s brand and model.

If you’re working with a different brand of appliance, like a Whirlpool, rather than using this Samsung-specific guide head over to our YouTube channel to find a video with a detailed look at replacing the suspension support rods in your specific brand or model of appliance. We have multiple videos on the topic!

Tools for the job

Before you begin, make sure you have these items ready to go:

1. Compatible replacement suspension support rods
2. Phillips head screwdriver
3. Putty knife
4. White lithium grease, like Sil-Glyde
5. A towel to catch any spills
6. Tape – packing tape, painter’s tape, or another relatively strong tape that won’t leave too much gunk when you remove it
7. Wood, a piece long enough to prop the top of the washer open
8. Work gloves

Before you begin…

Remember to disconnect your washer from power either at the wall outlet or circuit breaker to avoid electrocution. For this repair job, you should also turn off the hot and cold water supplies to your appliance, and make sure that the washer is completely drained.

Replacing a suspension support rod

1. Disassemble the parts holding the top of the washer to the washer frame. On the back of the washer, there’s some hardware that you’ll need to remove to get the top off.
   1. Two screws on either side of the back of the washer that are holding the top in place.
   2. A small access panel closer to the left side of the washer that will catch if it’s not removed before you take the top off. Remove the screw holding this part in place and then carefully pull the panel off.
   3. On certain models of washer, particularly Whirlpool and Maytag washers, you may also need to disconnect the water supply. You can disconnect these with a pair of pliers. Lay a towel down before doing this, as water will likely spill out.
2. Tape the lid down to hold it closed while you work. You’ll have the top of the washer propped up for most of this job, and if the lid flies open, it could damage the appliance or possibly cause injury.
3. Pop the top of the washer free by running a putty knife along the seam at the front of the washer. About six inches in from each corner, you’ll find a metal release tab that you can press in on to spring it free. Lift up on the washer top as you do this.
4. With the clips released, carefully lift the top up and bring it forward a little. You’ll want to rest the brackets in the drop-ins where the suspension springs are so that you can prop the lid open like it’s the hood of a car.
5. Use a piece of wood to keep the washer lid propped open while you work. You should now have access to replace one of the suspension rods.
   1. NOTE: Since the process is the same for each of the four suspension rods, we’ll cover replacing just one in this tutorial. To replace the others, you will need to move the washer top or the wood so that you can access them, but other than that, it’s just a matter of repeating steps six through eight.
   2. If you are changing the suspension support in the right rear of the washer, you will need to remove the clip on it that holds the water level pressure switch hose and a wire harness. You can remove this part by hand. Just don’t forget to clip it back on once you’ve replaced the rod.
6. Remove the old support rod. The old rods may possibly be grimy or slippery with grease, so keep that in mind when removing them.
   1. You may need to push the washer tub out of the way slightly to access it.
   2. Reach down and lift the rod up to clear the top bushing from where it’s seated.
   3. Slide the rod out of the top cutout.
   4. Now lower the rod down just far enough that the lower bushing can clear the cutout on the washer tub.
   5. Pull the support rod out of the washer.
7. Clean up the top bracket and apply fresh white lithium grease or Sil-Glyde both to the top bracket where the top bushing will be seated and to the bottom bushing of the new rod itself. The new rod does not come pre-greased, so doing this will protect your appliance’s new components and cut down on noise when the washer is running.
8. Put the new rod in.
   1. Push the tub to the side slightly.
   2. Seat the lower bushing first, feeding it through the cutout and then lifting up on the rod so that it is seated.
   3. Once it’s properly set, lift up on the suspension rod enough that it clears the top bracket’s cut out, slot it into place, and set it down.
9. With one rod installed, you can repeat steps six through eight on the other three suspension support rods as needed. Don’t forget to reattach the clip on the right rear rod if you replace that one.
10. Time to reassemble! Lift the lid carefully and remove the wood propping it open.
11. Lift the back of the top up to clear it from the brackets where it was sitting and set the top back down. Make sure the top is properly aligned with the locking pins.
12. Press down on the washer’s top until you hear the click of the tabs locking into place.
13. Remove the tape from the lid.
14. Replace the rear access cover. You may need to use your screwdriver to pry the lower panel away from the washer slightly so that you can properly seat the rear access cover. Rotate it to seat the tabs on the right, then reinstall the mounting screw.
15. Reinstall the two mounting screws that hold the top of the washer to the frame.
16. If you had to remove the water supply lines, you can reinstall those now, as well.
17. It’s time to do a test run. Restore power to the washer and turn the water supplies back on. Run an empty wash cycle. If your washer is back in balance and you don’t get any error codes, you’re all done!

Wrapping Up

If you need a bit more guidance for one of the steps we’ve outlined above, don’t forget to check out the how-to video for a close up look at replacing this part! And otherwise, we hope our guide has helped you to quickly solve the pesky problem of an unbalanced washer. If you’re surprised by just how quick and easy it was to fix this part, imagine what else you could repair all by yourself! The next time you need tips, tutorials, or replacement parts, check out AppliancePartsPros.com. Our friendly staff is happy to help you with all your appliance repair needs.