Customer Questions and Answers for Suspension Spring by Whirlpool

Hello Rob, As long as the machine is properly leveled, the problem is most likely the skate plate WP3946509. The pads wear unevenly sometimes when the machine is run a long time without proper leveling. The way to properly level this design is to tilt the unit forward until you hear a "click", indicating the ratcheting device that the rear legs are attached to has re-centered. Then the machine is lowered back down onto the rear legs. Note that if you don't hear the click when you tilt the machine forward onto the front legs, the ratcheting device has probably stuck. If this is the case they can be freed up by tapping straight up on either of the rear legs while the machine is tilted forward. Another thing that can cause this is the saline solution could leak out of the balance ring. If this is the case for a long time, it can cause uneven wear of the pads on the skate plate. There are four springs in the suspension. three are identical and the fourth is the counterbalance spring WPW10250667 that counters the weight of the motor. The spring in the back could have broken but, if this was the case for a long time, the skate plate can be affected by this also.