A dryer that thumps, rattles the wall, or shakes the floor above the laundry room is almost always fixable without a repair call. Work through these in order.
1. Check the Load
Sneakers, a heavy blanket, or a single soaked towel will bang around in any dryer. Rerun with a balanced load before blaming the machine — if the noise only happens on certain loads, that's your answer.
2. Level the Legs
Put a bubble level on top of the dryer, front-to-back and side-to-side. Adjust the threaded leveling legs until it's level and all four corners carry weight — push down on each corner; any rocking means one leg is short. A dryer that rocks even slightly will amplify every drum rotation into cabinet noise.
3. Put Anti-Vibration Pads Under the Feet
Hard plastic dryer feet on tile, concrete, or hardwood transmit every vibration straight into the structure — which is why upstairs laundry rooms shake the whole house. A dense solid rubber pad under each foot absorbs the vibration at the source, stops the dryer from walking, and protects the floor. Use solid neoprene, not foam — foam pads compress flat within months under a 120+ lb machine. Our heavy-duty neoprene anti-vibration pads are sized for exactly this; pad the washer next to it too, since a vibrating pair feeds each other through the floor.
4. Check What's Touching the Cabinet
A dryer duct pressed against the wall, a laundry sorter leaning on the side panel, or the washer touching the dryer will rattle loudly at certain drum speeds. Leave an inch of clearance on all sides and make sure the vent duct isn't kinked against the wall.
5. When It's a Parts Problem
A rhythmic thump-thump that tracks drum speed on every load points to worn drum rollers, a flat idler pulley, or worn glides — cheap parts, straightforward DIY on most models. A screech or grind is the belt or a roller bearing. Pads and leveling help but won't cure worn rollers.
Quick Summary
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
| Only on some loads | Rebalance the load |
| Rocks when you push a corner | Level the legs |
| Vibration through floor/walls | Rubber pads under the feet |
| Rattle at certain speeds | Clear cabinet contact, check duct |
| Rhythmic thump every load | Drum rollers / idler pulley |
Washer shaking too? Read how to stop a washing machine from shaking and walking.