Why is my Maytag washer not spinning clothes dry enough?

There are several possible causes behind your Maytag washer not spinning clothes dry enough problem.

The good news is, you can easily pinpoint what is bringing nearly all of them (and fix your washer) – it is often a simple DIY project.

In fact, knowing how to do this can save you up to around 300 bucks (if you were to call a technician) depending on what’s triggering the issue.

So, read this to the end if you want to know what could be making your Maytag washer not to spin clothes dry enough and how to fix the fault..

Maytag washer not spinning clothes dry enough – causes and simple solutions

You might be overloading your washer

Here’s the thing: Overloading your washer puts excess weight on the drum bearings and motor.

This will overwork the motor and cause it not to spin as fast as it should.

So, make sure you are not overloading your washer – don’t load it past ¾ way. In fact, for HE washers, Maytag recommends that you load them around ½ way for best results.

Something else: Confirm that your washer is level – an unlevel washer can also result in spin problems.

Confirm you are using the right spin cycle

For instance, using the Normal or Delicates cycles to wash heavy clothes such as comforters will result in the washer not spinning fast enough to dry the clothes.

As such, you want to make sure that you are using the right cycle to wash your laundry.

If you are not sure of which cycle to use, you can read your washer’s user manual – it will tell you what to wash in each cycle.

Another thing: If your model allows you to select the spin speed, make sure that you have not selected a low spin speed.

You might not have used the “Add a Garment” feature when adding clothes midcycle

According to Maytag, this might also result in your washer not spinning at maximum speed.

So, if you want to add clothes midcycle, do so when the “Add a Garment” indicator is lit.

You might have used the wrong detergent (or too much detergent)

You can easily know if this is the case since there will be excess suds in the washer.

And, these suds might slow (at times prematurely stop) the spinning process.

In this case, run the Rinse and Spin cycle to remove the extra suds.

Check for foreign objects between the drum and washtub

Other times, it could be that some foreign object (say a sock) might have gotten trapped between the inner and outer tubs.

And, this object is responsible for reducing the washer’s spin speed.

To troubleshoot this, disassemble the inner and outer tubs and remove any items that might be trapped between them.

The belt might be to blame, check it

Another common reason for a Maytag washer not spinning clothes dry enough is a loose or worn-out belt… This makes it not to have a strong grip on the drum.

To see if this is the cause of the problem, disassemble your washer and inspect the belt.

If it’s loose, be sure to tighten it using the idler pulley.

On the other hand, if it appears worn out, your best bet is to replace it – order a durable replacement belt on Amazon.

Your washing machine might not be draining fully

And, a good symptom of this is if you note some water still sitting in the washer after the final spin cycle.

How you can troubleshoot and fix the problem

Start by straightening any kinks that might be along the drain hose. While at it, also remove any clogs that might be inside the hose.

If you have a front load Maytag washer, be sure to clean the drain pump filter as it might be full.

Next, remove any clogs that might be inside the drain pump as they might be preventing the washer from draining fully.

If you have a new washer (or you have recently installed your washer), make sure that only 4.5” of the drain hose goes into the standpipe (drainpipe).

Finally, make sure that the maximum height of the standpipe does not exceed 96” as this might prevent the washer from pumping out all the water.

The hub might be stripped

Again, this will result in the washer not spinning as fast as it should hence why it is not wringing out all the water from your laundry.

Usually, the hub connects the wash basket to the spin shaft that spins the basket.

So, be sure to inspect your washer’s basket drive hub…

Fortunately, if it’s worn out, you can replace it quite easily – And it’s quite cheap coming at around 10 bucks…It’s on Amazon.

Maytag front load washer not spinning clothes dry enough – check if the bearings are worn out

For the most part, this is due to corrosion – water might be seeping through the seals to the metal bearings.

Something else: A good sign of worn out bearings is if the washer is making screeching noises when it runs.

So, if you inspect and confirm that your bearings are worn out, the best solution is to replace them – check price at Amazon

Maytag top load washer not spinning clothes dry enough – the suspension rods might be bad

This can be due to one or more rods being bent or broken thereby unbalancing the wash basket.

And, this might be what is causing the wash basket to spin slower than it should.

To check if this is the culprit, disassemble your top load washer and inspect the rods.

If one of the rods is bent, be sure to replace it – shop for suspension rods at Amazon now.

Pro tip: When replacing suspension rods, it’s advisable to replace them as a set. Here’s the thing: If one of the rods gets bent, it will exert extra pressure on the other rods. And, this might in result the other rods getting bent soon.

The shift actuator (shifter) might be acting up

First, check and confirm that its wire connections are good – re-insert loose connectors and fix broken wires.

Something else: Wipe off any dirt or debris that might be covering the plastic part (sensors) of the shifter.

If the above are good, it’s time for the final test – continuity test as shown below:

  1. Test for continuity between J4-1 (white wire) on the control board and shift actuator pin #3 (white wire).
  2. Test for continuity between J4-7 (orange wire) on the control board and shift actuator pin #1 (orange wire).

If any of the above lacks continuity, it probably means that the shift actuator is shot – See how much a replacement actuator costs.

The rotor position sensor (RPS)

Start by making sure that the wire connections are good – fix any wires that might be broken.

If connections are good, check for continuity between the corresponding P10 connector (on the control board) and the RPS connector.

If there is no continuity, odds are that the RPS is bad.

The good news is that a replacement RPS is not expensive – buy on Amazon.

The control board might be to blame

If all the above check out, high chances are that the control board is to blame – it might not be signaling the relevant components to spin the wash tub at full speed.

Unfortunately, there is no walk-around for a bad board – you will need to replace it.

If you opt to do so, you can order a compatible replacement board at Amazon.

Maytag washer not spinning clothes dry enough – parting words

If you replace the control board, remember to calibrate your washing machine to avoid future problems.

And, when testing for continuity between connectors, you might want to have your service manual nearby.

This is because the connector labeling might vary slightly depending on your washer model.

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