Thanks for the photo. That’s a Kenmore laundry center, with the washer on the bottom and the dryer built into the same frame. Units like this were built for Sears by Frigidaire. When the drum feels like it’s “off its axle” and the whole unit walks into the walls, the tub has lost the parts that hold it steady during spin.
Stop using it for spin until it’s checked
A laundry center is tall and top-heavy. Hard banging can loosen the frame, damage the wall, or pull on the dryer’s gas line behind it. Run small loads or skip spin until you find the cause.
Quick checks first
- Load balance. One heavy item (a rug, a pillow, a pair of jeans in a small load) can cause this. Run a normal mixed load spread evenly around the basket and see if it still happens.
- Level and feet. Rock the unit corner to corner. If it moves, adjust the front leveling legs until all four corners sit firmly on the floor, then tighten the lock nuts.
- Push on the tub. With the washer empty and unplugged, open the lid and push the basket sideways. It should move a little and settle back smoothly. If it swings freely, clunks, or sits off-center, the suspension is worn.
The usual cause: worn suspension
On these washers, the tub hangs on suspension springs and is steadied by a snubber (a friction pad that rubs against the tub to stop it swaying). When the snubber pad wears out or a spring breaks or slips off, the tub bangs against the cabinet on every spin. The parts are inexpensive. The catch is access: in a laundry center the washer cabinet usually has to be opened with the unit pulled out, which is easier with two people.
Less common causes
If the basket itself wobbles on the shaft, the basket drive nut may have loosened, or the tub bearing may be failing. A loud rumble or grinding during spin points to the bearing. On an older laundry center, that repair can cost close to a new unit, so get a quote before deciding.