That sudden, heart-stopping BANG! from the laundry room is enough to make anyone jump. You’re not dealing with an unbalanced load or a machine about to walk out the door. It’s the lid of your top-load washing machine, slamming shut with the force of a guillotine. What happened to that gentle, silent, soft-close feature you loved?
The good news is that you’re not imagining things, and the fix is surprisingly simple. Those sophisticated lid hinges wear out over time, losing their ability to dampen the lid’s descent. I’m going to walk you through how to replace them yourself, turning that startling banging noise into a satisfying, whisper-quiet close once again. This is an easy DIY repair that can save you a service call and restore peace to your laundry day.
Safety First
Before you touch a single screw, let’s make sure we do this safely. Your well-being is more important than any appliance.
- Unplug the Appliance: Always, always, always unplug your washing machine from the wall outlet before starting any repair.
- Protect Your Hands: A pair of work gloves will protect you from sharp metal edges and give you a better grip.
- Clear Your Workspace: Make sure you have enough room to work comfortably and move the machine if needed.
- Secure the Lid: Have some painter’s tape handy to hold the lid in place while you work on the hinges.
Why Your Washer Lid is Suddenly Slamming
Most modern top-load washers, especially popular brands like LG, come with “soft-close” or “damped” hinges. Inside these hinges is a small mechanism, often filled with thick grease or a spring-loaded gear system, that provides resistance. This is what allows the heavy glass or metal lid to lower itself slowly and silently.
Over thousands of opens and closes, this internal mechanism simply wears out. The grease can break down or leak, or the gears can strip. When that happens, there’s nothing left to slow the lid down, and gravity takes over with a loud bang. Both hinges usually work together, but often only one fails, which is enough to cause the issue. Since they’ve had the same amount of wear, it’s best to replace them as a pair.
Tools and Parts You’ll Need
This is a straightforward job that doesn’t require a massive toolbox.
Tools:
- Phillips Head Screwdriver
- Small Flathead Screwdriver (for prying off plastic covers)
- Painter’s Tape or a helping hand
- Work Gloves
Parts:
- Replacement Lid Hinges: You’ll need a set of hinges specific to your washing machine’s model number. You can typically find the model number on a sticker inside the lid, on the back, or on the side of the machine. A quick search online for “[Your Model Number] lid hinge” should point you to the right parts. They are usually sold as a left and right pair.
Step-by-Step: Replacing Your Top-Load Lid Hinges
Ready to get started? This process should take you less than 30 minutes. Let’s get that lid closing quietly again.
Step 1: Access the Hinges
With the washer unplugged, look at the back of the lid where it connects to the body of the machine. The hinges are almost always hidden under plastic covers to give the machine a clean look.
Use your small flathead screwdriver to gently pry these covers off. There’s usually a small slot or seam where you can insert the screwdriver. Be gentle to avoid scratching the paint or breaking the plastic clips. Once the covers are off, you’ll see the screws holding the hinges in place.
Step 2: Secure the Lid and Remove the Old Hinges
Open the washer lid all the way. Now, use painter’s tape to secure the lid to the wall behind it or have a friend hold it steady. This is crucial because once you remove the screws, the lid will be free and could fall.
With the lid secured, use your Phillips head screwdriver to remove the screws holding the top part of the hinges to the lid itself. Then, remove the screws connecting the bottom part of the hinges to the washer’s main body. Once all screws are out, the old hinge assembly should come right off.
Step 3: Install the New Hinges
Take a moment to clean the area where the old hinges were. Now, grab your new hinge set. They are often marked “L” for left and “R” for right, so make sure you’re putting them in the correct spots.
Align the new hinges with the screw holes on the washer body and the lid. It’s easiest to loosely attach all the screws first—both on the washer body and the lid—to make sure everything lines up perfectly. Once you’re confident in the alignment, go ahead and tighten all the screws until they are snug. Don’t overtighten, as you could strip the holes or crack the plastic.
Step 4: Test Your Work
Carefully remove the painter’s tape (or tell your friend they can let go!). Slowly lower the lid. It should now hold itself up at most angles and, when you let it go from a few inches up, it should close gently and silently.
Congratulations! You just fixed that annoying slamming lid. All that’s left is to snap the plastic hinge covers back into place, plug your washing machine in, and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Conclusion
That loud, jarring bang is now a thing of the past. By investing a little bit of time and a few dollars in new parts, you’ve completed a genuine appliance repair. You not only solved the problem but also gained the confidence that comes with fixing something yourself.
If you followed these steps and the lid still doesn’t close properly, double-check that you ordered the correct parts for your model. In the rare case that the mounting points on the lid or washer body are broken, you might need to call a professional for a more complex repair.
Did you tackle this project? How did it go? Share your experience in the comments below