Every washing machine leaves the factory with its drum bolted rigid. Without that, the drum — which hangs on springs and dampers — would swing around inside the cabinet on a lorry and wreck itself before it ever reached you.
Those bolts have to come out before the machine is used. If they don't, the first spin cycle does the damage the bolts were there to prevent.
It takes about five minutes. It is also the single most common reason a brand-new machine gets reported as faulty when it isn't.
What actually happens if you leave them in
The drum cannot move. A washing machine drum is designed to move — the suspension absorbs the imbalance of wet laundry flung around at 1400rpm. Bolt it solid and all that force goes into the cabinet, the bearings and the floor instead.
What you get:
- Violent banging and shuddering the moment it reaches spin speed
- The machine walking across the floor, sometimes several feet
- Damaged drum bearings and spider arm — which on most machines is not an economic repair
And the part that stings: this is not a manufacturing fault, so it is not a warranty claim. Every manufacturer treats it as installation damage. Our guide to appliance warranties covers what is and isn't covered, but this one is universal.
Finding them
Look at the back of the machine. You'll see three, four or occasionally five bolt heads, usually spaced around the upper half of the rear panel. They are often painted a different colour — red, orange or yellow — precisely so you notice them.
They are not the small screws holding the back panel on. Transit bolts are chunky, and each one passes through a thick rubber or plastic sleeve.
Most machines ship with a small bag taped inside the drum or to the back containing blanking caps — plastic plugs that fill the holes afterwards. If you've found blanking caps, you have transit bolts.
Removing them — the actual steps
- Leave the machine unplugged and away from the wall. You need access to the back.
- Loosen each bolt with a spanner or socket — usually 10mm, 12mm or 13mm. Most machines include the right spanner in the box.
- Pull the whole assembly out: bolt, spacer and the rubber sleeve behind it. The sleeve matters — if it stays in the hole, the bolt hasn't really come out.
- Push a blanking cap into each empty hole. This isn't cosmetic — it stops water and dust getting into the cabinet.
- Keep the bolts. Tape them inside the door or put them in a drawer with the manual.
Why keeping them matters
If you ever move house, the bolts go back in before the machine is transported. Moving a washing machine without them is how a perfectly good machine arrives at the new place with wrecked bearings.
Removal companies will usually ask for them. If you can't produce them, replacements are available from the manufacturer but rarely in time.
Integrated machines: exactly the same
A built-in machine has the same bolts, and they are harder to reach once it's in the housing. Take them out before you slide it into the cabinet, not after.
This catches people out because integrated installation tends to be done by a kitchen fitter rather than the person who read the manual. Say it out loud to whoever is fitting it.
The rest of first-use setup
Level it properly. Adjustable feet, spirit level, and check it doesn't rock when you push a corner. An unlevel machine vibrates, walks and gets noisy — and people blame the machine.
Check the hoses. Inlet hose hand-tight plus a nudge, not cranked. The drain hose needs to sit at the right height — too low and the machine siphons, emptying as fast as it fills.
Remove the drain hose bung if one is fitted. Some machines ship with the drain blanked.
Run one empty hot wash before the first load. It clears manufacturing residue and confirms fill, heat, drain and spin all work while the machine is still easy to return.
Our installation checklist covers the pre-delivery checks — aperture, access, plumbing — that come before any of this.
"It's banging and it's brand new"
If a new machine bangs violently on spin, work through this in order:
- Transit bolts still in? Look at the back. This is the answer more often than anything else.
- Is it level? Push each corner in turn.
- Is the floor solid? Springy floorboards amplify everything.
- Is the load balanced? One heavy item — a towelling robe, a rug — on its own will throw any machine.
If it's none of those, our guide to a washing machine that won't spin goes further.
Machines we stock
Every one of these arrives with transit bolts fitted.
Freestanding — the Montpellier MDA61CWM 6kg at £279 is the compact option, the SIA SWM121400W 12kg at £299.99 is the most capacity per pound we sell, and the Montpellier MDAWM814W 8kg at £369 is the sensible family machine.
For 10kg, the Montpellier MDAWM1014S is £419.
Integrated — the AWT714S 7kg at £349, the CDA 7kg at £439, the Montpellier MBIWM814 8kg at £459, and the Hoover H500 10kg at £599.
Frequently asked questions
How many transit bolts does a washing machine have?
Usually three or four, occasionally five. Count the blanking caps in the bag — that tells you how many holes you're looking for.
What size spanner do I need?
Typically 10mm, 12mm or 13mm. Most machines include the correct spanner in the accessory pack. An adjustable spanner works if not.
Can I run the machine once and then take them out?
No. One spin with the bolts in is enough to do the damage. Take them out before it's plugged in.
What if I've already run it with the bolts in?
Stop using it. Remove the bolts, then run an empty spin and listen. If it's quiet and stable you've probably got away with it. If it still bangs or rumbles, the bearings may already be damaged — contact the manufacturer, and be aware this is not usually covered.
Do tumble dryers have transit bolts?
No. A tumble dryer drum doesn't need suspension in the same way, so there's nothing to bolt down. Washer-dryers do have them, because they wash.
I've lost the blanking caps — does it matter?
Not urgently, but the holes are open into the cabinet. Manufacturers sell replacements cheaply, and it's worth doing.
Buying a machine and not sure what you're taking on? Ask us before you order — we'd rather explain it up front than have you find out on spin day.
