First thing that happened was the drain pump quit. After replacing that (and running it through one complete wash cycle) I noticed a drip from the front of the top panel (the front panel was still off so I could watch for leaks from the pump). That’s when I noticed about a 1 inch gap between the top of the washer tub and the bottom of the top panel. That made me think that water was splashing out that gap. Long story short, I’m thinking the suspension rods are needing replaced due to the springs weakening. Am I correct?
Not likely. I would check for broken damper straps at the top of the tub. Remove the top cover for access. A gap between the top of the tub and the top panel is normal. The tub swings back and forth considerably during agitation. This motion is kept in check by the damper straps.
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/ge-washer-tub-dampening-wh1x2727-ap2044899.html
Eric