I have a Kenmore 80 series (model 110) washer that is 4 years old. It has recently started to make a very loud banging noise at the end of the rinse and spin cycles. It sounds like a helicopter is landing in my laundry room! The washer works well with the exception of these noises. I checked that the washer is level and that the loads are balanced, so that's not the issue. It seems like the noise starts with the basket attempts to stop. Do you think this is a problem with the braking system? I've removed the outer casing of the washer, but I'm not sure what I should be looking for to diagnose my problem. If anyone can provide any advice, I would really appreciate it!

I would bet your drive block is bad and skipping over the top of the spin tube. Remove the agitator and see if the block is locked into the spin tube.