Just for giggles, let me clarify...the liquid is a saline solution which is hermetically sealed in the front balance ring on the spinner. It is there to reduce vibration and acts like a gyroscope when the spinner revolves. Good sound to hear when you spin the basket.
And yes, this will always be a "heavy" machine. There's a 14 lb concrete block sitting on the right upper side of the outer tub to counteract the weight of the motor on the lower left side. All this, including the liquid in the spinner ring, keeps this tub from going into orbit during the 1000 rpm spin.