Agitators - Changing out......

[randycmaynard]

Hey guys, on the early 60s Kenmore washers, are the agitators interchangeable between machines? The '63 KM that I'm picking up tomorrow afternoon probably has a straight vane and was wondering if something like the roto-swirl or other types of agitators would work in this machine. Always wanting to see how something else would work and if one or several others cleaned better/worse etc - yep, I'm going washer junkie now! Wife still thinks I've lost my mind..... and that may be the case but will have fun in the process! LOL!

 

[mrb627]

Block or Spline drive

The machine you are picking up may or may not have a spline drive agitator. If not, it will have a hex drive block. There has been a spline to hex block adaptor so that you can put a hex block drive agitator into a newer machine. However, there is no adaptor to change a hex block drive to spline to allow a more modern spline drive agitator to be placed in an older hex drive machine.

Malcolm

 

[randycmaynard]

Hex or Spline......

Malcolm, don't remember/don't know..... I'll know tomorrow afternoon! I do remember that my mom's KM of the same vintage and model as the one I'm getting had the black bakelite straight vane agitator and the screw on top holding it in place was embedded in a "fluted" hard plastic (bakelite?) knob - don't know, at the moment, another way to describe it.

Best I can do til I get the machine - will put up photos Monday afternoon - will be late when I get in tomorrow night and doctor appt for physical Monday morning but, I'll get to it!

Thanks again!

 

[yogitunes]

Not ALL, but most KM/WP with the so called block will come off and allow a normal splined agitator to fit, your only now starting to interchange as many of us have already done....not losing your mind, we all had to see the different agitator designs and which one worked best....

the only agitator post that was different, I seen, Was a real old KM, had a block for the agitator, but not splined underneath, was round and smooth with a FLAT side, so our options were limited to agitators that fit the block configuration only....

it will be fun to see what yours will have and what variations you come up with, we won't spoil the suprise for you....have fun and let us know

 

[combo52]

AGITATOR DRIVE blocks

When WP-KM went to the Heavy Duty transmission about 1964 and the 1/2 HP motor they also went to the splined agitator shaft. If your washer has a metal hex drive block for the agitator you can only use Bakelite agitators in it unless you pull the transmission and replace the agitator shaft. If it has a gray plastic hex drive block you can use any standard capacity agitator you like. But you have to remove the plastic drive block to use non bakelite agitators.