Maytag Agitator Troubles

[drummerboy928]

I posted this back a week or so ago, but i thought i’d ask again. I’m currently trying to remove the agitator from my Maytag A482. When i first went to remove the agitator set screw, i found that the agitator screw was broken off into the agitator as there was still screw left in the agitator, but no bolt head. I have no idea what the best way to remove it is, and don’t want to damage the agitator shaft or cause any other problems. Should I just drill out the screw carefully, or is there a way to remove the agitator without remove the screw? I’m not afraid to order a new Power Fin agitator, so i’m open to any and all ideas that may work.

 

[good-shepherd]

A photo would help

If the set screw is sheared off below the plastic off hand I can't think any option besides a reverse drill bit and that will probably skate off the screw. The agitator is not coming off with the set screw in place short of destroying it.

Never heard of broken set screw. Somebody must have tightened the hell out of that at one point.

 

[drummerboy928]

Pictures included

I don’t have great pictures as it’s hard to get the camera in close enough to see while also getting the camera to focus but here’s the best one i could get.

 

[combo52]

Stuck Agitator

You may have to destroy the agitator, luckily there are still plenty of good used agitators still out there for these washers, we don't even brother saving them any longer, I sent around 6 helical drive washers so far this year to recycling and only saved the timers etc off some of them, all the other parts for these washers are just so plentiful still.

 

John 

 

[yogitunes]

use a drill bit and cut around it....

or a soldering iron with a tip, and melt it out of there....

replacements if needed are all over ebay....

 

[sprog]

Exploring the possibilities

I agree with John and Martin...

In the spirit of game theory, let's pretend this is a rare agitator... what would I do?
I would use a plug cutter, and carefully remove the offending screw, then repair the hole with compatible epoxy, then drill an appropriate size hole = back in business.

Back to reality: what John and Martin said

 

[drummerboy928]

Thank you all for the help as to what I should do! i was afraid that there wasn’t much that i could do outside of drilling out the agitator or otherwise messing up the agitator to get it out. i’ve already been looking and I already have a new agitator that will be ordered.