Maytag wringer washer agitator stuck on the post

[mr-maytag]

Any ideas on how to remove a Maytag wringer washer agitator that is stuck on the post? I've worked and worked with it - after having very hot water in the machine, too. It moves somewhat when it has had hot water in it, but I just can't seem to get it off. The washer (E2LS from 1976) is in really great condition and I don't want to wreck anything. I would really like to clean under the agitator, though, and have it off every time after I use it so it dries well.

 

[stan]

Maytag wringer

Hi there. I have a Maytag E2L, and have never had that happen? If you break the agitator trying to lift it off, you can get a replacement. If that dose happens (hope it dose not) let me know and I`ll tell you where! Don`t despair some member will chime in, and have a answer for you. Have you tried pulling up while the hot water is in the tub, and while is agitating at the same time? Stan

 

[mr-maytag]

Hi Stan...Thanks for the message and ideas. I have tried all that. It was stuck on when I got it. I never thought to check if it would come off or not. Maybe the original owner never took it out - who knows? I hope someone who has experienced this will chime in.

 

[tomturbomatic]

AFTER you have secured a replacement for your agitator, which I assume is the turquoise one, I would try using a heat gun, moving it slowly and evenly around the base of the agitator column. I learned that these agitators have a plastic spline whereas the Bakelite agitators have a metal spline. In either case, the outside of the spline has a rubber-like compound that holds it in the agitator. With the heat, you are softening this to relax its hold on the inside of the agitator. I don't know if you can warm it enough to allow the agitator to slide up. In every case where we have had to remove an agitator to work on the tranny or other stuff underneath it, the agitator has finally released, but the spline stayed stuck on the shaft and had to be destroyed to be removed. Since your machine is working fine, you are not in a rush to do this.

There is a very nice man on the internet who sells Maytag conventional washer parts. I will see if I can locate his email address if someone here does not provide it so that you can see what he has available for an agitator and what he might suggest for lifting yours.

 

[bradross]

Removing the agitator

There is a specialized tool that Maytag repairman carried with them to do just that - but where to get one now is the question. There are a few Maytag wringer washer experts on here, like Geoff Delp and Greg Gansky...perhaps they can advise you. If you can avoid damaging the agitator (or as Maytag called it, the "gyratator") the better.

 

[geoffdelp]

The Agi-tamer works really well for stuck agitators on both conventional and automatic machines! 

 

Looks like it's still being produced; here's their website.

 

Maybe the local Maytag dealer might have one you can use?   Watch out ... those agitators really pop out of the machines!!

http://www.agi-tamer.com/

 

[neat1s]

Agitator

My sister in law just got a Maytag wringer washer, not sure the model. She wants to remove the agitator to clean under it. She can't get it out. Is there a trick?

 

[scoots]

Getting it out...

should be no trick (we're talking about a plastic or Bakelite unit, right?). The agitator is held on a 4" length of steel shafting by a rubber grommet. In a perfect world, you simply pull straight up by the shaft.

If that doesn't work, fill the tub about 3-4" with very hot water (boiling if possible) and let the machine agitate for 5 minutes. Unplug and pull again.

If it still doesn't come out, ask again for more advice. If the top of the center post is beat in or fractured, that's a bad sign, it shows that the agitator was loose and the previous owner used a hammer in an attempt to wedge the unit in place. This never works, and people sometimes resort to glue. I had a case like that and I had to to break the agitator off and then chisel off the remains of the center spline that joins the agitator to the keyed shaft.

 

[mikel64]

Agitator stuck on shaft

I just picked up a fantastic old Maytag N series. It looks to be in great condition . . . everything working perfectly . . . smooth and quiet operation with no leaks whatsoever. Just one tiny little problem . . . the agitator was completely unremovable! I've had to smash the plastic agitator body itself, scrape away the remaining rubber from the spline, however the spline seems to be fused to the shaft! I can't figure out why in gods name Maytag would, after having so many great, sensible ideas, come up with this absurd design! That said, does anyone have an idea of how to essentially "peel" away this spline from the shaft without damaging the shaft?

 

[tomturbomatic]

We CAREFULLY use a chisel and hammer with the chisel directed downwards on the spline so that the shaft is not damaged. The metal is sort of soft in that once you start splitting it with the chisel, it seems to almost come away in sections.

I have seen the wood and metal agitator puller for the Maytag conventional machines with the roller water remover (never say wringer), but I don't understand how the Agitamer would work with a conventional machine because the agitator skirt sits in a bit of a recess as I remember.

 

[mikel64]

Prying it out . . . .

Hey Tomturbomatic ... Thanks very much for the tip. II'm off to Home a depot today to find a good hard, sharp, narrow chisel and have a go at that metal spline. You're quite right when you say it's made out of some kind of softer metal, so hopefully I'll be able to strip it away.

In a somewhat unrelated subject, have you ever heard of adding a pump to this model. I've thought about mounting a small electric pump underneath and affixing a vintage looking switch down low. I just wondered if it's possible to retro-fit the actual Maytag water pump to a model that didn't originally have a pump.
Mike

 

[tomturbomatic]

As with so much in life, finding something where the holes are in the right positions would make this easier. If you add the pump, you will need to get a pump protector for the machine. Have you tried the Maytag wringer washer parts man on eBay? He is a very nice person to deal with and he might have the pump and parts you need. If you decide to fabricate something yourself, some of the newer pumps with magnet drives would eliminate the problem with a seal leaking around the shaft. And you would want something that could stand hot or warm water. The original pumps for these were not high capacity pumps so a pump rated for intermittent duty and able to pumpa few gallons a minute should work.

I wish you the best success.

 

[mr-maytag]

Adding a pump

I added a pump to my J2L fairly recently (my other two Es have pumps). I don't know what a pump protector is, but I do know that you need a mounting bracket and pin to attach the pump to the underside of the machine and also an actuator lever to attach to the side wall of the machine as well as a deeper pulley to drive the pump.

There is a pump right now on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Maytag-Wrin...389?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c4ab058fd

The guy selling the pump, Phil, is very helpful. If he doesn't have all the parts you need to get it up and running, contact Dave Harnish ([email protected]) http://www.davesrepairs.com/ He is also really knowledgeable and helpful and will get you in business.

Good luck!

 

[e2l-arry]

A power Jig Saw

Is what I finally used. I took a metal cutting blade and cut against the spline. Not all the way through to the shaft but you probably could. So after that, a screwdriver to pry it with and it came off, after 4 LONG days of trying, like a loose tooth.

I never heard of a pump protector either. Yes,you need the pulley with the lip for the pump. I got my pump from Phil and Dave had all the hardware I needed to install it.

Happy Tides!

Larry

 

[scoots]

If you want to add a pump, you will need everything on the left side of this illustration (in the box marked A4497) The Pump Protector is sometime incorrectly called a lint filter and it's the perforated circular object on the left. It goes over the shaft and sits under the agitator to keep "stuff" from getting into the pump.

The pulley (53505) is similar to a non-pump model, except that one flange is extra wide for the pump wheel to ride against on the inside. You might just possibly already have a wide flange type but no pump. Put the dimensions in a post to see if you can use the unit you have, or if you need to by a new one.

Also attached is a pic showing how it's supposed to fit together. The Green arrow shows the lever linkage that engages the pump.

 

[mikel64]

Success!!

Thanks for all the great tips !! The grinder was definitely the way to go! I carefully made a few short cuts along the grooves of the spline in about 5 places. It was actually very easy to cut through the outer bronze without hitting the hardened steel shaft underneath. I then basically peeled it back like a banana using the chisel and hammer . . . Then one final whack and off it came! Curiously, I assumed there would be all manner of corrosion underneath causing it to be stuck so tightly, but no! It was just stuck.

Now just have to wait for the new agitator to arrive from the US ... peel off the decal, REPAINT everything, polish the aluminum tub . . . et voila!

 

[tomturbomatic]

stuck

That is why Maytag said to lubricate the splines when you removed the Gyrator. Good lubrication is the key to easy insertion and removal.

 

[e2l-arry]

That's good news Mike!

One warning from my experience. Before I got the idea to cut it off, I had tried brute force. Lots of hammering and banging on that spline. Later once I got it up and running I had a recurring problem with water getting into the power unit. Long story short, I may have damaged the seals on the agitator shaft of the center plate. Turns out, through a lengthy process of elimination, the bad shaft seals were the leak path. Check the shaft to make sure it's OK. There should be no play. Back and forth or up and down. This could save you additional tear downs if you find it up front.

Send us a picture when it's done.

Larry

 

[mikel64]

Nothing like a loose shaft !!

Thanks for the tip Larry!

I checked this right away because I thought I may have damaged it as well. It seems alright ... At least right now. There is no play at all up or down side to side. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed. I have decided to go the route of an electric pump, at least for now. As it turns out I had an extra one lying around from a completely different project . . . along with some extra hoses clamps etc. I have managed to cleverly engineer the new piping up underneath as well as mount the little pump up underneath so lit cannot even be seen! I've reattached the original drain hose in what appears to be the exact same spot. Aesthetically it looks authentic . . . with the exception of a small vintage looking toggle switch mounted down low about where an genuine pump lever would be.

One strange thing happened while I had machine lying on its side. I had to go out for a few hours and when I came back there was a puddle of gear like that had leaked out if the transmission case thought he wringer shaft . . . . I presume. What I don't know is how to check the gear oil level and where the hell does one top it up ?

Next stop . . . The U.S. border to fetch my new agitator!