Slowly Replacing Bearings on a Kenmore 70 Series

[candi]

That's definitely a vote in favor of the genuine part. I want my new spin tube to be fresh and pristine as long as it can I'll see if anyone chimes in before I order tomorrow.

No dumb questions!

I have a pry-off cap that wasn't on as well as it could be. (Probably a contributor to the rust...) I took it off, removed the screw, the cam, the dogs that make it only turn in one direction, and the upper portion of the agitator with the spiral on the outside. (Boy, that was a ham-fisted description, even after I looked up some of the terms.) I hoped there was something else I was forgetting to remove, because this thing is stuck fast.

 

[candi]

Post Script

Ps. The machine is a Kenmore 70 Series from '82 (82372110).

 

[candi]

Basket drive arrived!

After a month of waiting, my genuine-Whirlpool basket drive has finally arrived!

And then I realized that I should have ordered a tub grommet. So I'm ordering that now.

Oh, and should I get replacement bolts for the outer tub? Should I expect the ones I have to be unserviceable?

 

[114jwh]

Yes and yes

I would get both the tub grommet and a set of tub bolts/washers. I would probably start opening the machine up if you haven't done that yet and see what condition everything else is in. Take some pictures along the way, post them on this thread and we can probably give you some pointers.

Good luck!

 

[candi]

Starting the work

I've been trying to finesse my agitator while waiting for the basket drive. WD-40 has been soaking and air wedges wedging. Some amount of oil has made it between the parts, but not enough to free the agitator.

I know I'll have to go in with a heat tool or boiling water, and I'm dragging my feet. Well, now that I feel ashamed of my trepidation, I might just get in there tomorrow

 

[114jwh]

It'll come! I'm really not familiar with the various types of agitators Sears used on the Kenmore machines so I can't offer much advice. Hopefully others can chime in with different ideas. Use the heat gun with caution if you are going that route. I'd try the boiling water first. Those air bags are supposed to work really well.

Keep us in the loop!

 

[lorainfurniture]

If you are using 3 air wedges just pump them up until your hand hurts. Those fully inflated will push over 600# of force on the agitator. Just leave them inflated and hit the top of the agitator with a rubber mallet. There is no possible way it won’t come off under those conditions.

Boiling water would help, but keep the bags inflated. Eventually it will pop off. Put a blanket over it as sometimes it shoots off like a rocket.

 

[lorainfurniture]

Winbags

These are a must have

https://amzn.to/2QixuMl

https://amzn.to/2QixuMl

 

[candi]

Oh snaps!

Lorain Furniture!

I watched your YouTube videos and that's where I got the air wedges and red sealant from. So cool!

Alright, guys, I have bad news. I started with the heat gun and quickly realized it's a thin line between brilliant and terrible idea. So, I moved on to the boiling water. I pumped up my wedges, poured several gallons of boiling water over the towel turban and.... nothing. Not a bit of movement.

I also had the rubber mallet idea and tapped along the sides and top to jostle it, while my hot turban was in place. I might have bent one of the prongs on top, but still no movement. The wedges are still in place, as they have been for the past several weeks.

I'm all out of ideas.

 

[114jwh]

Did you tuck the air bags under the agitator and keep pumping them up? If it's that stuck then I think that is the only way to go short of busting the agitator off. I've never used them but from what I've seen they should work. You likely need to flatten them good and get them as far underneath as possible.

I agree on the heat gun vs plastic dilemma - things can go south in short order. A hair dryer may be a compromise but I'm just thinking out loud, haven't had to go this far with one of these before.

Can you post some pictures of where you are at? It might inspire some creative ideas.

 

[candi]

Pics or it didn’t happen

Ya don’t realize how challenging it is to light and photograph in a washer till you have to Here’s my set up. The first two show my air wedges. The bottom of the agitator would be a circle, but the inflated wedges have deformed it. Last is one of the top of the post. You can kinda see water in the bolt hole, but mainly rust and the prong I broke.

 

[lorainfurniture]

Get those wedges tucked in a bit more. You seriously have to pump them until your hand hurts, rest, then pump more with both hands.

I haven’t done a million agitators with it but I have done several dozen with a 100% success rate.

You seriously have to pump until you think the agitator is going to break, or the bags are going to explode. If that doesn’t work then you are chiseling it off.

 

[combo52]

Stuck agitator

I hope you can get it loose, but most times when they’re that stuck we just break the agitator off and replace it it’s not that hard to find a replacement agitator for this machine.

John L

 

[candi]

Silly rabbit

Howdy all!

My plan to ring in the New Year with a wonderful post full of developments has been foiled! I just knew the holiday break would be plenty of time to get this machine up and running.

Nope.

I dremelled the main part of the agitator off and took a hacksaw to the top of it. Once I exposed the edges of the splines (?), I loosened it with a screwdriver and hammer. It was straightforward. When I inspected the stem, though, the rust damage was worse than I imagined. I think I’ll need a new one. Question: is it the entire transmission (part 362901) that I will have to swap out? I see some whirlpool transmissions, but don’t know if they’re the replacement.

So, with a small victory I grabbed my spinner wrench to remove the tub nut. Frozen. Not even the big sledgehammer could persuade it. The rust runs deep.

So, now I need to split this nut. I hear a hammer and chisel are the move, but I don’t have a sharp one. Wd40 is soaking, as always

 

[lorainfurniture]

I’ve had 100% success with a handheld sledgehammer and the spanner wrench. Try dumping some boiling water on the joint. Otherwise hit it with the dremmel and attack it from the side. The bolt and drive block are easily replaced, spin tube not so much.

 

[114jwh]

Good news Candi! Glad to hear you are making progress

Not so great news that you had to cut the agitator off but you should be able to find a replacement without too much trouble.

I'd maybe get the spanner nut off first and check the condition of the outer tub so you can see what you are dealing with before deciding what other parts you might need. You can replace just that agitator shaft but if you do that you should buy the spring kit as well. Its not terribly difficult.

But my vote would be to get that spanner nut off first and tear into the machine a bit more so you can get a better idea of what you are dealing with.

Keep soaking with WD40 or I've heard others use something called PB Blaster. When you have the spanner wrench on you have to really give it several good whacks to get it going (counter clockwise). You could try giving it a couple whacks in the other direction too - I've had luck with that on rusty bolts as it gets it out of the spot its stuck in. Or try your heat gun and heat it a bit first.

If all else fails a Dremel with the right bit will be the best way to cut it off if you have one. Otherwise a sharp hacksaw may work.

Good luck and happy new years!

 

[combo52]

Removing Stuck Basket Lock Ring

Hi, yours is not that corroded, keep using penetrating oil, and if necessary use a propane torch, boiling water and a heat gun are very unlikely to help.

 

If you have to cut the ring off don't worry about the agitator shaft and the spin tube as these already need replacement.

 

John L.