Fixed my washer's dead agitator for about twelve bucks

I had a similar weird failure on my older Kenmore, but it wasn't the ratchet teeth. Mine was a 1998 model and it started doing this after years of heavy use. The motor would engage and the belt would spin, but the actual movement of the drum felt completley loose, almost like it was just hanging there while the belt whirred around. I figured the main drum pulley had shot.

Since the agitator was the problem, I assumed the entire drive assembly was what failed. Turns out, the connection point between the main pulley and the drum shaft was heavily pitted and loose. It wasn't a snapped belt, just a worn coupling inside the plastic housing. I ended up getting the drum coupling replacement for the specific model number and swapped it out.

It was a tedious job. You have to completely disassemble the pulley and pull the old coupler out, which required a decent sized wrench and some strong pliers to get that seized plastic piece off. Once the new one was in, everything aligned right up and the shaking stopped immediatly. It took me a full afternoon to finish the rebuild.

It felt good to fix somthing that complex with just a couple of parts rather than replacing the whole transfer assembly.

My issue with a Kenmore washer a few years ago turned out to be less about internal wear and more about external blockage. The motor was definitely running and the belt was still good, so I wasn't expecting much. When the agitation started, it made this weird grinding sound and the drum just barely moved. I figured the main bearings had failed, but after taking the top panel off, I saw what the problem was. There was a massive amount of dried soap and detergent residue built up around the motor coupling where it connected to the tub shaft. It had basically cemented itself and was restricting the rotation. I used a stiff brush and some WD-40 to clean out the buildup from that coupling area. Once the gunk was gone, the movement returned completely, and the noise stopped right away. It wasn't a gear or a pulley failure; it was just grime binding the shaft and acting like a brake. That seemed to be my biggest lesson with these machines.

Agreed on checking the cheap stuff first. I did appliance service calls for about nine years and the agitator dog kits were a weekly job, especially on the direct drives from the 90s. Only thing I'd add is if the teeth look fine, pop the agitator coupling off and check the drive block underneath. I saw a few machines where the block was stripped and the agitator spun freely with no resistance at all, which feels similar to worn dogs but you'll notice the splines are chewed once you get it apart. Same five minute video territory either way.

This thread got me looking at my machine tonight. Ours does almost the same thing, the twisty top part spins freely by hand even when it should be grabbing. I was about to blame the motor but now I'm guessing it's those little teeth too. Can you actually get the agitator apart without that special tool, or will I wreck something trying with a screwdriver? Mine is the kind with the big fins at the bottom and a seperate cap on top, not sure if that changes anything. Might just order the kit anyway since it's cheap, but I'd rather know what I'm getting into first.

To the fellow asking about doing it without the tool, yes, you can. I've done it with two flat screwdrivers worked in at the split in the agitator body, twist gently and the halves spread enugh to get the cams out. The tool is nicer but not mandatory. Only real trick is keeping track of wich way the springs sit, I once put one back upside down and chased that phantom slip for a week. Also, don't overload the machine afterwards, that's what wears the dogs down in the first place.