How to Troubleshoot & Replace Whirlpool AP5983753 / W10814296 Centerpost Gasket

I ordered what I thought were the necessary parts from appliancepartspro.com as my washing machine wouldn't spin. I should have watched there videos before I began as I took the whole cabinet off and everything and after receiving the parts and watching their video realized I didn't need to do so, at that point in time. When I put the pieces back together I found that the tub was really stuck, it would move but for the most part it was hard to move and creating a horrible noise. I knew I had put the thing back correctly. I then decided I needed to replace the basket drive. The standard shipping ended up coming in the same amount of time as the express two day shipping had come from the first order. I looked up on the web about removing the basket because it just would not budget. I beat it like crazy, poured various lubricants and things like liquid wrench in the area and still couldn't get it to move. I ended up heating really hot with a heat gun and then had my wife come down and help me pull it up. The tub along with the drive block came off. I then took a sledge hammer and just dropped it down on the drive block and it popped out. It was rust frozen to the tub. So they say to just keep working and it will somehow come apart and they are right. Beating it didn't help but the heat did. Others heat didn't help but beating it did. It will eventually dislodge. So I replaced the drive basket and my machine runs like new. What is awesome with this site is that they don't just send you the parts. They email you the videos to watch as to how to remove the old and install the new part. This was so super helpful that I totally rebuilt my washing machine and it runs perfectly. I do the wash and didn't want one of the new machines that doesn't get your clothes clean. Now I have a washer that will run for another 20 years. This site is AWESOME and will be my go to site for appliance repairs in the future! 

This washer gave great service for 27 years - I'd only had to replace the Lid Switch - but it started leaking water, dripping from the right-rear corner. The Inlet Valve and hoses were dry, so was the Washer Pump, and it's in the front, anyway... So, I kept the cover off, and started the machine on a low cycle - as soon as it started filling I could see the water dripping from under the center of the outer tub and running down the rear tub support leg to the rear frame. (THIS WAS A STUPID THING TO DO - DON'T RUN THE MACHINE WITH THE COVER OFF - THE EXPOSED MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL PARTS CAN HURT OR KILL YOU) It was pretty clear the problem was the outer tub Gasket (W10814296). So, I ordered that and the Tub Wrench (AP6832671), and got them the next day, which was amazing. The repair video was very clear, and the job isn't really hard, but as others have noted, it does have a few challenges. Here are my notes: 1. Breaking the Spanner Nut loose and then removing the Basket can be difficult on an old machine. A lot of penetrating oil ("Liquid Wrench"), patience, and a 5-pound hammer eventually convinced the nut to come off, but the Basket and Drive Block had corroded firmly together. I ended-up reinstalling the Spanner Nut, and using a two-jaw automotive gear puller (with the jaws grabbing the nut and the screw bearing on the top of the agitator drive shaft) to remove the Basket and Drive Block from the shaft as a unit. Then I carefully drove the Drive Block out of the basket tube with a pipe drift and a hammer. 2. The Drive Block and Spanner Nut both cleaned up nicely using a fine wire brush wheel on a bench-top grinder. You have to be careful with the block, because it's aluminum. There was some pitting from the corrosion, but that didn't interfere with the blocks clamping function and the notches which mate with the tabs on the Basket Drive Shaft were undamaged, so I was able to reuse it. The inside and base of the basket tube were also badly rusted, so I cleaned them up with various scrapers and a small wire wheel on a shaft extension in an electric drill. Then I gave the bare metal a few coats of appliance paint, to at least slow down the progress of the rust. 2. The original "self-cleaning" lint filter (which is a large, complex plastic fitting on the bottom of the Basket) was a foul mess on my machine, encrusted with 25 years of hard water deposits, lint and dirt. It's held to the Basket by four plastic buttons which snap into holes in the basket tube. These were encrusted into the holes, but I removed the filter by using four flat screwdrivers to depress the buttons and hold them pressed-in. You can replace this whole fitting with the Washer Filter Plug Kit (AP3094570). This consists of four round filter plugs which snap into the drain holes on the bottom of the Basket, but I hadn't ordered these, so I painfully scrubbed the original filter and snapped it back in place (after the wire-brushing and painting of the basket). 3. The vertical tube on the Tub Support (around the Basket Drive Shaft and Agitator Drive Shaft) had rust "bumps" all around where the tub gasket seats, so I had to carefully file those off, then sand the tube smooth, and give it a few coats of appliance paint to slow down the progress of further rust and gave the gasket a smooth surface to seal against. The video says that you might need to use a scrubbing pad and some WD-40 to clean this part - it was a lot more work than that. After it was all cleaned and painted, I used some soap and water solution to lubricate it so the new tub gasket would slide easily when I reinstalled the outer tub. 4. Generally, on a machine this old, the cleaning will take more time than any other part of the repair. Just scrubbing the hard water deposits and dirt from the outside of the Basket, the inside of the Outer Tub, and the Tub Ring took a while, in addition to the rust removal, wire-brushing, and painting I've already described. I also used my air compressor to blow all the dust out of the motor and off the frame and everything else I could reach. I suppose you could just put everything back together dirty, but if you're not paying yourself by the hour, why not do the best job you can? The leak repair was successful, and now I know the inside of the machine pretty well, so if anything else fails, it should be a pretty quick . Getting the parts from ApplianceParts Pros couldn't be easier and their instructional videos tell you everything you need to get started (although some improvisation may be necessary, particularly with an old machine.) 

After checking All Hoses and Pumps I figured it was the Centerpost Gasket. Once you get the covers open and off, take the top rig off and remove the agitator the party starts. You will need a Spanner Nut Tool to even think beyond this point. Not expensive but a must. Once the spanner nut has been loosened the next step was a little tricky. The video shows simply lifting the washing drum strait out, no way Jose. I reinstalled the agitator bolt, the spanner nut and used a gear pulling tool to remove the drum off the shaft. After drum was removed the 15 years of residue in the washing tank required an additional hour of cleaning out. Removing the washing tank requires following the instructions, very strait forward. After I reinstalled the tank I filled it above the gasket to ensure a good seal had been made. Cleaning of the shaft is a must on the reinstall of the tank. Now the next step.... to reinstall the drum you MUST remove the center bushing that mounts to the shaft. This required a block/piece of steel and a few good wacks by a bigger hammer. After cleaning this bushing, it MUST be reinstalled properly on the shaft and then the drum is installed on top of the bushing with the spanner nut reinstalled and your home free. SPEND THE MONEY ON THE TOOLS THEY ARE LESS THAT $25....... 

After 25 years the old girl needed some attention. The banging sound during spin was getting louder and the basket wasn't draining. From what I read, I needed to install new bearings and seals. I ordered them from eBay because I was trying to save money, but eBay screwed up. It took a long time for the parts to arrive, and they sent the wrong parts. Dirty laundry was piling up. I had been watching how to replace the bearing and seals on Apliancepartspros.com's website (which was very well done), and I thought I will give them a try. Appliancepartspros, got me the correct (thank you) parts to me very fast (thank you again). I was afraid that replacing the seals and bearing was more then I could handle, but I kept watching the tech on Appliancepartspros and he took it, step by step and was really great. The job is now done, the machine is like new and I am very happy. Everything went great. 

Replaced tub and center post seal 

I am very much not a mechanical person. But I watched the video on your website and ordered the parts. The parts arrive in 2 days, I was expecting a week or more so really fast service. When I got the parts I watched the video. Stopped it and did exactly what it showed. Then watched the next step. Did again exactly what the video showed. And continued till it finished and I did too. It was hard for me, again I'm not mechanically inclined but it worked exactly as it said on the video. Spent less than 50 dollars and the local repair spot wanted over 200. Couldn't be happier. In fact because of this I also ordered parts and fixed my freezer also. Took several hours on both but sure cheaper and both are working better than ever, just like new. Can't thank you enough. 

Just like the one's I have worked on for 30 years for Whirlpool. 

Watched great video on AppliancePartsPros.com. Ordered part from AppliancePartsPros.com after Sears where I purchased the Kennmore product from said the part was not avaiable anymore. 

Originally bought an off brand clutch from another site. Not sure if it was a bad part or bad install. It started leaking water a few months later and making a scratching noise. This time I ordered original parts from appliance parts pros: clutch and shaft/tub seals. The "how to" videos were extremely helpful. Now it runs quiet and dry. P.S. I tried using channel locks to remove the tub nut but ended up having to get the proper spanner wrench. 

Ordered the part based on the model number of the washer...the right part arrived the next day....I followed the instructions on YouTube and it was a complete success! Saved a huge amount of money and time waiting for a new washer installation!