How to Troubleshoot & Replace Whirlpool AP6977680 / W11393685 Gearcase

Replaced the gear case and it completely resolved the issue 

Replaced transmission with help of video from appliance parts pros 

Replaced the gearcase which came with a washer. Upon removal of the old gearcase, the original washer had all but eroded away. The video did not show how hard it was to remove the screw from the agitator which I had to use a 12v impact wrench. I was able to replace the gearcase without removing the inner drum and it really does take a 3lb sledge to drive the spindle out, a deadblow hammer didn't work. In total, it took me ~4hrs including removal and install of the washer in the cleaning room. 

I disassembled the washer removing the gear box and basket to verify what was grinding or knocking before i ordered the parts, that way i knew exactly what i needed and didnt have any suprises when i put it back together with the new parts. all the parts showed up in 2 days and since i already had everything apart all i had to do was put it together when i got home from work. i discovered an oil/grease spot under the washing machine which was an indicator that the gearbox was blown. i did crack the washplate while trying to remove it, so be careful when pulling it off, it may be siezed on there pretty good. the gearbox fits tight so having the piece of 2x4 to help pop it out is a must. overall the repair was fairly simple, just follow the video and take your time. i move slow and meticously so it took me a bit longer than others. 

Started by replacing agitator. That didn't solve the problem. Went for a bigger fix. Replace the gear case. The splines were wore down. 

I went onto YouTube and found the Maytag washer gearcase replacement video from AppliancePartsPros.com….and saw that the innards were an exact match….., watching the video, it seemed easy for me. And it was, to my big surprise! Not a single hitch or miss in the video and I replaced the gearcase. Now, the washer runs great. The appliance repairman that came to look at the previously-defunct washer said it was irreparable and we needed a new washer! I did it myself for under $200…..instead of replacing our $1200 commercial-grade unit. Very happy with AppliancePartsPros.com and all the help they were with their videos, parts, and fast delivery(not to mention, great prices for the parts). 

Reviewed repair video and decided I could make repairs. I had all the tools needed but one and was able to order the spanner wrench along with replacement part. 

Ordered and replaced the transmission unit. A very very easy repair to make. I would recommend watching the repair video by AppliancePartsPros.com first. Easy to follow and understand. 

Because the screw to the wash plate would not come off, and in the interim, damaged the gear case, we ordered the wash plate, screw, gear case, nut and nut spanner tool to be ready for the repairmen to come and remove the tub to look for the ring. The repairmen were very impressed that I had all of the items needed to replace after the tub was pulled out. They found the ring, put everything back together again and the washing machine works great. I asked a lot of questions to your pros and they instantly responded to my needs. The items I needed were shipped expeditiously and I really appreciate the instant responses to my questions. I highly recommend AppliancePartsPros.com for all of your appliance needs. They are terrific. Thank you again for all of your help. We didn't do it ourselves. Too involved with tub being pulled out. 

I ended up ordering and replacing both the wash plate and the transmission. I ordered the transmission from your site and came in very fast (3 days) and was in excellent new condition, well protected in the shipping box. Replacing the transmission requires the wash tub to be removed, which was the most difficult of all the steps. I did not have the special spanner to remove the wash tub retaining nut, so I used a pipe wrench and hammer to loosten. This is a 8 year old washer, so the nut fought me the whole way. After that, the underside motor and transmission was easily removed and replaced, just mostly bolts to remove. Motor reassembled easily too. I am still waiting for the new wash plate to arrive, but after reassembly of the transmission and wash tub, I gave it a test run and everything worked perfectly. This was well worth the work rather than replacing the whole washing machine! Thanks AppliancePartsPros.com!!