[metalnath]

Washing machine was making loud muffled bumping noises when it finishes the spin cycle and the basket tries to stop. Kept getting worse and louder with every load so we called a repair technician in to fix it. He said it was the basket drive and the block (part nos 285792 & 389140). Was going to charge as much as I paid for the machine new, so I decided to deal with the problem myself.

I looked on partselect and the parts for sale. Question is, how do I remove the old parts to put on the new ones? I was able to remove the agitator, and there's one large screw to remove the center of the basket. I was able to get down to what I think is the basket drive, but there are no more nuts or screws (basically I removed all the plastic parts in the core of the basket and got down to a long metal rod with ribs...there's a flat metal piece, sort of flat and round, with 4 notches that is around the rod).

[PS Staff - Sheila]

You have got to the nut to take the basket out of the washer.

Have you taken the cabinet of the washer yet?

You will have to do this to remove the tub ring and get the basket out.

Now you will have to remove the pump and motor.

Now you have to remove the transmission.

The basket drive slides down over the transmission.

Here is a link to your washer model TAWS700EQ2.

[PS Volunteer - Appguy]

You should not remove tranny. Do everything from the top. Remove the two panel screws on the bottom and tilt panel back. Remove two spring clips and lid switch plug then tilt washer outer panel away from tub and remove. Take off plastic tub top, and remove agitator. You will see a large nut holding the basket in place. Use pipe wrench and remove nut, turn counterclocwise. Tap on basket to jar loose and remove. Replace drive block and make sure the spin tube tabs line up with the groves in the drive block. Put back spin basket and tighten drive block nut making sure it is really tight.

[metalnath]

Ok the directions given all make sense and i got to what i think is the nut...it's round, with 4 notches. about 2" in diameter. So how am I supposed to get this off with a pipe wrench? I have a 10" wrench that fits inside the basket, but if I open it to get around the nut, the wrench falls apart. So I went and looked to buy a new wrench with a larger opening, but anything that can go larger is also longer, and a longer wrench won't fit in the basket. ????????? Channel lock pliers won't work either....

[PS Volunteer - Appguy]

There is a special spanner wrench you can buy at partselect. In the past I have used a piece of steel rod and a hammer to pound off but you run a risk of damaging the spin tube with this!

[metalnath]

Well partselect doesn't seem to sell ANY tools, let alone a spanner wrench. So not even knowing what a spanner wrench is or looks like, I did some general seraching on the internet. Unfortunately, most links led to some sort of automotive-related wrench.

However, I did find one dude on ebay selling one. I bid and won...I was the only bidder. So I got the wrench, ordered the parts from partselect, and tonight I finished tearing the machine apart, replaced the parts, and tested it after putting it all back together. Seems to work fine now! Thanks for the advice...especially the part about lining-up the notches on the tube with the drive block...wouldn't have thought of that and I'm sure it's essential.