Maytag A106 agitator removal. (its really stuck)
 

I have an old Maytag A106 washer which has been slowly leaking
trasmission oil for years and now has a seized power unit. To replace
the transmission you need to remove the agitator and then the tub. The
trasmission comes out next through the top. These machines were very
well designed and for servicibility as well so I really want to hold
on to this one. I have another transmission which I scrounged from a
willing organ donor years ago. It has been sitting in my basement just
in case this one ever failed. The job is lengthy but not that
difficult. The agitator fits down onto the top protruding spline of
the power unit and it is supposed to just pull straight off, but it is
really stuck. Of course after 45 years this doesn't surpise me. The
service manual mentions to use a puller if the agitator is stuck and
the book shows a picture of this tool. It looks sort of like an
oversized wheel puller. There are what looks like two flat hooks on
extension arms that hook under two spots on the perimeter of the
agitator. Then I'm guessing that you must have to place a 2.0 X 4.0
across the top of the machine and crank the long threaded screw down
on to it until hopefully the agitator pops up. Of course we have no
such tool, so I rigged up two sets of ropes with each end tied to a
1/2 inch EMT clamp, all four of which I've bent into tighter hooks to
fit and stay under the agitator edges in four places. My theory is
that if I place a 2.0 X 4.0 across the top and use another one placed
perpendicular with the ropes tied to it I can attain the same
mechanical advantage this time pulling up in four places and again
hopefully pop the agitator up. The agitator is bakelite and presently
in good condition and of course I'm concerned about breaking it during
this process too. But I don't see any other way out of this. I believe
that this may be a very early A106. Is anyone familiar with these old
Maytags that can comment on this problem? Also does anyone know if
this NG isn't, if there might perhaps be a more suitable NG to post
this problem to? My wife is starting to flip out.
Thanks very much. Lenny Stein