3RLSQ8600WW0 Whirlpool Washer - Instructions

Repair was simple, after finding the correct part from Partselect. Exact match. Old part out with removal of one bolt, new agitator assembly installed in five minutes. Works great and saved me from buying a new washer. Cost of repair about $80.00, replace washing machine, about $600.00.

Unbalanced load was creating a knocking sound (as if the clothes load was unbalanced). Dismantled the washer to find that one brackets had rusted out. [FYI: 3 bracket at 120 degree apart (for the 360 degree circle)]. I found that the hole (on the bracket) where the spring holds was gone. Purchased parts. Replaced them (spring, bracket, screw). Reassembled washer then ran wash for a cycle. Successful fix.

Remove the main bolts that hold the gearbox in place, pull the gearbox and shaft out. You will see the brake shoes and drum--the large spring is a struggle to replace. Getting it out was not hard. The biggest struggle I had was replacing the brake shoe spring after replacing the shoes. I ultimately compressed the spring in a vise, then used safety wired it, then placed it between the shoes, then cut the wire to relaease the spring.

Unplugged power cord and disconnected water lines; note which is hot/cold. Washer was then tipped on its front. Discharge hose was disconnected. Washer was then rolled over onto its back as this would put the pump on top for much easier removal.

Pried off two clips attaching pump on motor using a flathead screwdriver. The rear clip was done by touch. Unplugged wiring plug from motor. Using an adjustable wrench (socket set would have worked better), remove two screws holding 2nd set of clips attaching motor on transmission. Then pried off clips.

Removed old coupling from transmission shaft and motor shaft, plus middle 6 hole widget thingy.

Installed new parts on transmission shaft and motor shaft with fingers pointing towards each other. Using a small hammer, tapped the parts onto each shaft. Placed 6 hole widget thingy on the transmission part, and then rotated motor so motor part would fit in remaining three holes.

Replaced clips to hold motor on transmission and reinstalled screws holding clips.

IMPORTANT: Replace motor wire now. I forgot to do this and after the tub was filled with water, realized that, and since the pump was also disconnected, could not get the water out. Had to get wife to hold washer up while I crawled underneath to reattach motor wire. Learn from my mistake!

Attach pump onto motor and replace clips. Double check everything is back in place.

Roll washer onto front side. Attach discharge hose. Tip washer back upright. Reconnect water. Reposition discharge hose and plug washer into power.

First try it smelled like something plastic was burning, but I think that was the old part shavings getting ground away.

Washer is 29 years old. Found that tub spring hooks into a simple (non-reinforced) hole in the base frame, and it had worn the hole through through the edge of the frame (key hole style). Due to age and low cost of parts, ordered all suspension springs, brackets, & pads. Once they arrived, took the tubs out (first time for that), found that the suspension pads looked fine, but the wear pads showed a lot of wear and the front one was snapped in the middle, perhaps an after effect of the spring failure. From my lack of attention, initially tried to get front pad into the wrong set of holes, a bad fit; corrected. Simply drilled a near-by hole in the base frame for the tub spring.

While the tubs were out, took them outside and scrubbed them clean. Also cleaned agitator parts using bottle brushes. Followed the PartSelect videos and owner comments for procedures, methods. Found that some miss some important info, but if you watch others you can combine the info to find what you need re disassembly/assembly.

At one point while attempting to remove the outer tub, did not realize that the screw that holds the rear spring bracket to the tub also holds the tub to the suspension plate.

Took me most of a day for the whole process, and I ended up with pulled/spasmic muscles from all the bending over, mostly from cleaning parts I think. Very helpful to have the parts breakout drawings, videos, others' experience.

1) Unplugged electrical cord
2) Removed hot/cold water hoses
3) Took drain hose from laundry room recepatcle
4) Moved washing machine to area where I could lay it down on its back (very important for easy fix)
5) Found (easy accessible in my case) water pump with an inlet and outlet water hose held on with spring clamps.
6) Removed each of the two clamps with pliers and each hose by twisting loose
7) Remove two metal clips holding pump to motor housing
8) Slide pump off shaft - removal is finished!
9) Reversed process for installation, making sure to gently align pump housing when the pump is aligned with the shaft
[probably took less than 15 minutes]

I had a little difficulty at first, trying to remove the back of the unit. I then figured out that the repair was to be made by leaning the washer back and removing it from underneath. That became really easy as the bottom is open.I had to remove one nut and then the agitator from inside, then tilt the machine back, disconnect the two hoses from the pump, remove three bolts and lower the motor/ transmission assembly. Then I had to disconnect the motor from the pump ( with two snap on clips) and remove the broken plastic coupling. The new coupling had a metal insert that seems to make it stronger than the original piece.I then just reversed the procedure to put it together again and it worked fine. The part was shipped immediately and I got it sooner than I expected so I greatly appreciate that. Overall it went well, and by the way, it was my daughters washer and she was happy as well.Thanks, Roger

I had to take the motor and transmission out. They are one piece. Removed the clutch, take off trans. cover, remove a snap ring, take the striped gear off, and put the new one on. Then put put everything back on the way it came off.

First I removed the top of the agitator and then used a socket and ratchet to unscrew the bolt and put the new one on and tightened up the bolt, real easy.

Laid washer on front side and removed top spring, then lifted the tub assembly to replace the right side spring, the one behind the motor was the hardest, I lifted the tub then removed the spring bracket at the tub with pliers and a socket. The top seal all I had to do was take the 4 screws that hold the top on (it takes a long extension) then sit it bak up and I lifted the top up to give me enough room to unsnap the top piece of the tub, cleaned it up put seal in. The parts fit perfitlt and real fast shipping, I bookmarked the site and will buy from again. JIM

Removed top cap on agitator w/ flathead screwdriver. Removed protective cap over bolt and cog housing shaft. Used 7/16 deep socket w/ extension to remove bolt. Removed housing where stripped cogs were located. Cogs seated loosely in shaft housing no tools required to remove cogs. Replaced cogs in housing, made sure everything was lined correctly. re-inserted housing into shaft. ,screwed bolt, replaced caps and works like new.

1. Unplug the machine.
2. Turn the water off.
3. Disconnect the supply and discharge hoses.
4. Open the cover and remove the cap/cover of the agitator. Use socket wrench to remove the bolt securing the agitator. Pull up on the agitator and remove it.
5. Lay washing machine down on it's front. Remove the inlet and outlet drain hoses from the discharge pump.
6. Remove the 2 "faston" connectors from the motor start capacitor (looks like a D cell flashlight battery). Rock the connectors back and forth and pull gently until they come off. Polarity doesn't matter but to be safe make note of the positions.
7. Press the release clip on the motor connector and pull to disconnect it. Move the wiring harness out of harms way.
8. Remove the 3 bolt securing the motor and transmission assembly to the bottom of the tub. Pull the drive assembly out of the machine and place it on a suitable work surface.
9. Examine the tub brake assembly (still on the bottom of the tub), the clutch assembly (on the motor/transmission assembly you just removed and everything else for wear or damage. Now if you decide to proceed with repair continue with the following steps. If not you're done.
10. Remove the inverted cup washer from the agitator shaft of the assembly. Remove the "U" clip from the shaft and remove the clutch mechanism from the drive assembly. Make a sketch of the position of each of the removed components to aid in reassembly.
11. Now you can see the gear case cover and it's seal. If it is leaking (as mine was) you will need to replace it.
12. With the assembly level remove the bolts around the cover and remove the cover. Place the cover on a flat surface and with a screwdriver or punch drive the old seal out of the cover from the outside in.
13. Clean the seal area and check for damage. Clean the cover and transmission housing surfaces of old gasket material. There is a factory sealant available for reassembly but I chose an automotive RTF @ $4 vs $24 and it worked OK.
14. Installing the seal requires some tools and experience to done successfully. The right size sockets or piece of pipe, coupled with an arbor press or vise will get the seal in. The cover is delicate so if in doubt find a machine shop.
15. Support the outside of the cover on a hard surface and with a socket or short pipe length, PRESS (don't hammer) the new seal into the gear case cover.
16. Make sure there is lubricant in the gear case. Not overflowing but maybe 1/2 full when view with cover off on a level surface.
17. Apply some RTV sealant to trhe cover and install it. Tighten bolts evenly. Light torque (1-2 ft-lb).
18. Reassemble washing machine and test for leaks and proper operation.

turned the washer on it's back and shoved the tub to the side to release pressure on a spring ,pulled it loose and installed new one. this worked for the back two then turned washer on it;s face and repeted the process on the front spring.
Washer works great now.

On my Whirlpool washing machine I first pulled off the top cap piece of the agitator. No clips it just popped off.
Second I reached down inside the agitator and pulled straight up on a dome-shaped piece that was a little difficult to get out but it has two metal handles that allowed me to hook my fingers around it. Once I pulled hard enough it came out.
Third I used my left hand to hold the base of the agitator still while using a socket to break lose the big nut down inside the agitator. After getting the nut off I pulled straight up on the base of the agitator and pulled the whole unit out of the washer. Here's where I got stuck. I wasted about 45min trying to pry open the little plastic tabs down inside the agitator that hold the cam in place. What I finally did that I should have tried first to step on the base with both feet and pull up hard on the agitator cylinder (that has the spiral fins on it) at it popped off and popped off the cam at the same time. After that reassembling everything with the new cam was straight forward (just reversing all the steps).
I hope this helps you.

This was a learning experience but it appears to have worked out in the end. Our 3 1/2 year old washer was not agitating much and I attributed that to a loose bolt. I would tighten the bolt and it would work ok for a load or two and then stop agitating. I would find that the bolt was loose again. I took a number of steps to try to get the bolt to stay on tight - threadlock, a new bolt, more threadlock, and applying progressively more force on the bolt, with no better results. Yet the repair guys on you tube were saying the bolt only needs to be snug, not super tight - something was amiss. I even went so far as to secure the basket with a rope so I could use two hands on the socket wrench (please don't do this). But when I tried the washer again there was no agitation at all! I observed the agitation output in manual test mode and the bolt was turning in lock step with the shaft but the agitator wasn't turning at all. That's when I suspected that the problem was actually a worn lower agitator. Trouble was that now I couldn't seem to get the bolt off. Turning the wrench caused the shaft itself to rotate so I couldn't loosen the bolt from the shaft. I thought I broke the washer. Then I considered that maybe the shaft was rotating because the washer was in an agitation mode when I turned it off. I went back into manual test mode, made the washer spin, then turned it off. Fortunately, this worked. The shaft was again stationary and, albeit with great difficulty, I got the bolt off.

I removed the agitator, and as a pro would have figured out long before, the ridges inside the top of the lower agitator were almost completely worn down. I realized then that the contact between these ridges and the splines on the shaft is what is supposed to cause the lower agitator to move with the shaft. The purpose of the bolt is just to keep the agitator in the correct position and from coming off the shaft. I had been trying to compensate for the worn agitator ridges by over-tightening the bolt, creating some contact at the top of the shaft. This would work for a little while, then the agitator would start slipping, and the slipping agitator was acting just like a wrench loosening the bolt (until my stupid rope trick, that is.)

So I ordered a new agitator (only the lower agitator was bad, but the price of an entire agitator isn't a lot more than just the lower part and I was reading that the upper agitator parts will wear over time) and another new bolt (because my repeated attempts to over-tighten the first one I ordered had split the rubber gasket apart and worn the bolt head).

The new agitator fit snugly on the splines of the shaft so I sensed no need to use excessive force on the bolt. Just an easy one-handed snug tightening with the socket wrench, using the other hand to hold the lower agitator. The washer is now working again.