You Have Agitator Dogs Where?

That’s right!  You have agitator dogs in your washing machine.  And it can be very agitating when they aren’t doing their job anymore. So what exactly are agitator dogs and what do they have to do with your washing machine?  A LOT!

Have you noticed your clothes don’t seem to be getting as clean as they should?  Or have you started your washing machine with the lid open and noticed the agitator is hardly moving if it moves at all?  The dogs are supposed to be keeping that thing moving, but sometimes they get old and tired (or broken). The good news is you don’t need a new washing machine.

Agitator Dogs (new puppies)

If you have a ratchet set and ten bucks, you can give those old dogs new life. (Well not really! You’re going to have to get rid of the old dogs and replace them with a new set of puppies)

How to fix the agitator dogs in your washing machine

So you want to know how to save a ton of money by repairing your washing machine yourself. Good.  Let’s get started.

Before we start, you need to make sure you have what you need to replace the old agitator dogs.

• A new set of dogs (or litter of puppies)should come in a package of four from almost any appliance parts store for less than ten dollars.
• A ratchet with a long shaft and a 7/16 inch socket
• About fifteen minutes.

Now we can begin.

1. Remove the Liquid Fabric Softener Dispenser.  Depending on your brand and model washing machine, this is done by either pulling up on the locking ring and lifting the dispenser off or just pulling straight up on the dispenser (see your owner’s manual if you aren’t sure). Mine has the locking ring.
   

   Liquid Fabric Softener Dispenser Removal

2. Remove the agitator cap by prying up around the outer edge with a small flat-head screwdriver.
   
   

   Agitator Dogs

   

   Agitator Dogs

3. Now, use the 7/16″ socket to loosen and remove the bolt in the center of the agitator.  You may have to hold the bottom of the agitator to keep it from moving. The whole section of the agitator holding the agitator dogs should come off once the bolt is completely loosened.
   
   

   Use a 7/16″ ratchet to remove the Agitator Dogs

   
   
   

   Removing Agitator Dogs

   

   Washing machine after Agitator Dogs have been removed

4. While you have everything out, I would spend a minute cleaning up some of the buildup and broken pieces of plastic before moving forward.
5. Next, toss the old dogs out and replace them with the new puppies.
   
   

   old Agitator Dogs

   
   
   

   no Agitator Dogs

   

   new Agitator Dogs

6. Now you just do steps 1-3 in reverse order.

Saving Money With DIY Projects

Over the years, I have spent a lot of money paying professionals to do things I can do myself.  The problem was I didn’t know I could do it myself.  I have learned how to do many things with the help of YouTube and Google.

Recently I did a repair on our dryer that only cost a few dollars, but I probably would have gotten a new dryer for the same problem in the past.  I started researching all the things I could do myself and realized I could replace every part on our dryer for much less than a new one would cost.

Not long ago, the power window on my truck stopped working.  You know what?  I fixed that too, with the help of “How To” videos and blog posts on the Internet.

I just thought I would share some of my experiences along the way so you can save money too.  If you would like to learn how to repair other household appliances, tell me in the comments below and I will try to get a post or a video up on how to do it.