55170128 General Electric Washer - Instructions

In my case, the splined shaft (steel) had worn off all splines in the aluminum coupling. So the spin cycle would eventually get enough friction to spin the clothes, but the friction required to agitate the clothes back and forth was too much. Since the splines were worn off, the whole agitator lifted right out with no tools. There is a cap on the top that needs to be kept in good condition, so be careful popping it off. After removing the cap, I cut a hole using a utility knife, then punching a flat head screw driver around the edge. Careful not to damage the edge that the cap seats to. I then matched a socket the size of the top of the coupling and hammered the coupling through the bottom. I used the flat blade also to clear the aluminum out of the splines on the shaft. The fit of the new coupling into the agitator is tight. I put the coupling in the freezer, and the top of agitator in hot water to help resize things for installation. I also used dish soap on the coupling straight out of the freezer. A small amount of grease should be used on the shaft to make it easier and prevent galvanic corrosion. It still took all my weight to install. Don't use a hammer, as you don't want to damage the area the cap goes on. Pop the cap on and wash.