KUCC151T3 KitchenAid Trash Compactor - Instructions

First off....I was surprised at how inexpensive the drive gear kit was. As others commented, they fit perfectly and I believe will fit other manufacturer's models since there is a lot of cross branding. The Drive gear replacement itself would be easy as described by others so I won't repeat that. However replacing the plastic tubular "ram stops" on the screw drive was a challenge since there are no "helpful hints" in the blog. To do that you have to work from the top and sides. Needed to remove the two gear cams where the screw drives are seated on the bottom of the unit, then (working with the unit on it's side)you have to raise the whole (heavy) plunger that is attached to the drive screws high enough to remove the old tubular ram stops and bushing and replace. To raise the plunger assembly out from the top you have to remove the sheet metal top plate of the unit....and....importantly remove the control panel on the front where the switches are. There is a limiter switch that has a metal arm which engages a plate on the plunger to stop the unit when it reaches the top. You need to remove that switch to be able to raise the plunger assembly high enough to get the new parts on the screw drive. Put all that back together and then go on to the gear replacement as described by others which was straight forward. Very messy job with all the grease and garbage residue. I am pretty handy figuring these things out, and there may be an easier way, but next time I will call a pro or replace the whole compactor.

Removed panel and replaced it...

Replaced drive gears.They arrived in a kit from Parts Select with instructions.They fit perfectly and the compactor works like new.

Looking at the information I found online it was either one of 2 things the directional switch was bad, or the drive gear was broken. I replaced the directional switch 1st since that was the easiest and that did not solve my problem. I put it all back together and thought about it for a little while. After a couple of days. It occurred to me that I could see the ramrod's spinning as the plunger goes down, then when the plunger reached as far as it would go. The ramrod's would stop spinning. I reasoned that the problem had to be somewhere between the motor and those rods when I opened up the bottom of the trash compactor, Iran the cycle again and I could see that the drive gear was still spinning, but the chains to the ramrod's were not spinning. Once I saw that I realized that the sprocket that was attached to the drive gear had broken. The sprocket is metal and the drive gear is plastic and they fit together perfectly, but through age or stress. The plastic have become rounded and no longer fit perfect on that nut when you applied a good deal of pressure. I didn't have the tool that I needed to replace the small drive year. I think you need some kind of a punch to get that pin out. So I left that one in place loosened the nuts that hold the motor in place to create some slack in the chain chain came off the new drive gear one on. I tightened the motor back up in the correct position is reassembled everything and it's working perfect again.

Took the bent one out, put the new one in. The repair was not the story, the story was that we ordered the part on Monday afternoon and it was delivered on Tuesday! And the shipping was less than $8.00. Fresno to Elk Creek in less than 24 hours for that price was amazing!

Very simple, changed the gear, adjusted the drive and tested. Very straight forward.

take 2 screws out on top cover with key switch. remove two screw holding directional switch. remove wires, one at a time, and place on the new switch. put new switch in place with two screws. put front cover on with two screws and test. works like a charm.

Followed PartsSelect instructions, the Compactor was appoximately $1000. when I purchased it. The kit was $26.14. I will forever be a customer of this company. Thank you, Brian