[pharmacist25]

Just got this unit. In a nutshell, the coupling on the motor driven shaft for the ice maker is not turning the auger to force ice out. All electrical parts work and nothing is stuck. When I activate ice dispenser with door open and tray out all works fine, but as soon as you put any force on the metal coupling it just spins freely on the shaft. SHaft is threaded and seems like there should be a nut on it to hold coupling tight??? I tried several sizes the other day to see if that worked but none fit. Is there supposed to be a nut on this threaded shaft to hold coupling down? Anyone know what size it is? Thanks for any help.

[pharmacist25]

Here is a pic. #9 (coupling is what is spinning). The unit must ahve been updated since this pic because my coupling is sitting on a threaded shaft with no nut holding it on... Is this my problem? Can anyone verify and give me size of nut??

[v2k04]

#9 is threaded onto the auger motor shaft so I would order that part Hope this helps

[pharmacist25]

I'm confused because my unit is a little different than the pic ( or at least it appears to be). On my unit it appears the coupling is spinning on the threaded shaft. They are not connected. Why would I need to get a new one? How is it supposed to be? Maybe I could post a real pic here later tonight. Would that help?

[v2k04]

From what I know the coupling is threaded onto the auger motor shaft if yours is spinning freely on it that would tell me it is stripped out or the threads on the auger motor are bad. Whirlpool as been threading that coupler onto the shaft for many years I also think they are left handed threads

[v2k04]

one more thing if you take the coupling all the way off you should not be able to turn the shaft by hand

[pharmacist25]

I cannot get the coupling off it just spins. So if the threads are stripped will I have to replace the whole motor? Seeing as how the threads on the motor shaft would probably be messed up as well? Or is the shaft that I see actually threaded onto another shaft on the motor? Thanks very much for trying to help me. I guess since its only a couple months old I should just have a repairman do it. It has a one-year warranty. it should be covered??? Right?

[v2k04]

No the threaded shaft is connected directly to the motor If it's in warranty I would just call Whirlpool and schedule a call The threds on the motor are pretty heavy duty it would be hard to strip those out I would say you just got a defective coupler the threads on the coupler are cheaper and would strip first. But it could be like half threaded on but if it spins endlessly it needs replaced.

[bclatterbuck]

I have the same problem. I think the motor is okay. but the coupler spins freely. How do I get the old coupler off?

[Opie432]

I had the same issue but took a diffrent approach. I removed the shaft and replaced it upside down. This way, the shaft end that stripped out is now in the motor housing and you no longer have a stripped shaft in the auger. To ensure the stripping didn't happen again, I wrapped one layer of electrical tape on the top end of the shaft and all workes just great!! Give it a shot, no cost to you!!