Maytag Quiet Series 300 Dishwasher Wheel Repair Hack

The wheels on the rack adjuster assembly of the Maytag Quiet Series 300 Dishwasher seem to be poorly designed. In under three years of use, we have broken four of them -- even one within the first two months of operation.

Another wheel just broke, and I'm now out of spares supplied by Maytag during the warranty period. So, here's my hack to reattach the wheel and keep it washing dishes.

Step 1 Broken Wheel Bushing

Here's the wheel, broken wheel bushing, and a working one showing how it normally attaches. The crack you see here is the same way the others previously broke.

Comments

[rickinphx]

I got mine fixed in with 2 pieces from Ace Hardware -
1. is a Zinc Screw Post - 1/2 Inch post - Fits 1/4/ inch hole - includes a 10-24 X 5/16 inch male screw. Its basically a threaded tube with a screw head welded on one end and a regular screw fits into the other end.

2. I combined this with a nylon flange spacer - its a half inch long and had has a flange on one end that just fit into the wheel recess. Inside diameter is 1/4 inch and the out side fits the wheel hole just a hair loose.

Just slide the spacer into the recess of the wheel and the post into it. The screw that comes with it just fits through the hole in the rail on the basket - make it tight.
Also, in case you didn't notice, the plastic pieces in the rail ends that hold the basket into rail can be removed by pushing the head of the plug toward the basket and it will come right out of the rail and the basket slides right out.
Hope this help. I'll answer questions at [e-mail] - good luck.

[Fl_Mikey]

Just completed cjp96's fix...total cost $3.75!!!  Woo-hoo!!

Question though - my alignment out to in is: screw- washer- wheel- nut- rack- nut.

Cjp's alignment out to in is: screw- washer- wheel- nut- rack- washer- nut.

When I tried it with the last washer that Cjp has, the wheel doesn't spin.  Is that last washer really necessary?

[welear]

I just did an even simpler hack, though ymmv. Toilet seats are held in place by 3/8" nylon screws, just right to serve as the bearing for these wheels, and in my junk I had such a screw. I sawed off the screw head and sawed off a chunk a bit longer than the original axle (which is 9/16" long). I sanded the ends smooth. The part near where the head was has a smooth, unthreaded surface that serves as the bearing surface. I drilled a pilot hole in the threaded end and screwed the original self-tapping screw in, to make sure it fit. Then I assembled the unit where the wheel was originally on the rack adjuster, leaving just the axle sticking out. I slipped the original wheel onto the axle and slid the rack back into its supports. The support keeps the wheel from coming off, so I didn't need the lip present on the original axle.

[ribsie]

I used the modification that cjp96 did and all I can say is thank you for this site, cjp96 and thank you for saving a lot of money. This fix cost me three dollars for the initial materials and when the other wheels break it will basically feel as though I fixed them for free. Cost of 10 washers:$1.18, Cost of 10 screws and nuts: $2.00, The power of people working together: PRICELESS

[egirard]

My dishwasher is fixed simply with one screw, nut and washer. Saved 40$ ... thanks to you !

[MikeGod]

Just a couple of improvements to what is already listed here.  Mine broke in such a way that I had the wheel only.  I put a nylon busing through the wheel with a 3/4 x 1/4 #10 stainless steel flat head screw.  You could use a round head screw, but the flat head screw slides better.    You will have to drill the hole in the rack bracket a little bigger, but the extra size will make it last longer.  Put a stainless steel locking nut on the other end and tighten just enough so that it will hold and still allow the wheel to turn.   Take the end cap off the slide, put the wheel assembly into the end of the slide and push it in, then put the end cap back on.  Total cost $.88.

[Goodhart]

All too often people replace appliances rather then at least attempt to fix them because they feel they can't be bothered. Way too many times, it is a simple fix, too.
I hope that is not a prevailing sentiment in Instructables and I am glad to see you're doing so much to encourage our replacing our throw away attitude with a let's make it work or let's make it work better attitude.

I don't own a dishwasher (well, to be honest, I am the dishwasher), but I did have a coffee maker blow out on me years ago, before I knew about this place. I removed the back and found that, the only reason it wasn't working anymore was because it had popped a hose off of a fitting. Securing it back on made it work again (and it taught me the lesson as to why you don't put cold water into a coffee maker that has just finished making a batch of coffee without letting it cool down first :-)

[walleyeten]

It is more beneficial to have the wheels spin, just replace the hubs, use the same wheels, go to http://www.maytagwheelhubs.com to get a kit of four stainless steel screws, washers and hubs for around 40 bucks or you can buy a new top rack for 140 bucks but will one day have the same problem.

[cjp96]

I have found what I consider to be a better solution for the Maytag dishwasher wheel repair. It allows the wheels to spin. I purchased 10ea 32x3/4" machine screws and 10 ea #10 zinc washers. This is enough to replace all 5 wheel hubs. I placed a washer in the cut out on the wheel(outer edge), put a screw through that with the head outward. I then placed a nut on the end of the screw and tightened until it was nearly flush with the shaft of the wheel. I placed the wheel on the rack and put another washer/ nut on the screw. When tightened, the 2 nuts compress on each other, allowing some wheel movement. The alignment from out to in is: screw- washer- wheel- nut- rack- washer- nut All for under $3. Good luck!

[ewilhelm]

That's a great site! Thanks!

[gmjhowe]

haha thanks for sharing, a reminder to double check if we can fix something before calling out the experts..

[Pazzerz]

I don't believe mine is the same brand, BUT!! It's still a piece of crap design and this will do well. I was thinking about this and possibly using one of the rollers made for sliding screen doors that you find at Lowes or such places. Thanks for the instructable!

[puffyfluff]

How incredibly handy...

[Lithium Rain]

Yay! Happiness is a working dishwasher.