Does your Maytag washer fill, drain, and hum along, but the basket barely turns during the spin? A stripped drive hub is a likely cause. This small part links the transmission shaft to the basket, and when its splines wear out, the shaft turns without taking the basket with it.
Swapping the drive hub is a moderate repair you can handle at home. Here is the full process.
In this guide you’ll learn:
- What the drive hub does and why it fails
- The tools to gather first
- Simple safety steps
- How to reach and replace the drive hub
What the Drive Hub Does
The drive hub sits between the transmission shaft and the bottom of the spin basket. Its splines grip both parts so the shaft can drive the basket during the spin.
Those splines wear down over time, especially after years of heavy loads. Once they round off, the shaft spins freely and the basket lags behind. The fix is a fresh drive hub with sharp, tight splines.
What You’ll Need
- A replacement drive hub that matches your model
- A 7/16-inch socket wrench
- A 1/4-inch nut driver
- A flat-head screwdriver
- A Phillips-head screwdriver
Note: Tools vary by model. Check your owner’s manual for the exact fasteners on your machine.
Safety First
- Unplug the washer from the wall outlet before you start.
- Turn off the water supply and disconnect the fill hoses.
- Keep the work area dry and clear.
How to Replace the Drive Hub
Ready? Follow these steps in order.
- Unplug the washer, shut off the water, and disconnect the hoses.
- Remove the harness cover and the two hinge screws with a 1/4-inch nut driver, then lift the top panel forward and lean it back.
- Remove the tub ring by releasing the lock tabs around the top of the tub.
- Pry off the wash plate cap and remove the wash plate.
- Lift out the spin basket to expose the drive hub on the shaft beneath it.
- Remove the old drive hub from the transmission shaft.
- Fit the new drive hub onto the shaft, lining up the splines.
- Reassemble in reverse: basket, wash plate and cap, tub ring, top panel, and harness cover.
- Run a short spin cycle to confirm the basket turns with the shaft again.
Pro Tip: Inspect the basket and shaft splines while you are in there. If they look worn too, replacing them now saves you a second teardown later.
When to Look a Little Deeper
If the basket still will not spin, the belt that drives the system is the next thing to check, and our guide on a worn drive belt covers it. Poor wash results alongside spin trouble can also point to a cracked wash plate or a damaged wash plate cap above the hub.
For more on spin failures and the noises that come with them, you can work through a washer that will not spin or a stubborn washer vibration problem.
Wrapping Up
A new drive hub reconnects the shaft to the basket so the spin works again. Here’s the short version:
- Unplug the washer and shut off the water.
- Open the top and remove the tub ring, wash plate, and basket.
- Swap the worn drive hub for a new one.
- Reassemble and run a test spin.
Nice work. You just saved yourself a service call.