KitchenAid worm gear replacement
If your mixer grinds, whines or runs without turning the beater, the worm gear has almost certainly stripped. It is designed to fail before the motor does.
Does this sound familiar?
- A loud grinding or whining noise when the mixer runs
- The motor runs but the beater does not turn
- The mixer head kicks or whips sideways under load
- Grinding that only shows up when mixing stiff dough
What the repair includes
- Mixer head opened up and the stripped gear confirmed
- Failed worm gear replaced with a new one
- Grease reservoir cleaned and re-packed while the head is open
- Reassembly, speed check and a test run under load
Inside every KitchenAid stand mixer there is a small plastic worm gear that takes the punishment. It is deliberately the weakest part in the drivetrain, so that a heavy batch of bread dough strips a cheap gear instead of burning out an expensive motor.
When it goes, you usually get a grinding or whining noise first, and then the beater stops turning while the motor keeps running. Some people keep using it at that point, which is when the damage spreads.
We replace the worm gear and re-grease the head in the same visit, because the mixer is already open and the grease is already disturbed. Replacing the gear alone without fresh grease is a false economy.
Common questions
Can I keep using the mixer if it grinds?
We would not. A stripped gear lets the metal parts move against each other without lubrication, and that turns a gear replacement into a much bigger repair.
Is this the same as the combo service?
The combo adds the gasket replacement and a full clean-out at a lower combined price, so if your mixer has never been serviced the combo is usually the better buy.
Got a mixer that needs looking at?
Call or book online and we will arrange a pick up or drop off that suits you. You will know the price before any work starts.
Fixed prices · Cash or e-transfer · Pick up across Vaughan & Kleinburg for $20