#Greasing a Kitchen Aid Mixer

The Kitchen Aid stand mixer is the most popular large home mixer in the United States. It is a fine piece of equipment, big and powerful, and easy to use. Like most equipment and tools, it requires a bit of care to ensure that it works properly and for a long time. Like most equipment, it frequently doesn t get even this borderline level of maintenance.

I replace the grease in the gear heads of my KA every year or so. It s a one hour job, gets me a little messy and, when it s finished, yields a lot of satisfaction. This photo shoot is a step-by-step record of how I do it. This is my own personal method; you may find better ways to accomplish the same ends, or you may decide to skip a step or two.

Since we are going to be taking the machine apart, you should take a look at a schematic of the mechanical parts and get an idea of the general layout. Here s a link to the SEARS SITE which shows the internals.

Enter your model number in the box at the top right and then on the next screen click on the entry under Browse Subcomponents case, gearing and unit.

There are five things that are critical in this operation:

1. Place a baggie around the plug and secure it with a rubber band. This is called Lock Out Tag Out.

2. Be sure not to stress the wires connecting the lower and upper parts of the mixer.

3. Be very careful not to damage the gasket that seals the upper gear head.

4. Don t mushroom the two small pins that secure the inner gear and the outer gear head.

5. Do Not remove the two dime-sized black screw covers on the sides of the mixer body. These hold the brushes for the motor. You can break your mixer if you take these covers off and remove the inner workings.

Other than that, it s very simple.

Here s a link to a lady s story of how she repaired her KA mixer.

You will need these tools and supplies:

• A small Phillips screwdriver, #0 is good, #1 works.
• A medium Phillips screwdriver, #1 or #2.
• A medium blade screwdriver.
• A small utility knife such as the breakaway blade knives sold in hardware stores.
• A supply of popsickle sticks or other scoopers.
• A tub of grease. Any grease will do; I use wheelbearing grease from NAPA or Sears. $4 a pound.
• A spray can of brake cleaner or other heavy duty, true, degreaser. If you have access to a parts cleaning cabinet, great.
• A supply of paper towels or rags.
• One or two small bristle or other type brushes. I use soldering brushes, available at a hardware store for about 50 cents each. Old toothbrushes work well, too.
• A small dish or bowl to hold the parts you remove from the mixer.  I save the small plastic condiment containers from order out  food, the ones that they give you mustard and sauces in.

First step. Login to THE SEARS SITE and find your mixer following the instructions on the site. Look at the diagram for the gear head and planetary. That s what we ll be working with, so you might just as well print it out so you ll know what s what and what s where.