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Hi BRET, that chrome ring is called the ‘Planetary Drip Ring’ and is a compression/friction fitted piece that should stay on during normal mixer use. Its purpose is to prevent the mixer’s transmission lubrication grease/oil from dripping into your mixing bowl from the planetary drive, hence its catchy name.It should be on tightly enough that to remove it you need to gently tap the edge of the ring with a straight screwdriver at several points on the ring.Obviously something is awry.Before going to the point of replacing it, though, you might try these three remedies first. 1) The drip ring may only fit tightly on your mixer in one orientation and you just need to ‘discover’ that correct orientation. Mark the outside of the ring with a small piece of tape so you can keep track as you rotate the ring around the mixer head flange. As you attempt to seat the drip ring, if it will not stay on, then rotate the drip ring clockwise, just a bit, and repeat the process.Ideally you should find one position where the drip ring will fit securely and stay in place.Give the drip ring one final squeeze for good measure.Keep an eye on the drip ring the first few times you use the mixer to make sure it is not working loose again. If that doesn’t remedy the problem, then… 2)You might try a little friendly persuasion by gently tapping the bottom of the drip ring with a few taps of a soft faced mallet or hammer (use a piece of wood between the hammer face and the ring to protect the ring) around the ring to see it that seats it any better, and... 3) If it still comes off, then the ring opening has been expanded to the point that it won’t ‘grip’ the mixer head flange.You can try to ‘crimp’ it at a few points around the ring with a pair of pliers so that it may grip better. Finally, if none of these remedies work, you should order a replacement drip ring for which you’ll need the Parts List manual.If you're lacking one, you can download a PDF version from the KA website: http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/page/home. Click on Customer Care>Locate Manuals & Guides> Enter the 6 character model number, in your case use K45SSW, and select the file listed under Parts List (1), K45SSWH0.pdf (341.41 KB).Check to make sure it matches your mixer. Turn to pages 4 & 5, titled “Case, Gearing and Planetary Unit”, which provides an exploded view for the disassembly and reassembly of your mixer, along with all the parts.Locate Illus. Nos. 26, Planetary Drip Ring, which is the part you want to order. Here are five potential vendors in no particular order: RepairClinic.com; mendingshed.com; searspartsdirect.com; partstore.com; and Grainger.com (for grease).Prices can vary widely between vendors, so do some comparison shopping. Also, while your mixer is apart it would be ideal to check for any other unseemly wear and tear on the gears, etc.It can be messy but quite gratifying to diagnose and repair your KA mixer yourself. Here are some links to several excellent websites that detail the disassembling/reassembly of a KA Mixer.
Between these three websites and their excellent pictures and descriptions and your Parts List manual, you should now be able to completely disassemble and reassemble your mixer. Good luck. I hope this helps. Howard, Burke, VA If this solution has helped you, please rate it, thanks! - hslincoln
Hi ILLOWA, Happy Newy Year!I believe the metal ring you are referring to is your mixer’s “Planetary Drip Ring”.The drip ring is a compression/friction fitted piece that should stay on during normal use.It should be on tightly enough that to remove it by gently tapping the edge of the ring with a straight screwdriver at several places around the ring. If the drip ring is falling on its own, than you might try the reverse on trying to remove the ring and tap the bottom of the drip ring gently with a few taps of a soft faced mallet or hammer (use a piece of wood between the hammer face and the ring to protect the ring) around the ring to see it that seats it any better. The ring may only fit tightly on the mixer in one orientation. Mark the outside of the ring with a small piece of tape so you can keep track of the orientations you have tried. As you attempt to seat the drip ring, if it will not stay on, then rotate the drip ring clockwise, just a bit, and repeat the process.Ideally you should find one position where the drip ring will fit securely and stay in place.Give the drip ring one final squeeze for good measure. Keep an eye on the drip ring the first few times you use the mixer to make sure it is not working loose again. If it still comes off, then the ring opening has been expanded to the point that it won’t ‘grip’ the mixer head where it’s attached.You can either attempt to ‘crimp’ it with a pair of pliers at a few points around the ring so that it may grip better, or you may want to order a replacement drip ring for your mixer for which you’ll need the Parts List manual.If you're lacking one, you can download a PDF version from the KA website: http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/page/home. Click on Customer Care>Locate Manuals & Guides> Enter the 6 character model number, in your case use KSM90P, and select the file KSM90PSWH0.pdf(354.08 KB)listed under Parts List (16) (check to see that it matches your mixer model). Turn to pages 4 & 5, titled “Case, Gearing and Planetary Unit”, which provides and exploded view for the disassembly and reassembly of your mixer, along with all the parts.Locate Illus. Nos. 26, Planetary Drip Ring, which is the part you want to order. Here are five potential vendors in no particular order: RepairClinic.com; mendingshed.com; searspartsdirect.com; partstore.com; and Grainger.com.Prices can vary widely between vendors, so do your comparison shopping. Also, while your mixer is apart it would be ideal to check for any other unseemly wear and tear on the gears, etc.It can be messy but quite gratifying to diagnose and repair your KA mixer yourself. Here are some links to several excellent websites that detail the disassembling/reassembly of a KA Mixer.
Between these three websites and their excellent pictures and descriptions and your Parts List manual, you should now be able to completely disassemble, repair, and reassemble your mixer. Good luck. I hope this helps. Howard, Burke, VA If this solution has helped you, please rate it, thanks! – hslincoln
Hi, EAGLESON:You are correct, the Planetary Drip Ring is a
friction fitted piece that should stay on during normal use.It should be on tightly enough that to remove
it by gently tapping the edge of the ring with a straight screwdriver at
several places around the ring.If the
drip ring is falling on it’s own, than you might try tapping the bottom of the
drip ring upwards with a few hammer taps around the ring to see it that seats
it any better (place a piece of wood between the hammer face and the ring to
protect the ring). If it still
comes off, then the ring opening has been expanded to the point that it won’t
‘grip’ the mixer head where it’s attached.You can either attempt to ‘crimp’ it with a pair of pliers at a few
points around the ring so that it can grip the flange better, or you may want
to order a replacement drip ring, entirely.However, do not try to ‘glue’ it on. You
will want to have the Repair Parts manual on hand to identify the correct part
number for your Drip Ring.If you're
lacking one, you can download a PDF version from the KA website: http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/page/home. Click
on Customer Care>Locate Manuals &
Guides> Enter the 6 character model number, in your case use KSM50P
(Your K5SS mixer falls within this manual), and select the first file KSM50P.pdf (438.31 KB) listed under Parts List (4) and then check to verify
this matches your mixer model. Turn
to pages 4 & 5, titled “Case, Gearing and Planetary Unit”, which provides
and exploded view for the disassembly and reassembly of your mixer, along with
all the parts.Locate Illus. Nos. 42,
Planetary Drip Ring, (Part # 4162074), which is the part you want to order. Here
are five potential vendors in no particular order: RepairClinic.com;
mendingshed.com; searspartsdirect.com; partstore.com; and Grainger.com.Prices can vary widely between vendors, so do
your comparison shopping. Also,
while your mixer is apart it would be ideal to check for any other unseemly
wear and tear on the gears, etc.It can
be messy but quite gratifying to diagnose and repair your KA mixer yourself. Finally,
here are some links to several excellent websites that detail the
disassembling/reassembly of a KA Mixer.The mixers displayed in the links are different KA models, but the
principles are the same.
Between
these three websites and their excellent pictures and descriptions and your
Parts List manual, you should now be able to completely disassemble, repair,
and reassemble your mixer. Finally,
if you feel this is beyond your capabilities and will be too difficult to do by
yourself you can take your mixer to a local small appliance repair shop and
have them troubleshoot and fix your mixer. KA Customer Care can provide you
with the name and phone # of the closest authorized KA repair shop in your area
or you can do a Online web search, but be sure to get at least three estimates
before deciding to commit to one repair shop. Good luck. I hope
this helps. Howard, Burke, VA
If this solution has helped you, please rate it, thanks! – hslincoln
Hi JNJ2SOME.I believe the silver metal ring you are referring
to is your mixers “Planetary Drip Ring”.Is it about 5” in diameter?The
drip ring is a friction fitted piece that should stay on during normal
use.It should be on tightly enough that
to remove it by gently tapping the edge of the ring with a straight screwdriver
at several places around the ring. If the drip
ring is falling on it’s own, than you might try the reverse on trying to remove
the ring and tap the bottom of the drip ring gently with a few taps of a hammer
(use a piece of wood between the hammer face and the ring to protect the ring)
around the ring to see it that seats it any better.If it still comes off, then the ring opening
has been expanded to the point that it won’t ‘grip’ the mixer head where it’s
attached.You can either attempt to ‘crimp’
it with a pair of pliers at a few points around the ring so that it may grip better,
or you may want to order a replacement drip ring for your mixer. The
inspection and troubleshooting of the inside of your mixer is a DITY capability,
particularly if your mixer is out of warranty, which it is. Just be sure to have the Parts List manual on
hand.If you're lacking one, you can
download a PDF version from the KA website: http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/page/home.
Click
on Customer Care>Locate Manuals &
Guides> Enter the 6 character model number, in your case use KSM90P,
and select one of the files listed under Parts
List (check to see it this matches your mixer model). Turn
to pages 4 & 5, titled “Case, Gearing and Planetary Unit”, which provides
and exploded view for the disassembly and reassembly of your mixer, along with
all the parts.Locate Illus. Nos. 26,
Planetary Drip Ring, which is the part you want to order. Here
are five potential vendors in no particular order: RepairClinic.com;
mendingshed.com; searspartsdirect.com; partstore.com; and Grainger.com.Prices can vary widely between vendors, so do
your comparison shopping. Also,
while your mixer is apart it would be ideal to check for any other unseemly
wear and tear on the gears, etc.It can
be messy but quite gratifying to diagnose and repair your KA mixer yourself. Here
are some links to several excellent websites that detail the disassembling/reassembly
of a KA Mixer.
Between
these three websites and their excellent pictures and descriptions and your Parts
List manual, you should now be able to completely disassemble, repair, and reassemble
your mixer. Finally,
if you feel this is beyond your capabilities and will be too difficult to do by
yourself you can take your mixer to a local small appliance repair shop and
have them troubleshoot and fix your mixer. KA Customer Care can provide you
with the name and phone # of the closest authorized KA repair shop in your area
or you can do a Online web search, but be sure to get at least three estimates
before deciding to commit to one repair shop. Good luck. I hope
this helps. Howard, Burke, VA
If this solution has helped you, please rate it, thanks! – hslincoln
Hi BAKLAENE.Sorry to hear about your mixer’s leaking
grease (oil) from your planetary/agitator shaft (‘metal finger’).It can be a distressing sight, but there’s no
need to panic. If
the amount of oil found leaking is small and if your mixer otherwise works
normally with the missing oil you really don’t need to take your mixer apart to
‘fix’ it.The good news, though, is that
you can take the mixer apart and 'fix' it, if you feel it is necessary. The
internal gears are factory packed with enough grease to last a 'lifetime', whatever
that means? Depending on the age of your
mixer – 6 years, where it’s been stored and how heavily it’s been used; these
factors all will eventually cause the grease’s base oil to separate from its hardening
additives, with the resultant oil seeping from openings beyond the gasket and “O”-ring
and generally follow the path of least resistance down to the lowest point,
i.e., the agitator shaft.Gravity can be
very insidious. What
should you do? For starts just clean
your agitator shaft and pedestal with a sponge and hot, soapy water (DO NOT
immerse your mixer in a sink of hot soapy water, though!). The
inspection and troubleshooting of the inside of your mixer is a DITY capability,
particularly if your mixer is out of warranty, which it is. Just be sure to have the Parts List manual on
hand.If you're lacking one, you can
download a PDF version from the KA website: http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/page/home. Click
on Customer Care>Locate Manuals &
Guides> Enter the 6 character model number, in your case use KSM90P,
and select one of the files listed under Parts
List (check to see it this matches your mixer model). Turn
to pages 4 & 5, titled “Case, Gearing and Planetary Unit”, which provides
and exploded view for the disassembly and reassembly of your mixer, along with
all the parts.Locate Illus. Nos. 18 and
32.For starters you may want to order these
replacement parts: Transmission Case Gasket (Part # 4162324) and “O”-Ring (Part
# 67500-00), along with gear grease. Look
for a ‘food-grade’ grease (Lithium grease is white, although the original
grease is vanilla extract colored - a very good description, BTW). Here
are five potential vendors in no particular order: RepairClinic.com;
mendingshed.com; searspartsdirect.com; partstore.com; and Grainger.com.Prices can vary widely between vendors, so do
your comparison shopping. Also,
while your mixer is apart it would be ideal to check for any other unseemly
wear and tear on the gears, etc.It can
be messy but quite gratifying to diagnose and repair your KA mixer yourself. Here
are some links to several excellent websites that detail the disassembling/reassembly
of a KA Mixer.
Between
these three websites and their excellent pictures and descriptions and your
Parts List manual, you should now be able to completely disassemble, repair, re-grease
and reassemble your mixer. Finally,
if you feel this is beyond your capabilities and will be too difficult to do by
yourself you can take your mixer to a local small appliance repair shop and
have them troubleshoot and fix your mixer. KA Customer Care can provide you
with the name and phone # of the closest authorized KA repair shop in your area
or you can do a Online web search, but be sure to get at least three estimates
before deciding to commit to one repair shop. Good luck. I hope
this helps. Howard, Burke, VA
If this solution has helped you, please rate it, thanks! – hslincoln
Bucksmom, Sorry to hear you mixer is 'leaking'... I hate it when that happens. You don't mention how old or what model your KA mixer is? I assume you mean the band around your mixer with the Kitchenaid logo, when you say 'kitchen aid ring.
Your mixer does have an internal gear mechanism (transmission if you will) which converts the electric motors rotation into the mixer rotation and those gears are located within the mixer. The gears were lubricated at the factory, but depending on the age of your mixer and how it is used, it is possible that the grease has leaked beyond the gasket and that is what you are seeing now.
It is possible to disassemble the mixer to determine where the grease is coming from and troubleshoot if anything else might be wrong within the transmission.
Hopefully the leakage is not getting into your food being mixed. Kitchenaid Grease should be 'food grade' grease, but you still don't want to ingest it.
I hope this helps... Howard, Burke, VA
I called KitchenAid about this issue with my mixer. The agent on the phone told me they are aware that it tends to happen to some mixers after they sit for some time. Basically, a "lifetime" of grease has been packed into the assembly and it is normal for it to release grease on occasion. I was told to run the mixer at 10 for at least 2 minutes to get it going and I should see a reduction in the oil leak. I had about a tablespoon worth of oil dripping down off the assembly. I was told that if over time it seemed to amount to about 1/4 cup then I should call to see about repairs due to a potentially bad seal. I was also told that the repair for that would most likely NOT cost the same as a new appliance.
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