KitchenAid Hand Mixer Beater won't stay in slot

Hello, Joe -

From a post on a YouTube video demonstrating a McGyver-type fix to a damaged beater ring (the plastic piece which holds a beater in place) apparently KitchenAid has discontinued the availability of the beather ring.

This is the link to the YouTube video with the McGyver-type repair demonstrated:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmS4FbROS50
The comment about the discontinued beater ring is from Dan Peters.

See the information here from KitchenAid:
http://producthelp.kitchenaid.com/Countertop_Appliances/Hand_Mixers/Hand_Mixer_Assembly_and_Operation/Beaters_fall_out

If you decide not to try the McGyver-type repair and choose to purchase a new hand mixer, you may wish to put the old mixer up for sale, to be used for repair parts (since it still has 1 good beater ring.) Or, you can send the old mixer to electronics recycling.

Best wishes.

Each beater may be shaped differently and only will click into its appointed port. There may be a picture on the mixer showing which side to put each beater.

I can't find a manual for the MX55 online, Suzanne, but looking at the picture of it I found on Amazon and based on the manuals for other B&D models, it looks like you should have two slightly different beaters: one with a collar and one without and it's very important that each beater go into the correct hole. The one with the collar should go into the left hole (looking at the bottom with the holes at the top) and the one without a collar into the right. The other manuals say "insert each beater and, if necessary, turn it slightly until it locks into place." I hope this helps. Good luck!

The kitchenaid warranty is exactly 365 days from date of registration "No Questions Asked" on day 366 you have no warranty and you gotta pay.
Now the good news; first check the wall socket, I know it works but check it anyway. then check your plug, did you step on it while you were working on the machine? The plug often falls to the floor during work and can get underfoot, you may have broken the plug it'self. next you will need a parts list for your model from Kitchenaid's website.
http://www.kitchenaid.com/customer-service/manuals/
My first suggestion is to try a minor adjustment of the speed control switch, they often get out of sync when you do something to the machine. You can find several videos of this on the youtube site. "Adjusting the speed control switch on kitchenaid mixer"
If the two or one of the top 2 screws on the speed control switch move it can shut the machine down just like an on/off switch. Did you remove the back cover during your adjustments? Did you remove and replace the carbon brushes on the side of the machine while working on the machine? If you did you might have put them back in incorrectly, if you did they will also act a a shutoff switch. If you did not take them out then DON"T as there are four ways to put the brushes back in and only one way is correct and there are two brushes to deal with. Has work ever been performed on the mixer before? Because if all you did was to adjjust the beater height screw then nothing should have effected the normal operation of the mixer. So if there is anything that you did but did not include in your description of work you performed then please let us know. We strive to give accurate solutions but... as I am a KA tech I do not have any other solutions with out the machine in front of me. Just so you know you can fix this yourself.

Do you mean the beater is not touching the bottom of the bowl? AS in there is a gap between the beater and the bottom of the bowl so it is not mixing all the ingriedients?
If you have a Tilt-head style mixer, you can adjust the beater/bowl clearance by turning out the adjusting screw. Place your bowl on the bowl screw cap, Place the flat beater on the agitator shaft and lower the head of the mixer so the beater is at the bottom of the bowl. There should be a 1/16" clearance between the bowl and the beater, if the beater is too close to the bowl turn in the adjusting screw, and if the beater is too far away turn out the adjusting screw. The adjusting screw can be located by tilting the head of the mixer back, and in the neck of the mixer you will see a flat head adjusting screw.
However if you have a bowl lift mixer and the bowl is too far from the mixer there are a few different way to fix that problem. If the bowl and beater are too far apart start by adjusting the adjustment screw. On this mixer the adjustment screw is under the head. Remove the bowl, and beater and lay the mixer on its back. You should be able to see under the head a screw sticking out, it does not have a head, but a little slot in the screw, use a flat head screw and adjust the beat 1/4 turn. Put the beater and bowl back on and test mixer to see if it the beater has a 1/16" clearance. If it doesn't adjust the screw and 1/4 turn. If after adjusting the screw the beater and bowl still have too much clearance use a mallet and tap both sides of the yoke arm up evenly until 1/16" beater to bowl clearance is met.
You can use the same dime test in the bowl to make sure you have the correct 1/16" measurement for the beater/bowl distance.
Thank you,
Colleen
MendingShed.com
800-339-9297

There is only one pin on the beater shaft to hold the beater in place.
There is no spring or washer on the shaft.

To Attach Flat Beater,Wire Whip, or Spiral Dough Hook, simply
1. Slip flat beater on beater shaft.

2. Turn beater to right, hooking beater over the pin on shaft.

Hi TJEWKES67. Before you tear into the ‘guts’ of your mixer any further, I’d like you to make a simple check the vertical play of the planetary. Locate where the planetary comes out of your mixer’s head, and place your left index finger on the edge of the planetary (rest your nail edge of the mixer head). With your right hand, push the planetary straight up (like you were trying to push it through the top of your mixer) until it stops, then let go. How much vertical movement did your index finger feel as you did this? Your planetary shouldn’t rise vertically more than a 1/16 of an inch, or less. If that’s the case, relax, your planetary is not coming out of your mixer, but just normal play within the transmission, and perfectly OK.
Before linking the beater to bowl clearance with the planetary gear ‘falling’, it would be much easier to first check the adjustment screw on the back of the pedestal to ensure that is properly adjusted. You don’t say how hold your mixer is, but I assume it is out of warranty.
Do you still have your Instructions & Recipe Manual for your mixer? If not, you can easily download a PDF version of it from the KA website at: (http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/page/home).
Click on Customer Care>Locate Manuals& Guides> and enter the 6 character model number, in your case, use KB26G1XN, and select the file that appear under Owners Manuals: KB26G1XGR5.pdf (2974.69 KB) and save it to your PC. Turn to Page 11 and you will find the instructions for adjusting the Beater to Bowl Clearance, which I have extracted for you below:
Beater to Bowl Clearance
Your mixer is adjusted at the factory so that the flat beater just clears the bottom of the bowl. If for any reason, the flat beater hits the bottom of the bowl or is too far away from the bowl, clearance.
Beater to Bowl Clearance:
Your Stand Mixer is adjusted at the factory so the flat beater just clears the bottom of the bowl. If, for any reason, the flat beater hits the bottom of the bowl or is too far away from the bowl, you can correct the clearance easily.
1. Unplug Stand Mixer.
2. Place bowl lift handle in down position.
3. Attach flat beater.


4. Adjust so flat beater just clears bottom surface of bowl when in lifted position by turning screw (A) clockwise to raise the bowl and counterclockwise to lower the bowl. Just a slight turn is all that is required: the screw will not rotate more than 1⁄4 turn (90 degrees) in either direction. (The full range of adjustment is 1⁄2 turn, or 180 degrees.)
5. Place bowl lift handle in up position to check clearance.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 if necessary.

NOTE: When properly adjusted, the flat beater will not strike on the bottom or side of the bowl. If the flat beater or the wire whip is so close that it strikes the bottom of the bowl, coating may wear off the beater or wires on whip may wear.
See second comment...
Good luck and have fun. I hope this helps. Howard, Burke, VA
If this solution has been helpful, please rate it, thanks! - hslincoln

JOE:You don’t say if you have a ‘tilt-head’or a ‘bowl-lift' mixer, but you can easily download a PDF version of your Owners Manual from the KA website (http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/page/home).Click on Customer Care>Locate Manuals& Guides> and enter the 6 character model number (in your case, use KSM90P)and select the last file listed that appear under Owners Manuals:KSM90PSWW0.pdf (2930.74 KB)and save that file to your PC.You’ll need to have Adobe Reader to be able to open it. Turn to Page 11 and you will find the instructions for adjusting the mixer head height.I have extracted the instructions below:
Beater to Bowl Clearance
Your mixer is adjusted at the factory so that the flat beaterjust clears the bottom of the bowl. If for any reason, the flat beater hits thebottom of the bowl or is too far away from the bowl, clearance

Tilt-Head models
• Unplug mixer.
• Lift motor head.

• Turn screw (A) SLIGHTLY counter clockwise (left) to raise flat beater or clockwise (right) to lower flat beater.
• Make adjustment with flat beater, so it just clears surface of bowl.
If you over adjust the screw, the bowl lock lever may not lock into place.


Bowl-Lift models
• Unplug mixer.
• Place bowl lift handle in down position.

• Turn screw (B) SLIGHTLY counter clockwise (left) to raise flat beater and clockwise (right) to lower flat beater.
•Make adjustments with flat beater, so it just clears surface of bowl.

I hope this helps! –Howard, Burke, VA
If this solution has helped you, please rate it, thanks!.hslincoln

This may have a simple solution: This sounds like an issue of beater to bowl adjustment, which can come out of alignment naturally over time and with use of the machine.

If the flat beater is striking the bottom of your bowl, this may cause the locking mechanism to loosen and may cause the mixing head to "bounce" during use.

Your Use and Care Guide will cover the "beater to bowl adjustment," which you can do at home in a few minutes with a flathead screwdriver.