KUCS03CTSS2 KitchenAid Trash Compactor - Instructions

replaced rotatory switch (10mins) problem solved

Removed bottom and replaced gears

After inspecting to make sure the actuator was functional and that power to the unit was not an issue I was able to find that one the drive gears cracked in half and made the compactor inoperable. It was easy to remove the bottom casing with a nut driver. This casing covered the drive gear which operated the ram. After slightly loosening the gear mounts and I was able to replace center gear and re-attach gear chain and re-tighten. Then replace bottom casing and the compactor was back in action. Huge savings!

Removed the gear cover at the bottom of the compactor. Loosened the slack on the chain. Replaced the gear drive. Replaced the gear cover. Worked like new. No major obstacles.

shook bottle and painted waited a day and repeated

the bearing were the perfect match and instructions helpful. sysem is rolling smoothly

took longer to pull it out and put it backunder the counter then to pull the panel take the chane gear & drive gear off and put it back together

easy ... got the new bag holder and replaced old one. the impressive part of the process is how easy it was to get the part info from partselect website. could have spun my wheels a lot without that.

very easy to fix. all it took was pulling the compactor out to unplug,take off the removable front nob, unscrew two screws located just below the front panel.using needle nose pliers to remove the actual switch, unplug the wires conected to the switch and put the new one on the same way. It almost took me longer to write this discription than it took to fix!

take 2 screws out on top cover with key switch. remove two screw holding directional switch. remove wires, one at a time, and place on the new switch. put new switch in place with two screws. put front cover on with two screws and test. works like a charm.

changed out the big gear that was broken

The part was suppose to come with instructions, but did not. However, it was easy after reading the comments on-line, and discovering that the front cover had to be removed in order to expose the whole switch and wires. I did drop one of the mounting screws down the front of the compactor and was not able to recover it. So, I had to make a trip to the hardware store for a replacement. They couldn't match the remaining screw but I found 2 similar ones with lock washers and nuts that worked just fine. I saved a $90 service charge and probably double the cost of the switch by doing it myself.

At best it is advisable to load just one at a time and covered with newspaper etc., In this case someone put in three bottles with out covering with heavy newspaper etc.and for some reason one rode out and to the side. Crushing the side of the metal trash container. This pinned the container against the side of the compactor body and behind the front rails. Using a lot of pulling and some nifty pry bars and two hours of prying and squeezing we got the container out( see attached photo )The replacement container was ordered on a Sunday night and arrived Tuesday morning. Removal of the existing front panel ,foot pedal and door switch was easy and installation on to the replacement container was a breeze with a little orientation required to line up the switch and pedal in the right configuration. 20 min tops and that was with five kids helping ;)

Replaced drive gears.They arrived in a kit from Parts Select with instructions.They fit perfectly and the compactor works like new.

All I really needed to do was to take the front facing off and put on the new container, but I took the opportunity to do a complete overhaul and cleaning. It now work like a new compactor.