July 14, 2011 - 9:54am
Kitchenaid K45SS – Major Restoration - Hobart era
If anyone can help answer this question, I would be grateful, as would the owner of the old Hobart/ Kitchenaid. If anyone knows about the value of the old mixers, its the folks here. Any tips or guidance is appreciated!
A brief summary:
About the mixer: The motor still runs but makes a 'funny smell', probably due to crud built up on the brush/motor.
My problem: I'd like to clean the heck out of this thing and make it work again. It was made back when Hobart still owned Kitchenaid and I'd hate to just throw it away. My time and labor are no issue. Has anyone out there ever cleaned such a mess up before? Is it beyond saving? Aside from the filth, it's in pretty good mechanical order.
Thanks in advance!
Marni
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http://artisanbreadbaking.com/ka_greasing/
Also new parts can be found at http://www.mendingshed.com/k6map.html
Clean it first, it is really not hard to do per the first link. If you see any burned parts they can be replaced rather cheaply. Regrease and you will get another 20 years out of it! They don't make them like they used to and Hobart was the best of the best when your machine was made. My 1982 version is still going strong!! Good luck!
My husband is the fixer in the family and took my mixer apart to look at it and lubricate if needed. It was about 28 yrs old at the time. As I recall it came apart easily and the inside was surprisingly clean and well greased despite many years of almost daily use. At that point it was just for cookies,cakes and mashed potatoes,though. I have since gotten into bread dough. An interesting thing is that we bought a new looking one at Goodwill a few years ago and when he took it apart (it was broke-we took a chance he could fix it)there were plastic parts (whereas mine were metal) and he was able to obtain a new part and replace it. Works great.
I believe the old ones are great quality and parts are available. The trick is finding a repair person. If you are at all handy, take a look at it. If you have any info (manuals or exploded views), a reasonably handy person may be able to fix it.
There are several videos on YouTube showing the inside organs & repair techniques for KitchenAid mixers. Perhaps one of them would help.
http://www.mendingshed.com/kaelectro.html Forgot to post this additional link that is the service manual for these vintage machines - step by step with photos... check it out.
for such a wonderful resource. I downloaded it to my computer.
I am a proud owner of two Hobart-made 5-quart stand mixers - a K5A and a K5SS. I also have the Hobart-made meat grinder and grain mill attachments for these mixers. The quality of the Hobart made mixers and mixer attachments just can't be beat.
Thank you all for the tips, referrals and advice! I'll pass it all on!
Marni
As a Hobart Kitchenaid aficiando [16 KA/Hobart mixers], I applaud your appreciation of the quality of these old mixers.
I wish you good luck in getting it working at optimal levels and hope you enjoy it for many years to come..
There is no height adjustment on any kitchen aid mixer that I am aware of. Perhaps the part/bowl are not the original? The original part is aluminum color, newer ones are white? Is the bowl the original?
I had a K5A mixer and the beater and bowl was the same size as my newer (vintage 1982) K5SS mixer, i.e. the bowls were the same and the beaters were interchangeable. So while parts are not available for the K5A, beater parts are available for the K5SS. Kitchen aid models that came after the K5SS are not compatable.
That said, let me make one other suggestion. I rebuilt a K5A (vintage 1964 same as yours made by Hobart). New power cord was needed. Moreover the grease inside had stiffened up substantially so I am glad I took it apart, cleaned and replaced the grease. Easy to do but a messy job.
Goodman's is another parts supplier with good prices. If you do regrease, you will need a new gasket ($6) and it is the same as the K5SS. (SS stands for solid state, which is a motor upgrade they did when that model came out in the late '70's. Stiff brown axel grease for about $5 a can works well. And the power cord is about $7 if needed. (three prong on new ones vs 2 prong on the K5 - simply attach ground wire to motor base using an existing screw).
One other comment - those older ones are truely built like tanks compared to all of the ones that came out after the K5SS. Good luck...