If your dishwasher is connected to the cabinet with screws and your dishwasher moves when you try pulling it out, you can probably skip the next step. Most dishwashers are either anchored in the cabinet with screws or through the tension in the legs—they are rarely held in place using both methods.
The bottom cover plate keeps dirt and food scraps from getting kicked under the machine. Loosening these legs will lower the height of the dishwasher. This will give you enough room to slide dishwasher out of the cabinet.
Depending on how tightly the dishwasher is fitted into the cabinets, you may need to yank it back and forth to both sides to dislodge it. If the dishwasher was installed safely and properly, there should be enough slack with the water lines and power cord to slide it out all the way without taking your cabinets apart. If you’re worried there isn’t enough space, shut off your main water supply to prevent water from coming out of the supply lines when you remove the machine.
If you recently ran your sink or did the dishes, stuff the hose with a clean towel or turn the hose over into a bucket to empty it before continuing.
The link kit connects the door spring to the bottom of the dishwasher door and provides tension when the door is opened to keep it from slamming down quickly. Check the link kits on both sides of the machine; there are normally 2 sets of links, with 1 on each side. While it’s rare for both of them to break, it’s certainly possible that you may need to replace both of them.
The door spring expands and retracts when you open or close the door. When it expands or retracts, the link kit moves with it to brace the dishwasher door as it moves.
The description for a replacement door spring or link kit will list the model numbers it will work with. The link kit is often called a pulley system or door cable. Both of these pieces typically cost $5-15 each.
The hooks of the door spring are symmetrical and identical. You can use either end of the door spring to do this.
The tension from the door spring is more than enough to hold the hooks in place.
If you are replacing the link kit cords on both sides, you will need to repeat these steps on each side.
The pulley rollers are the 2 round discs that sit at the bottom of the frame on the back of the machine. When the door opens or closes, the rollers hold the cord connected to the door spring in place and keep it from sliding all over the place.
When it’s hanging on the rollers, the cord should look like the letter S.
Some link kits have a third roller in the middle of the frame to keep the cord from sliding around on the back of the machine. If you have one, place the cord on top of it when you attach the other end of the cord to the door spring.
