White Mountain Ice Cream Freezer Motor Replacement Guide

A failed White Mountain electric motor does not automatically mean the freezer must be replaced. Many older freezers can continue operating with a compatible replacement motor when the tub, canister, dasher, and drive system remain serviceable.

Before replacing the motor, inspect the cord, motor, gearbox, shaft, and freezer mechanism.

Before replacing a White Mountain Ice Cream Freezer motor, determine whether the motor itself is actually the problem.

If the motor is burned out, don't assume it was the age of the motor; other issues likely caused stress on the motor that need further investigation. 

Too many motors are ordered and returned because other problems, such as damaged or bad gears, were later discovered during installation.

White Mountain used a very thick, gummy grease that can cause the bottom drive gear to seize against the housing if the freezer is not used for long periods of time.

Inspect the electrical cord, plug, switch, gearbox, shaft, freezer can, dasher, and drive connection.

A motor that hums without turning may be stalled by a binding dasher, seized gearbox, or alignment problem.

Listen for grinding, clicking, excessive vibration, overheating, or intermittent operation.

Replacement may not be practical when the motor has badly worn gears, deteriorated wiring, shaft damage, damaged windings, a cracked housing, or multiple internal failures.

As a rule of thumb, if you need to replace two components, you are already over half the cost of purchasing a new complete Oakware motor unit.

Before ordering a replacement motor, check to see if the motor looks the same as the one being ordered.

Do not assume that a motor marketed for the same quart capacity will automatically fit every White Mountain freezer. Generally, the Cottage Craft Works motor will fit both the cream color and dark green motor housings used on both 6 and 4 qt freezers made in the late 1970’s until operations ceased.

Collectors may choose to rebuild an original motor, while owners who regularly use their freezer may prefer a newer replacement assembly.

If you do determine that it will be better to replace with a completely new motor unit, you have two choices. A direct clone replacement made by Oakware, which is built better than the original White Mountain motors. Or you can go with the new Immergood all-stainless-steel super-quiet motor. It will be important to check the How to Measure Parts resource page to see if the new motors will fit your freezer. Primarily, the width of your tub and the dasher stem size will determine your purchase options. If you do have a 3/8" dasher stem, the new motors will still function, but since they are made for a newer 7/16" dasher stem, there will be some play. 

Since both the old White Mountain and new Oakware motors are double-acting motors, meaning the dasher stays stationary and the freezer can turns around the fixed dasher, that excess play is not as critical.  The newer White Mountain motors have been used on 3/8 dashers for years. Both Country and Lifetime, who still manufacture a 3/8" dasher stem, sold their freezers equipped with the White Mountain motors. The Immergood motors are a bit more critical as they are triple-acting motors, meaning the dasher spins in one direction and the can spins in the opposite direction. So they need to be ordered with the adapted 3/8" gear option if you do have a 3/8" dasher stem. You also have the option of either an Immergood electric motor or a tool battery motor.