How to Fix a Whirlpool Dryer Belt
You have a load of laundry in the dryer drying. All of a sudden you hear a loud banging noise and you see that the drum in the dryer has stopped turning. More than likely the dryer belt has snapped. Luckily, you can fix the dryer belt yourself instead of calling the Whirlpool repair service or buying a new machine. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Disconnect the power to your dryer before you begin replacing your dryer belt. You can either disconnect from the wall outlet or you can do it from the fuse box by removing the fuse to the dryer or flipping the breaker in the circuit breaker box. There should be a list inside the breaker box as to which fuse regulates which appliances.
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Access the belt's location. Do this by opening the top of your dryer and tilt it backward. Remove the top two screws using a Philips head screwdriver. Keep these screws in a safe place so they won't be lost.
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Tilt the front of the dryer forward. This will enable you to roll the belt around the drum of the dryer. Because it has snapped, it should move easily.
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Lift the drum slightly to loosen the belt the rest of the way. You may have to open the dryer door to help the broken belt fall to the bottom of the basket. The broken belt can be discarded.
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Position the new belt. Thread it through the motor pulley and idler. It will take someone with strong fingers and skinny arms to be able to get past the drum in the front. The dryer belt in a Whirlpool dryer has to be threaded looking in from the back of the drum. To thread the new belt around the drive pulley and idler, double up the belt and pass under the idler belt toward the motor. Slip the belt around the pulley and release the tension to the idler pulley.
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Replace the screws again using a Philips head screw driver in the top of your dryer.
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Reconnect the power to your dryer either by plugging into the wall outlet, replacing the fuse or flipping the breaker box in your circuit box.
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Tips & Warnings
Be careful of electrical hazards while plugging and unplugging the appliance.
Resources
- Photo Credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/blipfish/548489218/
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Comments
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thanks man your advice was perfect!
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wrnhart
Aug 13, 2009
Your article sounds good but not all Whirlpool dryers are the same. The front of mine has no lower panel and no access from the back to the motor. The front panel has to be removed in order to reach the motor and pulley. The front has two hex screws at the top that can be accessed after the top has been lifted. After removal of the screws, the front is lifted and it the hooks holding the bottom part release the bottom of the front. After going around the drum with the belt,thread the new belt, doubled, through the lower part of the tension wheel and then over the motor pulley. The front of the dryer is re-installed while lifting the front of the drum through the dryer door hole to align the front of the drum with the seal. There is NO access to the motor area from the back. It's not difficult and is actually easier than what is described above.
