How to Repair a Dryer Belt

Replacing a dryer belt is not as hard as it may sound.

If your dryer stops spinning and you hear a loud noise when it attempts to spin, you may be tempted to immediately reach for the phone to call a repair man. In most cases however, this simply means that your dryer belt has snapped. A snapped dryer belt cannot be repaired; it must be replaced. Replacing a dryer belt is an task that you can do yourself instead of buying a new dryer or calling in an expensive technician.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips head screwdriver
• Replacement dryer belt

Instructions

1. Pull the power to the dryer. You can do this by simply pulling the plug or you can switch off the fuse that powers the outlet to the dryer.

2. Open your dryer and locate the screws holding the drum in. Unscrew with the Philips head screwdriver. Tilt the dryer until the drum shifts forward or you can move the drum to find the dryer belt.

3. Loosen and remove the dryer belt. In most cases, if the belt has snapped it will be easy to simply pull out. If it seems lodged, you may have to use your screwdriver to pull the belt off of any obstacles or to slide it out of the dryer.

4. Thread the new belt into the dryer. The new belt will wrap around the motor pulley and idler inside of the dryer. Pass the belt under the idler and then through the pulley.

5. Replace the screws to the drum and reconnect your power source before using your dryer.

References

• Repair Clinic: Dryer Belts