Dryer Banging, Squeaking & Low Heat

Dryer Repair
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1

This is a Whirlpool dryer. We’ve had two problems with it lately. It squeaks on every revolution of the dryer drum and it takes too long to finish a load. I opened the drum door, held the door switch down and ran the dryer. On the left hand side I could see the orange glow of the heater coil heating up, so that doesn’t APPEAR to be the problem. I suspect the outflow is a possible problem, but I will check the electrical connections with a multimeter to make sure I have power. There should be a schematic that would allow me to do that, so maybe I’m okay on that part.

Today it started making a rapid banging noise that sounds like the belt is coming apart and pieces of it are banging around in there - soon to be off and a problem. So I pulled the dryer and have run into a problem.

How do you take this thing apart?

I took off the back panel and found there is an inner wall separating me from the dryer parts. I noticed there were two clips on the top that were screwed into the back of the dryer body. I took out the screws, but the clips don’t move and the top isn’t moving easily, so I don’t want to bend it up or break it.

How do I get the top off and then how do I resolve the squeaking issue and the belt issue?

Thank you so much for the help.

3

Okay. I read another thread where they talked about taking out the lint trap screws. Did that and the top flips up. Where do I go from here for disassembling the unit?

I noticed there is a worn (bright metal) patch on the drum in a crease where I assume it sits on a roller to the back of the unit and just forward of the rear belt. This suggests to me that the cause of the squeak is probably related to this shiny patch of metal as it does not extend in a uniform manner around the drum.

How do I fix this beast and what parts would be needed?

4

The belts appear to be okay. The center belt has a loose thread where the belt is starting to wear, but… Just more information I thought I would provide.

5

okay, I got the drum out and everything else while I was waiting for someone to answer this thread. I’m very proud of myself! No injuries and it looks like the idler was the problem. Broken and gone, so I will order one of those and I will order a new belt as this belt is frayed quite a bit.

What I need to know is how do you mount the belt on the dryer drum? Do you lay the dryer on its back so you can get the pulleys and idlers properly mounted? Is that the way it is done?

Please help a fellow out on this one.