DDC4500SJM General Electric Dryer - Instructions

first I took the dryer apart 1st thing i did was unplug the power supply (safety first) then I removed the top of the unit then removed the front cleaned all the lint from the inside of the cabinet I found the proper belt size on part select.com the next day I had my dryer belt delivered (which cost 1/3 the price of the local repair shop price)
then I placed the belt over the dryer drum and made sure it was in the general location it should be I then replaced the front cover and the top. then I removed the rear cover which was held on by six 5/16 sheet metal screws which gave me access to the drive pulley and belt tensioner the belt goes on by going under the tensioner then around the drive pulley
Then i rotated the drum by hand to make sure everything had clearance I then buttend everything up plugged it and started it up it workd fine and I figure Ill get another 8 years out of it
Thank you partselect.com

First I found and watched three videos on how to open the dryer and replace the igniter.
Then I opened the dryer, but I did not remove the belt as suggested in the video, and then I removed the ignitor and flame detecter as the videos had shown.
I got on-line and ordered the new parts from PartsSelect in the afternoon and had them in my hands the next morning by 9:30 am.
I installed the new parts and everything worked fine again. You must be very careful with the igniter to not touch it with hands or anything else. I practiced puting in the old parts first.

First I really had to hunt for the proper way to get my dryer drum accessible for the repair. With my model it was as simple as removing two screws to take off the top panel (located by opening the dryer door), and then removing two other screws inside the front panel at the top. The front will then be able to swing to the left side (the door switch wires are on this side for this model). Simply remove the drum bearing by gently pulling it off. My slides were in such poor shape for less than 4 years old!! One of them had completely disintegrated! These slides have a small whole on one end which attaches to a small nub at the edge of a slot while the other side just slid into a slot at the other end. No need to even take out the drum!!
The hardest part of the job was to get into the dryer!

I pried out the remaining pieces of the handle out of the door with a screwdriver. When the new part arrived, I snapped it into place and it was done. It fit perfectly.

The end repair was very simple and took minimal effort. The time and difficulty was all in the testing. I disassembled the dryer and removed the drum and then hard wired each thermo-fuse to determine where the fault was. After test all of those I was stumped. When I opened the door the light would not come on so I assumed it was a power fault closer to the source. However after all of my testing I couldn't find anything wrong. I then removed the light bulb and realized it was burned out which led me to the door switch being the fault. I removed the switch and soldered the three wire together and the dryer started right up! All I had to do was order a new $15 part, unsolder the wires and plug them in. Would have been so much simpler if that light bulb hadn't of been burned out causing me to over think my diagnosis. This was my first major appliance repair and I did it with only the help of the parts diagram provided on the website.

pulled out door striker anddoor latch out with pliers and just pushed in new parts. works like new in under a min.

Removed 4 screws from top of control panel , remove 2 from back to lossen top of dryer. Removed rear lower access cover,6 screws on back of dryer exposing pulley and tensioner, remove broken belt and vaccuumed out a ton of lint , removed pulley and tensioner and replaced. From the front remove 4 screws and take off front of dryer, disconnecting several wires, again vaccumed out lint, lifter drum evough to replace belt. Reassembled

I initially opened the front of the dryer and noticed that the drum slides that the drum rides on in the front of the dryer were excessively worn. I then removed the drum and noticed that the plastic bearing that supported the drum in the rear was cracked and the washer(?) appered to be disintigrating. I ordered and replaced the drum slides and rear bearing. The dryer was still making too much noise. I ran the motor with the drum removed and realized that they motor was the remaining source of the excessive noise. I then ordered and replaced the motor with a new one and this solved the problem. Total cost was around $140. Note that when ordering a new motor, the instructions on the web site indicate that you need to order the motor pulley if your existing motor has a pressed on pulley. The new motor was a kit that came with the pulley included, and therefore the additional part was not needed, and had to be returned. The instructional videos and parts schematics on the web site were very helpful.

Doing some simple troubleshooting with the volt-ohm meter I determined that the door switch was failed.

The replacement door switch restored the motor circuit keeping my dryer in action.

If you're dis-assembling the dryer panels to remove the drum to acess the bearing located at the rear of the drum,don't hesitate to buy a idler pulley kit and a belt.It's easier to change them now,while it's apart. besides,their all pretty much in the same state of wear! In lew of prying my son away from the computer,an extra set of hands is a help, I used a scrap piece of 4x4 with a 1 inch whole bored in one side to place the bearing end into to steady it to get the screws started. otherwise you need to have 6ft.arms! re-assembly wasn't bad, a magnetic tipped #3 screw driver eliminates the frustration of dropping panel screws down inside the partially assembled body.

Removed lower front panel and then front including door (need to remove the top to access screws.) Replaced both the ingiter and heat detector. The tricky part was getting access to the long tunnel-like bracket that houses the igniter. Washer and Dryer are in a tight cutout space in very small laundry room.

First, I loosened the the top control panel and then loosened the top flat roof panel which allowed me access to the inside of the dryer. Then, I removed the front panel which allowed access to the drum. I was amazed at the amount of lint that was inside the dryer itself. Most of my time was spent in the disassembly and cleaning of the internal cavity around the drum. I reached below the drum and removed the belt from the pulley wheels and then unscrewed the drum (from the inside) from the back of the dryer and bearing kit. I removed the diffuser and cleaned it thoroughly. Then I replaced the entire drum bearing kit - the old one was almost completely dissentigrated. I probably should have applied some kind of non-flammable lubricant to the new bearing kit - the instructions did not include this step but after about 3 loads a slight squeak (different). I put everything back together - applying the new drum kit will require 2 sets of hands (my 9-year old daughter did great at this). I re-assembled the dryer and it works great, again except for the slight squeak that's still there. I may disassemble it again and apply some lubricant but I do not know what kind to get; I need to check that out.

easy no problem

A very easy fix. Opening the front door to the dryer locate two chrome phillips head screws in the upper part of the door opening which hold on the top of the dryer. (I think in the older dryers the top simply was held on with keepers and you could simply pry it off. Not the case here)Lifting up on the front of the top it comes away from the back control panel. I would recommed that the control panel be removed as it is necessary to remove it to put the dryer top back on due to three clips that wont allow you to put the top back down with the control panel in place. It takes a star wrence to remove it. Once the top is off ther are two phillips screws holding the front of the dryer on (one on each side) remove them and the whole fron lifts up and off. The drum rides on a plastic schroud attached to the dryer inside front. Mine was so worn it required the purchase of the entire assembly which comes in two parts. The upper part had worn away so badly the drum was riding on the metal causing the noise. I ordered both the upper and lower assembly and both just simply snap off and the new ones snap right back on. No tools. I was a bit dissapointed as I assumed that the felt which is located in the lower assembly would come with the new part however it did not nor did some plastic tabs which the drum rides on in the upper assembly comes with the replacement part. It takes four of those tabs so order appropriately. Went back together easily and the whole job was done in about 40 minutes.

Everything is cleaned as it is removed.

Remove the two screws holding the top down.
Disconnect two wires from door switch.
Remove the two hex screws holding the front on.
Remove the 4 screws holding the access panel on the back and disengage idler pulley to loosen the belt.
Remove the drum.
Label the wires then remove the heating element.
Check orientation of ground strap before disassembling rear bearing.
Remove four screws holding rear bearing to back of heating element.
Install rear bearing and ground strap on to heating element.
Reinstall heating element.
Reconnect wires.

Most Important : Get help putting parts back on drum! I didn't and that's why it took over 2 hours.
I will describe how I did it.

Unscrew bearing from inside of drum.
Wrap screwdriver with tape to a little larger than the screw hole.
Use small screwdriver to line up the drum, shim and deflector.
Don't forget the brass shim. It wasn't on the parts diagram.
Start two screws don't tighten them yet.
Remove Screwdriver and start third screw. Tighten all three down.
Put belt on drum.
Install drum and belt.
Reverse disassembly.
When putting the front on make sure drum rests in the felt.

I rated this a bit difficult because I did it myself. With help this is a fairly easy repair.