MDE5500AYW Maytag Dryer - Instructions

If your dryer is squeaking it is most likely either the idler pulley or drum rollers. First I took apart the dryer to see which parts I would need. I checked the drum rollers by spinning them with my hand to see if they spun freely and also checked them to see if they were loose, they were okay. Then I checked the idler pulley and found my problem, it was hard to spin it so I figured the bearing was shot. I sprayed some lubricant on the bearing to help with the squeaking while I waited for my parts. It took about 30 minutes to diagnose my problem and put the dryer back together.
I took some advise from another story saying to get the whole idler arm, shaft and pulley assembly. It might have cost me a few bucks more, but I did not want to run into the same problem he did (the pulley bearing was fused to the shaft). It took me about 20 minutes to take apart the dryer, install the part, and put it back together. If you are pretty good with fixing things, you should have no problem doing this repair.

After taking the dryer apart, I found that one of the drum support rollers was barely hanging on the pin and was the main cause of the metal on metal squealing noise that became increasingly worse over a month's time.

I replaced both rollers, the idler pulley, and put on a new belt after giving the dryer a thorough cleaning.

It was a 100% success and fixed the problem making the dryer work and sound like brand new again.

take 2 phillips screws out where door meets drier. remove door, set aside. take 2 phillips screws out on other side, set screws aside. remove front of drier by pulling on top left and right sides, front of drier will fall twards front of drier. when it touches the floor lift up on bottom. set aside for later. put new baffels in (you can see where the old ones went) put screws in from bottom 5/16nutdriver. tighten. put drier front back on . start at bottom , snap top back in on both sides. put two screws back on left side, put door back on and replace 2 screws ( door will not go on wrong) test and your done...

First I unplugged the dryer! Then unscrewed the two screws at the bottom of the front door. To remove the front door, swing the bottom up about 30 degrees until the two triangular hooks at the top of the door release. Then release the two wires going to the door switch from their harness so as to gain more slack to move the door out of the way. The switch was secured by 2 hex head sheet metal screws1/4inch in diameter. I used a small right angle socket wrench to get these loose. I only had to remove the front screw completely to be able to take the switch out for exchange purposes. Once this was done, reverse the process and plug it in! (BTW, the electrical schematic for this dryer is up under the top console)

The repair was easy, based on the comments from this website. I used a 6-in-1 screwdriver, and that was the only tool. I removed the two screws holding the hinges, removed the door, then the two screws on the opposite side of the opening. This allowed the front panel to come off. I spun the dryer tumbler until the baffle that was loose was at approximately 5 o'clock. I unscrewed the remaining screw and found the missing screw in the bottom of the dryer. I put those two screws into the new baffle, and popped the front back in place. I reinstalled the four screws (two opposite the hinge, then the two that hold the hinges)...all done in about 20 minutes (including vacuuming the lint out from that lower area).

replaced high limit thermostat-303396 and cycling thermostat-306056 approx $48.00. Remove dryer door with 2 screws in hinges and 2 screws on other side.Remove front panel-pull out from top-swing down to unhinge from bottom hooks to expose parts lower front. Small socket for high limit thermostat bolts@heating element housing and same socket for cycling thermostat@blower
exhaust air housing-both easily accessible in front lower area.Unplug power before working inside.

From previous experience I suspected the thermal fuse. Turned off the power and removed the front of the dryer by removing the two philips head screws in the door hinge and the two screws on the opposite side of the opening. The front came off easily since all that holds it in place besides the 4 screws are two spring clips. The thermal fuse is located on the side of the chamber enclosing the heating element. I removed the wires connected to the thermal fuse and temporarily joined them together with a spade type connector in order to determine if the thermal fuse was the problem. Turned the power back on and tried the dryer......it ran normally. Turned the power back off and removed the thermal fuse by taking out th two screws with a 1/4" nutdriver.
Ordered a replacement thermal fuse, installed it (with power turned off) and put everything back together. Dryer functioned normally after the thermal fuse had been replaced.
The thermal fuse can be removed and reinstalled using a 1/4" nutdriver. The wires are connected with push on spade type terminals.
Note: The swing damper on the dryer vent (the hooded cover where it exhausts to the outdoors) was jammed in the closed position with an accumulation of lint, which caused the dryer to overheat and blow the thermal fuse. If you experience a blown thermal fuse, always look for the cause or you'll blow the replacement within minutes of running the fryer again.

we replaced the baffle by removing the broken baffle. There were two screws holding it in place. Door and front panel of dryer had to be removed to accomplish this task. Quite an easy repair/replacement. Thank you for all your help PartSelect.com.

Turned off circuit breaker. Removed two screws at base of front panel with stubby Phillips-head screwdriver. Swung panel up about 30-degrees, and removed panel, disconnecting red and yellow wire to door switch. Removed four sheet metal screws and took off large drum support bracket. Checked drum support rollers and shafts. They were fine. Reset circuit breaker and turned on dryer. Rattling noise still present.
Removed six small screws holding blower fan assembly. Shaft receiver on squirrel cage fan was worn completely round (it should fit onto a half-round shaft). Ordered new blower fan from PartSelect.com. Replaced tonight, and it works beautifully. This dryer is 29-years old. All it's ever needed in the 10-years I've owned it is a belt replacement and this repair. Long live the 1970s Maytags, and good parts suppliers like this one.

Removed the screws and took the door off then took the front panel off and popped up the top. Then pulled the drum out. Took snap ring pliers and removed rollers and replaced with new rollers then vacuumed all lint from machine and reversed operation to put everything back together. Operation was a total success!

remove 4 screws allow removal of back metal cover
slide control panel toward rear to disengage plastic line up tabs
lay panel face down on soft cloth
remove 4 screws to allow removal of control board from panel
swap electrical connections from old to new unit
reassemble

Note: You may want to consider replacing the 2 Drum Support rollers at this time (while your in there)

1. UNPLUG YOUR DRYER FIRST.

2. Using a phillips head screw driver - Remove 2 screws that secure the dryer door hinges to the frame, Lift door very slightly to unhook hinges and pull out door with hinges attached as straight as possible, set aside. Remove the 2 plastic tabs from the opposing side of the door hinge also secured by screws.

3. Remove the front panel (panel is shaped like a football goal post) by tilting out the top ends of the front panel toward you, then lift up to remove panel from the bottom metal retaining tabs.

4. Remove the 2 hexhead screws from the 2 retaining clips (security hooks) that secure the top
of the dryer closed.

5. Systematically remove the hexhead screws from the rest of the front of "shroud" (it holds (suspends) the drum in place between the front and back of the dryer).

*** I didn't disconnect any wires, I carefully swung out each piece that had wires attached, propped up those parts vertically ensuring no strain on the attached wires. Others may want to disconnect wires to avoid breaking or damaging them.

6. Vacuum out any dust/lint that may be present.

7. Draw a quick diagram of how the underside of the belt is threaded on the idler pulley and motor pully first. Release the tension of the belt from the underside of the drum. The easiest way is to push the idler pulley arm away from the belt and slide off the belt from the idler pulley and motor pulley. Slide the drum out.

8. Remove the hexhead screw from the bottom of the idler arm. Disconnect from retaining spring.

9. You may only need to replace just the Idler Pulley Wheel. I recommend replacing as a "unit" the Idler Pulley Wheel, Idler Arm, Ring-E and Idler Shaft Washer(s) - then you can just swap out the old one for the new one.

10. Reassemble

(When reassembling the belt - place around drum first and slide drum in place. Now from the underside-place (drape) belt around the motor pulley (it will be very loose) Now push the idler pulley arm toward the motor pulley, engage the left side of the belt around the idler pulley and slowly allow idler pulley to increase its tension on the belt) You can test manually by rotating the drum by hand to ensure proper movement.)

First I removed the two screws from the dryer front cover (located just under door)I Then swung font cover up and off it's latches. Exposing drum asy and heating element. Using a nut driver to remove two hold down screws and disconnect electrical wires from heating element. Really simple! took me approxmatly 20 minutes and this included vacuuming inside motor area with a shop vac.

Turned off gas and unplugged dryer
1) Removed bottom front panel
2) lifted top panel up like a car hood
3) Removed door springs
4) disconnected electrial connections to door unit, removed door unit
5) removed drum, scraped old felt from drum
6) glued new felt with a very strong glue (nanoglue or gorilla glue, same thing), let it dry overnight
7) secured back inside panel, replaced drum and put dryer back together.

First I performed a keypad check by measuring the contacts on the keypad connector per the service manual I found online. All buttons appeared to be functional. I purchased both the LED Electronic Board and the KeyPad. Turns out the problem was with the KeyPad (stuck key) even though all key seemed to have checked out. So now the dryer is functioning with just the replaced Keypad and I have an extra LED Electronic Control Board.