Idler Pulley Assembly

I have to tell you the partselect.com video describing the replacement of a belt was the best I have ever seen. I chose to replace the idler pulley as well after receipt of the ordered belt and this was a good decision. The net of it was watching the video a couple times in advance of the effort was all the training required. I followed the video steps, found the old pulley, threw it away, ordered the new idler pulley, taped the new belt onto the drum, inserted the pulley, wrapped the belt past the pulley and onto the motor as instructed and applauded the ease of this effort.

!. Unplug dryer.
2. Lift out lint tray and remove two screws that attach the lint tube to the dryer top.
3. Using a large screwdriver, lift up the front of the dryer top at each front corner. There is a snap lock at each corner. Note: Prop or tie up the dryer top so you can work in the dryer.
4. Remove the (2) 5/16" screws that secure the front of the dryer to the sides. Remove the (2) wires to the door switch. Tilt out the front section and lift up to remove. Note: the front section holds up the front of the drum and the drum will drop a bit.
5. Underneath the drum on the right side, release (lift up) the idler wheel and remove belt from the motor pulley. Slide the belt forward off the drum.
6. I found it easier to remove the drum and remove the idler wheel. The idler pulley sits in two groves in the dryer floor.
7. Install the new idler pulley in the slots on the floor. Install the new belt on the drum with the belt grooves against the drum. Make sure the belt is fairly straight on the drum and in the same place as the old one.
8.Lift drum back into dryer making sure it sits on the (2) rear support wheels and the rear seal isn't tucked back into the drum. I found it very helpfull to support the front of the drum with a block of wood or books for the next step.
9. Under the dryer drum, take the belt and wrap it under the idler pulley and around onto the motor pulley while lifting up on the idler pulley. Make sure the belt isn't twisted and the belt grooves are against the motor pulley.
10. With the front section tilted out at the top, lower it into the (2) tabs in the side sections. CAREFULLY tilt the front in making sure the front section goes into the drum without binding the felt gasket.
11. Reattach the two wires and 5/16" screws to the sides. Spin the drum by hand to make sure the belt is straight and the front and rear drum seals aren't binding.
12. lower the top down and snap onto dryer. Install (2) screws into dryer lint tube and plug back in.

replaced motor and drum rear seal as well as idler wheels, the old rear drum seal was completly worn out, since I had it all apart, I replaced lint chute and trap seals and belt and tensioner. I spent less money on parts than if I would have bought a new dryer. The motor was the main problem as the bearings were shot.

Replaced the drum belt and idler puley with new parts. Most of the time was spent cleaning up lint and shreded pieces of broken belt and pulley. Replacing the parts was less than an hour.

Unplug. Dissembled the dryer. Front off ,back off ,all covers off. drum removed . Belt and idler pulley set aside. Vacuum everything clean! Motor shaft turned very hard. OILED both end with a 5w30 motor oil, few drop. Spins much easier .. Put back together..
ORDERED PARTS.. Motor needed , rest were PREVENTIVE.. (this is my 3rd Whirlpool dryer in 37 years of marriage)..Have yet to actually change motor --but a humming growl is starting from the motor again. Will change it this weekend, + new belt and pulley , saving the old (belt & pulley) just in case.

Removed the two screws to the lint screen. Popped open the top panel and swung up to open.
Removed the two socket head screws holding on the front panel and then lifted up and out to remove the panel.
Disconnected the drum belt from the bottom tensioner pulley and then removed the drum.
I then replaced the two drum support rollers and the belt tensioner pulley. I put the new belt around the drum and reinstalled the drum. From the bottom, I threaded the new belt around the new tensioner pulley.
I then reinstalled the front panel and top panel in the reverse of disassembly.
All went well.

I opened the top of the dryer, removed the door and held up the dryer drum. I placed the new belt over the drum and placed the pulley assembly on.
I then bolted the front door back on and placed the top back down.

I brought in a broken belt to a local parts store to replace it. They gave me one that was too large. When I returned the belt for a larger one, the clerk measured it against the one I returned, determined that is was shorter, but mistakenly gave me the same belt back. I couldn't go back a third time so I ordered online with Partselect. The part was much cheaper and arrived the next day. I put the belt on in minutes. Your products are great and your service is quick.

Thank you!

I can honestly say this site saved me over $200. I am a divorced mother of three and i am not mechanically inclined. My daughter is a freshman in college and i need to save all of the money i can. Not only did this site help me diagnosis the problem but it taught me how to repair my dryer ALL BY MYSELF. The parts with shipping cost under $33. I took the cabinet apart using the instructions provided by this site and i replaced the belt and the idler assembly. I was so proud of myself and so was my 17 yr old son and my daughter. The entire repair from taking it apart replacing the parts and putting the dryer back together took less than 60 minutes. Sears would have charged me $139 just to come out for one hour and that does not include the parts. I found $13.65 in change in my dryer. If i subtract the money i found from what i paid...it only cost me $20 something dollars to fix my dryer. I saved well over $200 dollars...not to mention i did not have to sit for 4 hours & wait for a tech to come to my house.

My husband is the repairman here, not I. My dryer just seemed to quit working. He pops the top and determines it wasn't the belt. He takes off the front and removes the drum -- not so easy in our little, crowded laundry room. He turns the motor and determines that it is difficult to turn, so we must need a new motor. I go to parts select on my computer in the adjoining bedroom to read instructions on how to change the motor. You have to take off the back, and then remove the intake cover, I tell him. He does so. "Oh," he says "what's this? I think I see the problem." Suddenly, he bolts from the room and runs to the kitchen. I hear him furiously scrubbing his hands. He comes back, gets a long necked pair of needle-nose pliers from the garage, reaches into the dryer, and extracts a very big, ugly, and very dead rat. EEEWWWW! Mr. Rat had apparently crawled in thru the dryer exhaust, which is vented on our roof, and wrapped himself around the motor. The motor, by the way, was fine after all. Thank heavens he got to the repair quickly before, well, you know! So he determined that we may as well replace the little gizmo the drum belts go on, as it was worn, so he did that easily and I was back in the laundry business, so to speak. Thank you, Parts Select, for your speedy delivery and helpful repair stories. I doubt this story will help anyone, but it may get a laugh.

My dryer belt broke and we bought a belt from some other appliance store. Well, after putting on the new belt we broke the idler pulley. Rather than running to the store again (30 miles away), I bought the part online using PartSelect. The part search was easy, the exploded views were very helpful, and the online shopping was great! Delivery was fast too! I'm happy to say my dryer is back online thanks to PartSelect!

Removed Lint trap
Removed 2 screws (5/16 nut driver), to remove the front panel, lifts off clips, tagged and removed door switch wires, blocked the drum up prior to removing panel
Replaced belt and tensioner as shown with parts.
Total time 30 minutes or less

Part Select was Great ! I ordered on Sunday and my - better than original - parts arrived tuesday.
I'd definately order here again.

First unplug your dryer for safety sake. This model's top simply lifts with moderate pressure applied to the top front deck to release the spring tabs. Next use a small flat bladed tool to release the plastic tab on the door electrical connector and unplug. Using a nutdriver or socket set, unscrew the two 5/16" (or 8mm) hex screws located on the top inside of the front panel. Support the drum with one hand while pulling the front panel out and upward. For ease you can block up the front of the drum with something suitable in the 5 to 6" range.
Remove the belt by simply compressing the tension arm / roller by hand (there's not much tension), removing from the motor drive pulley, and finally from the drum. Installation is the reverse, just remember to give the drum a few rotations by hand to make sure the belt is seated and running true.

I didn't, my son-in-law did. He replaced the belt and the pulley, and within 5 minutes he had my dryer together and running. He was so impressed with your service that he put you in his favorites on his computer. Thanks

took top of dryer off by prying at seam in front of dryer above door tilted top back found 2 screws one on either side that holds front pannel on removed screws and lifted frond pannel off which exposed motor and belt adjuster took drum out and installed belt uusinf tape to hold belt in place put drum back made final connections an d thats it