3LMEDC315FW0 Maytag Dryer - Instructions

1. Removed the screws from the lint catcher
2. Removed the bolts from upper rear of dryer
3. Pried off the dryer top from the front (it rests on rear hinges)
4. Disconnected dryer door wiring
5. Removed bolt from inside upper front corners; removed front panel (be careful: the edges are sharp and the tumbler will fall when it loses support)
6. Removed broken belt and lint from interior parts; removed tensioner (which had fallen out of place). Note: The newer models have a tensioner pulley; my older model had a smooth semicircle that was confusing at first glance
7. Flipped dryer onto its back (for easier reinsertion of new belt and tumbler)
8. Placed new belt on tumbler; reinserted tumbler
9. Inserted new belt through tensioner, inserted tensioner "legs" into grooves on floor. Note: The belt will pull the tensioner upright when it's inserted properly (which isn't obvious at first)
10. Made sure belt and tumbler seal were properly installed
11. Replaced parts in reverse order
The process took over an hour because I couldn't figure out how to insert the belt through the tensioner. The trick is to insert the folded belt through the tensioner and onto the motor pulley. If I had to do it again, it would take about 30 minutes (including cleaning lint)

couldn't get blower wheel off of the motor. really tight. rounded off the wheel's square hub while trying to hold it still as I turned the motor shaft out. No, I wasn't turning it the wrong way :) I ended up going to the back of the dryer and using the multimax to quickly cut the wheel away from the hub. I love that oscillating saw! Just for fun, I put the motor in a bench vise and got the wheel hub off (in pieces). VERY tight! Ordered new wheel, and the job was smooth sailing from there on. I am guessing that experienced repair people automatically order the motor and blower wheel at the same time(?) BTW both parts were perfect matches for the originals. Not surprised; this has always been my experience with partselect.com!

Started out taking the back off, then found online that access is from the front and much easier to get to. Simply pop the hinges in the back of the top panel and then the front of the top is popped off. From there, it is easy to remove the old belt, clean the innards (found 31 cents) and replace the new belt. It was a little disconcerting to see the idler pulley laying loose inside, but the diagram showed exactly how to put it back in place, with the new belt keeping it in place.

Replacement handle snapped in place very easily.

Removed and replaced terminal block, power cord and black wire to timer.

took the old one off and pooped in the new one!

This product comes in a bottle with a brush like Liquid Paper. It goes on incredibly easy. A second coat might be needed. I wanted to prevent rust from setting in so I covered the scratches and dings. The paint is a little brighter since my washer is 10 years old but it still looks great.

First of all, you go in from the front. There a clip on each side that I just pried up to pop the front of the dryer up. A screw also needs to be removed in the lint catcher area. Also, two screws holding the door open switch must be removed as I never could get the electrical connectors to disconnect. No big deal. I had to figure out you must lift the front of the dryer up as the last two things holding it in are a prong on each side. Lift the front up and off and set it aside. As you do this the drum will either fall on your feet or you'll have it supported be another person or with something else. I used bungee cords and kept it in the laundry room. Cleaned out all the old lint, collected a few bucks in change. It took me awhile to figure out how the new belt routed through the removable pulley guide thing and around the wheel pulley. I don't remember right now as I'm not looking at it but remember pinching the belt and feeding it through the guide and around the wheel pulley which has a little slot and grooves matching the belt. Besides scrapping my wife's hand while she was helping me get the front of the dryer back on there were no casualties or further complications. Good luck!

Disconnected supply. Lifted top (hinges on rear). removed two 1/4 hex head screws retaining front panel. Disconnected door switch wires. Removed front panel, lifting off from bottom tabs. Lifted out drum and discarded broken belt. Spent 30 minutes+ cleaning interior, drum skid area, dryer exit tube, motor pulley, belt tensioner, etc, etc. Checked wiring harness for possible damage (no damage found). Repositioned drum skid pads, which had become dislodged from their intended position. Reinstalled the drum with new belt, ensuring both belt & tensioner were correctly positioned, and drum rollers and felt seals were also correctly positioned. Reinstalled front panel, tightening the two 1/4 hex head retaining screws. Reconnected power. Checked functionality. Closed top cover.

There are a total of six screws that have to be removed to do this job.
Take the lint tray out and remove the first two screws.
Secondly, remove the lower panel in the front of the dryer. You do this by inserting a screwdriver at the top portion and pry it off. Next, loosen the two screws under the top panel in the front of the dryer.
Now take your screwdriver and pry up the top lid of the dryer. The last two screws are in the inside of the front panel. They hold together the front and side panels. Remove them and be sure you have a support for under the dryer drum. (once you remove the front panel, the drum no longer has a way to stay suspended)
(Make sure you disconnect the wires attached to the front door, making note of which wire goes where.)
At this point, You can follow the easy instructions that come with your new belt.
If you have a little mechanical aptitude, this is a very easy project.

Repair was very easy only took about ten minutes

If you were to do the Belt Replacement only, here is the quick synopsis:
1. Unplug dryer;
2a. Open lint door on top of dryer and remove the two phillips head screws that hold the lint bay to the metal dryer top;
2b. Next remove the two brakets holding the metal top to the dryer back (one screw on each bracket);
3. Use a flat-blade screw driver to pry off the top of the dryer (leaving the timer and start button area attached);
4. Lift off top and push back to expose just enough area so you can get to the two screws holding the dryer sides to the dryer front;
5. Unplug door switch;
6. Unscrew screws from #4;
7. With door open, lift dryer front (only about an inch) and then pry bottom of dryer front from dryer sides. The bottom of the dryer front is not screwed, just siting on Front Panel Clips;
8. Once the front is off the dryer, simply remove the belt and install the new one. Please note that while you are in here, you may want to inspect the rear drum seal and replace if it is worn to the point where metal is rubbing on metal. This is also a good time to clean out dust from inside this cavity to help extend the life of the bearings on the rollers and prevent dust from accumulating and gunking up the motor, etc.
9. Re-assemble tin the opposite order.
If you have any mechanical sense at all and you don't know anything about dryers, you will be surprised at the simplicity of the dryer.

the job would have gone faster if the right parts had been sent in the first place. I would have never paid for two day shipping. In the repair, I removed the rear panel, clipped the plastic triangle holding the bearing, installed the new bearing and new clip.

Put high temperature glue on first, then put door gasket over the high temperature glue and then let it set for 24 hours. It worked fine....

1. Shut off gas and disconnected dryer.
2. Opened cabinet. Easy sheet metal screws and fairly obvious how everything goes together. NB: You'll need a block (or a helper to hold things while you run to look for one) to hold the drum while removing the front.
3. The motor is connected with a single harness, so wiring is a snap.
4. Removing the blower wheel from the back was hard. I braced the motor shaft and turned with all the leverage I could muster, but it was stuck. Plan B: Recip saw to cut the shaft. Motor comes out one side and the fan comes out the other.
5. The fan, of course, was unusable because there was still a piece of motor shaft stuck in the thread. This is why I had to spring for a new wheel.
6. Put everything back together and receive wife's adoring praise...