GDG23CD Maytag Dryer - Instructions

Door switch was very easy to replace as it simply snaps in for the outside and you just clip on the two control wires that already have clips on them.

I had replaced belt, but the noise continued. Ordered new rollers and washer. Removed the front panel by tipping the dryer back against the wall and removing two screws at the bottom of the panel. Tipping the dryer makes it easy to remove the front panel. Removed the front drum support by removing four (4) screws. I was then able to just move the drum enough to have access to the rollers. Didn't even have to remove the belt. Replaced the rollers. Needed special pliers to remove and replace the retaining rings. Put the drum back into position and mounted the front drum support. Tightened four screws and then put the front panel back on. Plugged it in and tested it. Problem solved. Took about 35 minutes. Thanks

Upon receipt of part, just loosened 1 fastener, slid igniter forward and out....unclipped wire connection and replaced... Could not have been easier. Be careful not to overtighten fastener when replacing. Description and pictures made for very easy selection.

I didn't think it would fit as it looked bigger then the old one, I called the service department and they were very helpful. They made note of the fact that I had called with questions in case I had to call again, but it worked, and no one laughed at me. It was very nice of them. Thank you for all the help

Undid two screws in lower front of dryer and popped off front. Removed screws holding lint screen duct and brackets supporting tumbler and removed duct and tumbler quite easily. Pulled, cleaned and oiled rear rollers, replaced front glides, and thoroughly cleaned exhaust duct of lint. Put new belt into position on the roller before sliding tumbler back in, then pulled belt over tumbler as it went in. Be careful to follow belt path directions correctly.
Key to this repair was obtaining the parts so easily from Parts Select.com. Ordered at 2pm and had them 2pm the following day. Unbelievable! These machines are relatively simple to keep running when the parts are available so easily. Thanks for great service.

Replaced both rollers,shafts, bearings and snap rings.

Per instructions I printed off online: took off door, then the front panel. Pulled out the old switch/button, connected the new switch/button, made sure the new button was working; put the panel back on then the door and DONE!

The video was excellent and made for an easy repair. Would highly recommend.

This should have been a simple repair, but turned out to be time consuming and moderately difficult. I hope these instructions will help anyone who encounters the problems described here.

After a period of the dryer not being used, the idler pulley wheel froze on the shaft of the idler pulley arm, so I needed to replace both parts. After mounting the new wheel and two washers on the new arm and securing with a retaining ring, I went to install this assembly by going in through the small access panel at the rear of the dryer. I slid the belt off the old idler pulley wheel and unhooked the spring from the idler pulley arm; the arm was mounted on a sleeve fastened to the motor bracket by one screw. All that should have been necessary was to back out that screw and replace the old idler pulley assembly with the new one.

That is where the trouble started. Backing out the screw with a socket driver, I found it would go a few turns, then start to bind. I tried turning it in and out to get the threads to engage, but it kept binding. Eventually I gave the screw a hard turn, and then it would turn freely but not move in or out.

Looking on the internet for advice, I found a video that asserts for another model Maytag dryer using the same type of mounting for the idler arm, that there is a design flaw. You can find the video by searching for “Maytag dryer idler pulley defect”. According to the video, the sheet metal screw used to mount the idler pulley arm can gradually loosen due to the pressure and vibration, and begins to “waggle” which eventually damages the threads. I believe this is what happened to my dryer. The video suggests replacing the sheet metal screw with a machine screw and nut for a more durable union.

So now I understood how the screw could be stripped just sitting in the dryer, but that didn’t help me get the screw out. Working through the rear access panel, I tried pulling on the screw head with several types of pliers, pushing the point from behind with a piece of wood while turning the head with a socket driver; eventually I was able to use a pry bar under the screw head and sleeve to apply pressure while turning the head, and with that method the screw backed out. With the screw removed, it could be seen that the threads in the middle part of the thread length were almost completely worn away.

The screw sleeve got somewhat deformed in this process so I ordered a new one, along with an exact replacement sheet metal screw, hoping the threads in the hole were still intact. With the old idler pulley arm now removed, I could transfer the old idler bracket spacer to the new idler pulley arm. When the ordered parts arrived and I tried to mount the idler pulley arm, the new screw would go in only a couple of turns before binding. Rather than risk winding up in the same situation by forcing the screw, I decided to use a machine screw and nut instead.

The original sheet metal screw was a #10. A machine screw the same size would not fit through the hole, and I could not fit my drill into the dryer cabinet in a position to enlarge the hole, so I used a #8 machine screw with a nut and lock washer. First I put some grease on the contact areas of the screw sleeve and idler bracket spacer, then inserted the machine screw through the hole and put the lock washer and nut on the other side of the mounting. The space around the nut is very limited, and most of my tools were too large to hold the nut while the screw was tightened. It was too small for a socket or adjustable wrench, and the clearance from the exhaust duct was too small for the handles of most tools. Eventually, I found a needle nose pliers with short handles that did the job. A thin open end wrench might also work. Then I reconnected the spring and belt to the idler pulley assembly, and closed the access panel. So far the dryer works, but if the #8 screw turns out to be not strong enough, I could get an extension for my drill and enlarge the hole to fit a #10 machine screw and nut.

Looking back on the job, the most difficult part of this repair was removing the damaged screw. This and several other steps might have been a lot easier if I had removed the motor bracket (where the idler pulley arm is mounted) from the dryer and worked outside the cabinet. Part Select has an excellent video “Replacing the Drive Motor” that shows how to do this. It would be a lot of disassembly work, but for someone with good assembly skills could be easier in the long run.

Hopefully most folks out there who replace the idler pulley arm on a dryer will find an easier situation than I did. But for any who have to deal with a stripped mounting screw, I hope this summary will help you resolve it.

Turn off circuit breaker or unplug. Remove two screws 4 inches from bottom front panel of cabinet with stubby phillips head. Pull panel towards you about 30 degrees; then wiggle it down, to free two steel spring clips holding it to cabinet. Pull off red and yellow wire from door switch. Now set front panel aside. Blower assembly is facing you at lower left. Open the housing by removing six small screws from cover and one attached to dryer base. Remove spring clip from end of shaft. (A circlip pliers helps to prevent it from springing off somewhere.). Squeeze spring retainer surrounding blower wheel shaft with regular pliers, and wiggle the blower off. Replace in reverse order. Be sure insulation around blower wheel housing seats properly into front panel. This keeps the hot air flowing up past the lint trap.
Easy job, about half hour. Mine took longer, because I had removed the belt and drum, thinking the noise came from bad drum support rollers. It was just the plastic blower wheel shaft seat, which had worn itself round. Cost $20 (including shipping) and my 29-year old Maytag is as good as new--at least for now.

It took me a lot longer to plan the repair and decide to do it than to do the actual work, knowing what I know now, and having the parts, it would take less than half an hour. As there are no repair manuals available, it took one of these reports to give me the confidence I needed to proceed.
I first found out how to open the front (only two screews on the underneath part of the front cover) and opened it to hear the noise, (just put the cover to one side while still connected to the door switch),,,,, sprayed some WD40 all over the place and the noise went away temporarily (DO NOT DO THIS as the oil will burn off on top of heater unit and smell and smoke). I replaced the roller that the drum sits on (above the heating unit) to the right of the drum and the belt. You need a special tool that fits into the little holes in the ring retainer, I got it at Lowe's ($20 +/-). It is a Channellock plier that opens when you squeeze, you have to change the points (comes with it).
So, here is the squence: remove the front panel, disconnect the swhitch (it took some pulling), set aside; remove front drum assembly (only four screws looking at you) and it comes right out; the Drum is light and comes right out as well, it just sits in a dry channel. The belt will fall off.... take the retainer ring off the roller with the special tool... remove roller and replace with new washers (one on either side) replace the ring retainer (recommend getting new one) with same tool. If you remove the small panel in the back of the washer it is very eassy to replace the belt.... I did replace it although the old one looked almost new .. instructions and a diagram come with the parts you buy here by the way... which they should say... place belt on drum per instructions (solid side down), put belt inside the chanell on drum (it will climb to the correct position by itself) put on drum front cover to hold drum in place, and then sting belt on pulley from the back of the dryer. (diagram comes with belt otherwise look at it before taking off the drum) Replace front panel (after reconnecting switch) and you are off (if you want to test without the front panel you have to touch the switch wires to each other (use tape) and do not do plugged in...
After much anxiety but not that much work the dryer runs great and is as quiet as new.... I took the parts off before ordering by the way.... the order came within three days... I am happy to have PartSelect.com .. Maytag had not clue this model even existed.... Thanks

My wife had to help me due to a recent back surgery that I had.

1. Disconnet power. Then if you have room, slide dryer away from wall far enough to tilt it slightly back. We had to do this to remove the two lower front panle philips head scres due to my screwdriver length. If you have a stubby, then you don't need to do this. Remove by pulling out on bottom until the two clips at top disengage from dryer top panel.
2. We removed the four 1/4" head sheet metal screws that hold the front tub support panel (with lint screen). Be carefull of wiring. One moisture sensor wire has to be removed from front cover on lower right side near bottom of tub opening. The remaing wires on left side are long enough to leave them attached and "swing" front panel to your left and in my case, lay it back uprite against the washer front.
3. We slid the tub forward enough to lay old belt down so I could see how it was routed around drive. I wanted to verify paperwork that came with new belt. We then set entire tub out of dryer. You might want to take it to another room if you laundry room is cramped.
4. We removed the nut from back of each support roller shaft, I believe it was 3/8 hex. Then reveresed this procedure to install the new roller and shaft. It was easier to assembly rollers before installing as a unit.
5. I removed the old belt and confirmed its length to new belt. I then installed the new belt over drive sheave and tensioner.
6. We then installed the tub and worked belt around it while keeping it on the drive sheave and tensioner pulley. Had to kind of stick my head into tub to start belt unto it.
7. We checked tub front and rear felt seals and I would recomment\d changing these if your dryer is older than 10 years, we did not have then so kept old ones.
8. We replaced the front tub support and installed the four sheet metal screws.
9. We replaced the front cover and installed the two lower philips head screws.
10. Re-connected power and tested operation.

The directions for the door latch kit told you to take the front of the washer apart to remove the old latch. But in my case the latch was broken in such a way that was not necessary. The new part just popped into place! No more fridge magnets holding the door closed!!!

And the new lint filter is great, the old one was so gunked up with old lint it was becoming difficult to clean.

I don't really know how old my dryer is, I purchased it used about 3 years ago.

I had my oldest son who was home from college help me. We removed the front face of the dryer and put the unit on it's back. We removed the door switch and the blower unit. I didn't get a good look at how the belt was routed when we removed the drum but was able to figure it out when we put it back together. Not only was the belt frayed and dry rotted, the blower squirrel cage was free-wheeling on the shaft. I found a tab of metal I was able to insert in the flat of the shaft between the cage bushing and the shaft and I put the squeeze ring and snap ring back in place. We also discovered the source of much of the rattling noise we had grown accustomed to was actually change pieces trapped under the drum ribs. We removed them and put the ribs back in place and we installed the new belt and figured out how the belt routed around the shaft and tensioning pulley. We cleaned all the trapped lint out of the dryer and reassembled the unit. It now works like new. Thanks!

No tools required, just insert the new lint filter in place of the old one. My dryer is about 20 years old. I think I was lucky to even be able to find a replacement lint filter.