MDE13PDBDW Maytag Dryer - Instructions

Replaced a bad 240 volt heat relay and the problem was solved.

used a utility knife to open the box in which the part was shipped, discarded the old filter and inserted the new one

My first attemp was to replace the drum roller and idler roller, drive belt, and the felt seal for the back, since I had experience replacing these on an older machine many years ago. The dryer was very easy to work on....After installing the new parts, I reassembled and discovered it still made the same loud noise. I then, disassembled for the second time to discover the blower wheel was worn out; so i ordered another blower wheel and a drum support roller (i only ordered one the first time.). After reassembling it made an annoying high pitch sound. I attributed that to the new parts...probably the new belt and new felt seal. Gave it some time to run-in and it seems to have quieted down. Overall, i found the dryer very easy to work on. I actually found the felt seal the most onerous to install....needed to have about three hands to get the drum back in place! I just wish that the stamped metal dryer housing didn't have such sharp edges. I had to be very careful to avoid sharp burrs but still got nicked a couple of times.

first i removed the screws holding back cover. Then I remeved nut from tumbler roller shaft. Then I slid shaft from roller .I removed roller then replaced with new one. Installed new shaft then replaced back cover. recieved parts from parts direct very promptly & they were the right parts the first time thanks very much

From the noise level and info on this site, I assumed I needed to replace the drum rollers. I ordered two, along with the Roller Shaft, and a replacement belt (I assumed that would eventually need to be replaced so why not now).
No need for me to repeat the excellent reviews/instructions already on this site. Basically, it was an easy job that took about 2 hours, mostly because I took the time to clean every nook and cranny I could find.
Once I assembled it back up, the shriek was gone but the rumble noise was still there. I now realize that the blower wheel must have a worn out d-hole that mates with the motor shaft. So, I will have to order that part, get it installed and I am confident that I will have a "new" machine once that is in place.

I looked for dryer repair videos on my computer. I found several and they all showed me that what was most likely broken was the tumbler belt. I didn't even know dryers had a belt. My dryer still turned on,and still produced heat. It just wouldn't rotate. One of the videos even used the exact Maytag dryer in their video that I had. After watching it a few times, I knew I could make this repair. I am pretty good at fixing things if I can first see it done. I had never taken a dryer apart before though. I pulled the dryer away from the wall and unplugged it. I unscrewed the small access panel on the back of the dryer. This let me see the two belt pulleys back there. Then I went to the front and removed the two screws(my particular model) that held the front panel on and removed it. I then unscrewed the four screws holding on the front face plate in front of the tumbler. Next, I pulled the tumbler out, it is not screwed in. There was the broken belt. It took two days with regular shipping for the belt to come in. I put the tumbler back in, resting it on its two supports, placed the belt on, flat side down, and routed the belt through the pulleys in the back of the dryer exactly as it had been shown in the videos. I turned the tumbler clockwise two full rotations by hand to make sure the belt was seated correctly on the pulleys, and it was. I then screwed the face plate back on in front of the tumbler, put the front panel back on and screwed it in. I then reattached the back access panel. I plugged the dryer back in and turned it on. It worked. Though it may take a bit longer, this type of repair is about as easy as replacing a broken belt on a vacuum cleaner even for someone who has never done a dryer repair before. Watch a Repair Clinic video and if you enjoy fixing things, replacing a belt on a clothes dryer will be your next successful repair. It really is pretty easy.

Disassembled per instructions. Additional time used to clean inside unit.. Its much easier to install belt on motor pulley and tension pulley ( Roller) from rear access panel. Also ensures proper belt alignment on all items.

Installation of drum support kit was difficult because my snap ring pliers would not fit in the snap ring holes. Had to use pliers and screw driver to get them off and to put them back on. That took much patience and time. Installation of front guides was a bit difficult because the rivets were loose and turned when trying to drill them out. Also they were bigger and I needed a larger drill bit than the 1/8 told about in the video. Used drill, screw driver and pliers to get the rivets out. Also took more time and patience to do this. Belt did not need replacement but felt it a good idea to do it as long as I was in there. Belt installation was easy because my dryer has a rear view opening and I could use it to thread the belt. Tried it from the front as shown in the video just to see if I could and found it impossible. Could not even get my hands to hold the belt. Also vacuumed out 20 years of lint and dust that was inside the dryer. The videos were excellent in showing what to do and how to do it. Not sure how well I would have done without them.

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.

Every two to three years, the blower wheel gets chewed out in the center where it attaches to the motor shaft. I have learned the sound of it starting to rattle so I know to order a new blower before the air stops moving altogether. Replacing it is very easy if you have tiny sockets or nut drivers and a pair of snap ring pliers.

When working on this dryer, be aware that the heater wires are always "hot", even when the dryer is not running. You are only likely to touch one at a time so the worst you will feel is 120 volts. The shock probably won't hurt you but you may cut yourself jerking your arm out of the dryer. Best to unplug the dryer or open the circuit breaker before sticking your arm in there!

Replaced all the parts per the very good video provided on the website.
I recommend watching the video very closely several times. BE SURE THE BELT IS NOT IN THE DRUM'S GROOVE. The video mentions this very very briefly; I caught it on my third viewing. If your belt is not the correct location, it may still turn the drum for you - and eat the belt up in about an hour.

I removed the cover from the control panel, took out the schematic, removed the rear cover by the motor, followed the schematic, powered the heater by taking the blue hot leg wire off the right side of the switch and touching it to the black lead for the heater on the left side, and I could hear the heater power on. Since bypassing the motor start switch powered the heater, I ordered the part. When it came, I installed it in about 5 minutes and the dryer worked perfectly.

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

If your dryer is making a rumbling noise, change the blower wheel. It's plastic and the heating and cooling cycles causes the keyway in the plastic to give out and the wheel just spins causing the noise and the slower dry time. The other parts I replaced see below. Like many other repairs, remove screws below dryer door. Mark all wires and locations for re-assembly. Next remove front tumbler/lint screen assembly (4 sheet metal screws 2/L 2/R. Work belt off back of tumbler and remove. Use flathead screw driver to release tabs that hold felts on both front and back tumble supports. Make sure you know rotation of tumbler and install new felts so the overlap goes in direction of spin. Use a drum stick or 3/8 ratchet extension, something dull and flat to press tabs back down on felts. A screwdriver could slip off and tear cloth. Next drill out heads of the rivets on the glides and remove teflon glide and cork backer. Make sure all rivet material is removed front and back. Install new cork and glide. Rivet one side back in, then the other. Repeat on 2nd glide. Re-assemble dryer. Super smooth, super quiet.

My part was not amazing. What was genuinely cool: I ordered it one day and it was here the next, took out the old and put in the new. Thanks for getting it here so quickly.