MDE5500AYW Maytag Dryer - Instructions

The dryer started making a screeching/squealing noise…when it became unbearable, I decided to research the problem and found this website - it was tremendously helpful.

Based on what I found, I decided to order two drum rollers and two shafts – hoping that would solve the problem. My husband and I disassembled the dryer and replaced those parts. We also vacuumed the unit and wiped down the 10 years of gunk. Honestly I am surprised we have not had a fire given the amount of dust/lint inside the unit. I also took the opportunity to give the vent a good cleaning as well.

We put the unit back together, turned it on and listened to the quiet hum of our renewed dryer. Until about 15 minutes later and then the screeching/squealing started again. Kicking myself for not ordering the idler arm and shaft as well as the idler pulley wheel and bearing the first time – I went online and placed another order.

We took the unit apart a second time. We did inspect the pulley the previous time, but it appeared in good working order. Not seized like some of the other posts mentioned. Upon further inspection, it did seem to make a squealing noise when we wiggled it – duh!

The unit was put back together, quietly doing it’s job and we feel confident that we will get a few more years out of it. The videos were extremely helpful as were the posts from other do-it-yourselfers. We saved a lot of money with this fix.

Good luck!

BTW - The Lint Filter was not a problem - I just thought after 10 years, we could use a new one. I laughed when I saw the repair video on it!

Replaced damaged parts and recommended parts normally causing the problem. Dryer is working again like new. I expended $112 rather than $600 for a new equipment. Good deal!

Take old out, slide new one in. Perfect fit.

The numbers on the metal plates were the JC Penney numbers - that no one recognizes. I eventually found the model number inside the timer case on a printed schematic. I started by disassembling whatever metal covers were removable by finding sheet metal screws and unscrewing them. If you pull on the sheet metal covers, you can find where they are connected to the frame. Eventually, I found that both the heating element was broken and the thermostat was fried. It took a while looking at various websites to find the proper parts. It's all OK now.

I looked on line and found a scematic from your web site to determine how to dismantel the dryer. Once I was inside I was able to determine that the drum roller was making the noise. I decided to replace the other moving part while I was inside just in case. . . Pretty easy job

Removed Dryer Door and front face of dryer, total of 4 screws, turn dryer drum to position broken baffle screws, remove screws, install new baffle, attach front face of dryer and reattach dryer door. Time 15-30 min. total. Real easy. Thank You PartSelect. Maytag told me my part was no longer available, but I fold it at PartSelect.com.

Unplugged dryer and removed screws that hold door in place. removed screws that hold front panel. removed front panel. took drum belt off idler pulley. pulled drum out of dryer cabinet. unhooked wiring harness and removed motor. replaced motor and reversed steps to put back together. Thanks to partselect for getting me the parts so quickly. I ordered the motor on line on Friday and it was at my house on Saturday.

Removed front panel and tumbler, replaced roller axle,
wheel, and front glides. Anybody can do this.

I removed the front of the dryer and the drum support plate. I drilled out the old rivets and installed the Glides with the enclose rivets. The Glides came loose in a few days! The holes in the glides are larger than in the old Glides. I disassembled the dryer again and reassembled with my rivets. This time I held the rivet gun inside the perimeter of the dryer so that the head of the rivet is opposite the initial installation. So far, so good, except the dryer still squeaks. The idler pulley is now the culprit. White grease burned up. I reassembled with high temperature grease. If that does not work, I will need another idler pulley. The journal looks very worn. the dryer is 30+ years old.

Replaced the motor with a new one from partselect per the YouTube video. Had a problem with delivery of the motor. I paid for next day delivery. FedEx picked it up and it made it to the first stop, Indianapolis ok and then stopped. After a week went by I ordered a second one. That one came as promised + 1 day so I’m satisfied. The telephone people were very well spoken and attentive to my discomfort and again I’m satisfied. The motor was at least 25% cheaper than if I bought it from Maytag so the savings is significant, about $50.

This is the dryer of a 28 year old Maytag laundry pair. I had replaced the glide kit 8-10 years before. Did them again because they were worn in half again but this time I added the 2 roller kits and the belt, really just guessing. I was surprised how full of dust and lint the inside was, especially the blower fan blades. I ordered the screw because the belt idler pulley assembly was very wobbly and I hoped that was the screw anchoring it to the motor housing was the problem but it wasn't. Turns out the threaded hole in the housing was stripped, due I guess to years of vibration. It was too tight to get a tap and dye in there so I drilled the hole out and replaced the screw with a bolt and nut and lock washer. Before drilling it out I tried a few strands of wire and JB Weld, like the trick with stripped wood holes where you break off toothpicks in the hole and fill with wood glue. But that stripped out too so I drilled and used the bolt. Turned out I didn't need that $7 screw. Probably should have known comparing it to the old one which looked the same after I cleaned it. Anyway, it sounds fine again.

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.

The support rollers were fried, literally. I'm honestly surprised they held on. Let's just say that the "roller" part wasn't even attached to the support wheel... That bad. Because there wasn't much support there is a small tear in the metal on the back drum. The felt seal for the drum had basically been worn down to pieces. So I order two drum support rollers, two roller shafts, a new drum felt seal, and a new rib belt.

After the repair, no more squeaking, literally a huge difference, and because of there's plenty of support now for the drum, there isn't any clothes being torn. If it weren't for the videos and the parts, we would of spent hundreds of dollars on a new dryer. Instead we spent just over $100 and now our dryer is quiet and operating better than when we got it.

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

By watching a video I disassembled the front and took the dryer tub out and replace the two rollers and it took about 60 minute.