PALE866SBW Whirlpool Dryer - Instructions

Remove front panel, lint basket, motor mounts,exhaust hood, front drum brackets. Then slip serpentine belt around drum, pressure w/ tension idler pulley and slip around drive motor spindle. Replace all parts in reverse order (a two person job).
Vacuumed inside of dryer (full of lint.)

First I turned off the gas supply line. Then unplug the dryer. Remove bottom front cover by removing the 2 screws (1 at each side) at the bottom. Next remove the 2 screws (1 at each side) located at bottom of front door panel. Pull front panel away from dryer and pull down slightly. This will disconnect the entire front panel(with door) from dryer. Carefull because there is a switch located at the top right corner of the panel on the inside. This will not allow you to remove the door yet. On some scratch paper, sketch the switch and correct color wire positions. Remove wires at connections. Pull the drum toward front dryer carefully. This dislodges it from the back of the dryer. No need to remove it from dryer. This way the belt still remains in place. From inside drum, use a pair of snap ring pliers to remove the snap ring from the support roller shaft located on left side of drum, below where the drum was sitting prior to pulling it forward to dislodge it from inside rear of dryer.
Remove old wheel , place some grease on inside of new support roller and some on the shaft. Install new roller and replace snap ring. Slide drum back in place inside the dryer at the rear. Hand rotate the drum to ensure it is properly installed. Reconnect the switch wires to the front panel. Slide panel up into place so that the clips (at top of panel) lock into place(square holes in top cover plate of dryer). Have the door open when doing this because you have to seat the front of the drum into the front cover. Reinstall the 2 screws. Test spin the drum again by hand. If it feels right, it's correctly seated.
Reinstall bottom front cover. While everything is apart, you may want to use a vacuum cleaner to clean the inside of your dryer. Perfect time to do this. Plug dryer back in and open gas supply line. Test the dryer. Should be nice and quiet again.
This fix is for the left side support roller only. There is a support roller on the right side also. In my case I only needed to fix the left side support roller. The inner diameter of the roller was badly worn and needed to be replaced. You may want to purchase the support roller shaft at the same time. I didn't and will need to do this repair again. I only purchased the support roller and when I removed it, I noticed the shaft is badly worn also. In my case, temporary fix until the shaft is ordered and then I'll do this again.

FIRST unplug dryer from electrical source, CAUTION, the top of this dryer does not open with clips, do not pry on top to open! On the front of the dryer look under the lower panel, and find two screws, one on the left side, and one on the right, remove these screws, and pull slightly down on panel to remove. Behind this panel find two screws holding the door panel, one on the left, and one on the right, remove the left, and support the door panel while removing the right side. Gently pull the bottom of door panel outward, and the clips on top of door panel will unhinge from top, carefully rotate left side of door panel to floor, and note the wire connections on switch, and orientation of switch, then unplug wires, and move door panel to a comfortable working positon. Door must be open to remove switch, then depress the two plastic retaining keepers on each side of switch, and push switch through toward door. Replace with new switch, reconnect the wires, and reassymble in reverse order. Remember, door assymbly must be inserted in dryer top at an angle, and then bottom rotated downward, and bottom panel nylon guildes inserted into door panel bottom.

The door had always opened with the wrong swing and it wasn't til I needed to repair this that I noticed you could change the swing. I changed the swing of the door and then noticed that the clip was included on both sides so i did not need to repair the catch. I still have the part so when it breaks again, I can just pop it in.

This was much easier than I expected. I pulled the front covers, released the belt (just move tentioner pulley with fingers to release belt), removed the drum to access the motor. The motor was easy to remove. I loosened then nut in the fan assy using my channel locks (because I did not have a socket that big and then removed the wire harness clip to prepare the motor for removal. The two mounting clips were the tricky part as the fit over a metal ear on each side locked by the spring tension of the clips. It looks like a special tool my be available but I simply used my big straitslot and heavy downward pressure to remove and install. This repair can be completed by anyone with very basic mechanical skills and impress the spouse.

First unplugged unit .2nd took off front cover and removed bottom screws and that allows it to open up and lean back.3rd pryed the motor lock down springs by applying pressure down and out . forth used vise grips to hold motor shaft, while using the 7/8 socket to loosen the blower fan.Last go through steps to put back together.

I used my screw driver to pry the old female end of the latch from the dryer unit. I forced the new female part of the latch into the hole and bang...45 seconds later the door closed securely --like new!

Unplugged Dryer. Removed two bottom panel screws with nutdriver. Element in back left corner (under drum). Removed two screws holding element in place. Slide element down and pull out at a slight angle until entire element cleared and can be pulled out. Wires are long enough to reach out to the front of Dryer to make work easy. Had to remove two high temp thermostats and transfer to new element. Moved wires that were left and transfered over to new element. Reinstalled element and front cover. Plugged in Dryer and turned on. HEAT AGAIN. EASY!! With a little coaching I could have had my 8 year old do the repair. Honestly, it was that easy. Don't be intimidated and pay the repair man $350 to fix it for you. At least not on my model of Dryer! Hope this helps someone!!! To be honest, it probably took me longer to post this description than it did to make the repair.

Unplug the power cord from the unit. Remove the lower front panel; then the upper front panel including the door (unplug wire to door switch). Then remove the cover on the fan housing. Need to block the motor from turning; I used a stick to jamb the front of the motor; then unscrew the old blower fan and screw on the new one. Then replace the cover and put front panels back on.

Removed top, remove front panel, removed drum assembly brace, removed drum and belt . The belt and rotor were shot. I replaced both drum support rollers since i was there. Then replaced the motor and Idler lever and pulley, the put the belt on and put everything back. This unit will last a while longer and the grand total including next day air 175.00. I tried to just by the motor locally but for 242.00 I got every thing listed above.
Thanks

I took the front bottom cover off. In the lower left corner in the back of the dryer was the element. I removed the two screws that held it in place. The wires were long enough to reach the front of the dryer with the element for eas of switching. I pulled the element out to the front of the dryer and switched wires. Slid new element in place which looks trickey but it sits right were you need it too so you can get screws in. I put cover back on ran a cycle with no cloths to burn off the element and as good as new.

First, I unplugged the dryer. Then I used a flat screw driver to pop the top open. I removed 2 bolts from the front cover and removed the front door cover. I also took pictures of the electrical connector on the door so I would remember how the wires went back on. Then I removed 4 bolts from the front drum guide and lint screen holder. This allowed me to remove the drum & old belt. While the drum was out, I pried an access panel open on the side of the dryer. I then glued the new back felt piece in place. I put the new belt around the drum and re installed it. I re-installed the front guide and front cover re-connecting the door electrical switch. With the access panel open, I attached the belt to the motor. I then plugged it back in and turned it on to verify operation pryor to snapping the top cover back in place. Very easy repair.

Simply remove the front panel screws(2) at the bottom of the dryer. Pull bottom of panel outward until it swings free of the top(taking care not to pull the wires out). Rotate out of the way and remove the two left side screws holding the drum plate and snake the belt around the flange. Reinstall those screws and remove the same ones on the right side. Snake the belt behind that flange and reinstall screws. Then all you have to do is run the belt around the motor sheave and the idler pully and your done. Reinstall the front panel.

Because the wheel had stopped and the shaft kept turning (junk from child's pocket got in there), the nut stripped itself away from the wheel causing low RPM and low air movement (lazy flame, vibration and clothes not drying)

I had to use a screwdriver to break the wheel away from the center nut and remove the fan. I then removed the air fan housing (3 bolt behind the fan wheel). I used a small pair of vise grips to hold the motor shaft staionary while I used a pair of channel lock pliers to remove the nut that was molded into the fan from the motor shaft. It was harder to get the nut started then I would have thought.

Once complete, I put the fan housing back on and threaded the new wheel on easily. The motor has external fins on it which turn with the shaft-I held one lightly while I threaded the fan on to keep the shaft from turning. Tighten just slightly more than hand tight-don't go crazy-it's threaded to stay tight with rotation. Works great and very quiet now.

I just inserted the door catch, which by the way fit in perfectly. Thanks. Took 5 seconds to repair.