Maytag Dryer Repair

[nap]

Anyone qualified with Maytag dryer repair ? I have a loud squealing noise I need to fix which I assume is the belt. I have parts on order. My question is what is the procedure for dis-assembly ? Any help gladly appreciated. Thanks.

[CTTE]

A dryer is probably the the easiest home appliance to repair yourself. Here's a good site for help:

http://www.repairclinic.com/Dryer-Repair-Help

It may be a belt, or you may need a roller kit. Replace the seal at the back of the drum while you're in there if it needs it.

[Keiko]

Hasn't been a good year for major appliances, huh, nap? No experience, but maybe these can help.

http://www.applianceaid.com/maytag-dryers.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_4841992_chan...ryer-belt.html

[AudioGenics]

it may be more than just the belt which stretches over the years

I had my done - a Whirlpool - and
there were a couple of pulleys that also needed to be replaced.

[tonyb]

If you can do the repairs yourself, cool. If it's a 300 buck dryer though, maybe better to just chuck it and spring for a new one. The reason I say this is many moons ago, I did the same thing,replace the belt,pulleys, aggravating task. Only to have a couple sensors bite the dust a month later. Pissed at myself for the time and money spent fixing something not worth the sum of the parts I put into it.

[mdaudioguy]

The belt and pulleys may be fine. With some dryers, the drum is supported in the back by a spindle that sits in a bearing. This bearing wears out, but is easily replaced. Belts are cheap, though, so I'd replace that too, while I was in there. Good luck!

[WilliamM2]

Never know until you open it up. My old dryer had a loud squeal, it had a plastic blower fan in it that was slipping on the shaft. I was sure it was the belt, and had already ordered one. A little JB weld and it was good for five more years, until the motor died.

[munk]

A lot of Maytag stuff, if not all, is no longer built to last.

[snow]

Anyone qualified with Maytag dryer repair ? I have a loud squealing noise I need to fix which I assume is the belt. I have parts on order. My question is what is the procedure for dis-assembly ? Any help gladly appreciated. Thanks.

Not 100% certain because I dont know the model but if you take the front cover off you will in most cases be able to access the belt.



REGARDS SNOW

[nguyendot]

They're ridiculously simple to fix. Usually the drum just sits on two pulleys in the back and the front usually leans on a slippery pad that just holds it back.

The squealing comes from when the roller/pulleys wear down. They are usually plastic with a rubber coating (just a rubber wheel). What will happen is one side will wear down and it won't spin anymore. The dryer will still work, it will just go slower and make an awful noise. Eventually it'll start to burn the rubber and the wheel may grind.

This happened to my Whirlpool. I'm not sure if maytag is the same way, but as I've seen they're very similar. Ours went out over the Thanksgiving holiday about three years ago and we really needed to get laundry done. The repair kit was about $50 for two pulleys and a belt. Well we didn't want to wait and order, so I took the pulley out and looked at it. I looked at the wheel and wondered what would replace it. It's only about 1/2" thick and 4" diameter or so (been 3 years so forgive me if it's a tad wrong).

Anyways I couldn't find anything similar at Home Depot so I figured maybe a roller blade wheel? Walmart didn't have them.... but Academy did! I bought a replacement set of 8 for $10 on clearance and took them home. They were about the same size, except the roller blade wheel is about twice as thick. This isn't a huge deal as the groove it sits in accomodates it still. The rubber part of the roller blade wheel is significantly larger (almost the whole wheel, as opposed to only 1/4" on the original pulley). I took the bearing out of the original wheel/pulley and had to shoehorn it into the rollerblade wheel. It was too small so I used a dremel and removed enough material to shove the bearing in. I put it back together and set the drum back into the dryer. Disassembling/reassembling takes about 30min total, retrofitting the wheel takes about an hour.

I turned it back on and the girlfriend asked if it was even on. I was concerned. It didnt' sound like it was moving at all. Given, it was louder than stepping on a cat before so it was hard to compare. I threw a shoe into the dryer and turned it on again. Thump thump thump. So it runs, but it's so quiet that you can't tell unless you put something in it. Basically the roller blade wheels have so much traction material on there compared to the original wheel that it dampens most of the noise. The dryer used to be much louder than the washer, and now when you run both you only hear the washer.

Talk about ghetto ingenuity.

[Fongolio]

Since you'll have it open, I'd re-cap it while you're at it. I'd also add some Black Diamond racing cones. They'll really improve the bottom end and imaging.

[inspiredsports]

Since you'll have it open, I'd re-cap it while you're at it. I'd also add some Black Diamond racing cones. They'll really improve the bottom end and imaging.

Now that's some good stuff!

[nap]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I was thinking of asking Matthew Polk to come over and help me figure out what frequencies were being overemphasized. We could figure out the proper notch filter and make the thing more quiet than a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones. Or maybe I'll just get the headphones, tell Matthew to stay home and ignore the dryer.

[mrbigbluelight]

Or maybe I'll just get the headphones, tell Matthew to stay home and ignore the dryer.

Get the Bose headphones, and it might be possible that MP will be telling you to stay home, too.

[pepster]

Since you'll have it open, I'd re-cap it while you're at it. I'd also add some Black Diamond racing cones. They'll really improve the bottom end and imaging.

Not sure if Furutech makes a 220v connector, but you might look into it, along with some Techflex braiding.
Probably dry your clothes alittle quicker!

[BuckeyeTim]

It could also be that the felt and pads that the front of the drum rides on are worn to the point that the drum rubs metal to metal. Just reach in side the door and see if the drum pushes up and down by hand. Personally, I wouldn't worry much about the belt stretching as there should be a spring loaded tensioner to keep it tight.

I really don't think it could be anything other than drum rub, rear drum bearing, or pulley bearing. Lift the top, it should be just spring clips, and see if you can narrow down where the squeak is coming from.


Tim

[nap]

Get the Bose headphones, and it might be possible that MP will be telling you to stay home, too.

Sadly, you are probably right.

[kevhed72]

A lot of Maytag stuff, if not all, is no longer built to last.

I second that...my current set is only 6 years old and I am looking at getting a new LG set.

[nap]

Okay, call me a slacker. It was a rainy day yesterday in B'more so I decided that the dryer repair had waited long enough. Replaced the belt, tensioner pulley and rollers. Got it all back together and the thing sounds like it is new. A very easy repair once you can get everything taken apart. I would like to thank everyone for their input. I would also like to recommend the website partselect.com. I found their repair and troubleshooting guides invaluable. That is where I bought my parts from as well, very quick shipping. In case you are wondering I have no connection to them, just wanted to share the positive experience in case anyone finds themself in the same boat. Cheers.

[george daniel]

good on you-- had to replace the heating element/thermostat thingy in mine yesterday--added a few sheets of dynamat much quieter now,,also some vibrapods to the washer,,talk about a high end laundry room,,,I am serious about the heating element though.