41780052990 Kenmore Dryer - Instructions

This was a Sears Dryer, also know as Kenmore, This dryer can be stacked or side by side. In this case it was stacked. There are no directions on how to replace this part. For this model made in 2005 the lid of the dryer is held in front by two clips. You open the lid simply by prying the two front corners up with a flat head screw driver. The front of the top lid pops right up. You may have to remove the mounts in back if you cant lift the dryer lid enough to be able to get your hands in. UNPLUG THE DRYER I got a nasty shock. There are two wires on the switch, remember how they go and where they are, that's important. Turn the switch (from the front or back) so that it pops out. Remove and replace the wires put it back in (from behind/top) and twist a 1/4 turn into place. Plug, test and simply push the cover back down onto the clips. Done.

followed the repair video and replaced thermal fuse and thermostat(recommend replacing both due to the problem could of resulted in either part being the cause),Repair went relatively easy.I also recommend to clean and vacuum the dryer while you have it all apart due to a lot of lint buildup and don't forget to unplug before servicing!Stay Safe!!!

I watched videos so I would know what I was doing. Well No, My thermostat was in the front of the dryer. But after a little blood and sweat, and I am not kidding, I got the front off. I ordered my new part. Finally got it in Spent $40.00 and it still doesn't work. I know it was the right part. I checked all the trouble shooting web site. That was the only thing they said it would be. Friends advice tell me it is the brains of the thing and I need a new one. Well not 2 weeks before Christmas. Thanks for asking. Single hard working mom.

I removed dryer exhaust hose.unsnapped top cover the clips are in front and exposed inside of dryer,remove 2 screws on inside of front cover and set aside. remove lower cover in back and push belt extender until belt is loose remove 3 screws on inside of tumbler. remove tumbler out the front of dryer be careful not to damage belt set aside remove ball plate by pulling up and out it will unsnap. Now remove 2 sets of wires that are connected to heater element plate remove 4 screws holding element plate in place. Since dryer was all exposed I cleaned everything out with a wet vac put back together following instructions in reverse. Good luck

I remove the old lint filter and just put the new one in.

Removed the back panel and the exhaust hose.removed the heater element and changed the thermostat wire was melted cut damaged part of wire soldered and rapped with black electrical tap

popped the catch in existing hole and replaced the screws

Followed your website repair guides and the great belt replacement video.

Other parts used were; front lower basket seal, dryer seal, and dryer drum belt.

Had no problems except for keeping the drum belt idler pulley tension spring in place. Used the rear access panel to solve this issue.

John H.
Palm Desert, CA

1. After checking the Parts Select website for some useful information I unplugged the dryer.
2. I popped the two clips holding the top down and lifted the top up and out of the way.
3. I used the 8mm socket and screwdiver combo to remove the two screws holding the front of the dryer on. These screws are so close to the sides of the dryer that you need something very thin to seat the socket, it is so thin a small rachet would not fit.
4. Once the to screws are free to forget to unhook the two wires that lead to the automatic cutoff switch on the right. Label them and move them out of the way.
5. The front of the dryer should pivot forward and come right off. Don't forget about the two clips at the bottom, they are not really attached to anything and can be easy to lose.
6. Get your screwdriver and dive into the drum, on the back should be three screws, take those out.
7. Spin the dryer around and take off the vent cover in the lower left corner of the back of the dryer, watch out the socket is a smaller size.
8. Once inside there is an idler pulley like on the back of a ten speed bike, pull the tension out of it and take the drive belt off the pulleys.
9. The drum should be able to be pulled out the front of the dryer, set aside with the door. The screws on my dryer were so tight I had to use a hammer drill to remove them.
10. This is were I got stuck, no one mentioned how to get the bearing plate off, as if everyone would just know. You must lift up on the bearing plate and once it moves up then you can pull it out.
11. Use the 8mm socket to unscrew the old plastic bearing guide. The small metal clip on the back of the dryer will fall off with the grounding ball bearing.
12. With brum bearing kit in hand start off by putting as much high temp lubricant as you can into the bottom of the new bearing guide. I also use a little lubricant like glue to hold the new grounding ball bearing in the little hole on the back of the bearing guide.
13. Here is the tricky part you have to screw the bearing guide into the the dryer while simulaneously holding the little metal clip in place on the back of the dryer. I used duct tape to hold the metal clip and once the screws got started I just took the tape off.
14. Now you have to do the impossible, the bearing must be screwed to the drum. So unless you have 7 foot long arms you can't hold the bearing and drive the screws. Another problem is the bearing itself, the holes are not the same size as the original and they are not threaded. I stripped every screw that came with the kit trying to get them through the metal of the bearing.
15. With an unwilling victim holding the bearing steady I finally got a replacement screw to seat through the bearing. Once you get one the rest are easier.
16. You are ready to reassemble, after vacuuming everything ou, pick up the drum making sure the belt is around the drum about where it was when you took it off. Push the drum through the front of the dryer all the way to the back, aim a little high so the bearing can move down and seat in the bearing guide.
17. Tuck the clips on the front panel of the dryer into the bottom front edge of the dryer and the whole front should pivot up, when you get it almost closed you will have to lift the drum and set it on the front bearing in the door.
18. While holding the front of the dryer on you have to reach inside and get the 8mm screw started on the left or right, if you let go the front of the dryer will pop off and you have to start over with the pivot. Now is a good time to have a magnet on a stick so when you drop the screw or screw driver you don't have to take the front off to retrieve your tools.
19. Once the front is on reconnect the two wires to the switch in the front of the dryer. Remember the ones you were supposed to have labeled earlier.
20. Close the top of the dryer and spin the dryer around so you can reach inside the vent door and pull the tension pulley over and reseat the drive belt. Rem

The disassembly was very easy and it appeared that this would be a very quick repair. But the removal of the old felt was difficult and once it was removed it took a lot of effort to remove the bits still stuck on. The tool of choice to remove the stuck on felt was a small torch. After that use a coarse sand paper to remove the remnants. Glue on the new felt and reinstall the front panel.

much as described earler,
1. Removed 2 screws on back at the top and 2 on the chrome vent to access the belt and pulley.
2. Disconnected spring from pulley assembly and removed belt from pulley and motor.
3. Removed top of dryer.
4. Removed control panel.
5. Removed screws from inside dryer tumbler (all of them)
6. Removed bottom kick plate.
7. Removed 2 screws from inside panel (near tumbler) and 2 screws from bottom of front panel. Removed front panel.
8. Removed tumbler housing.
9. Removed heating element cover.
10. Removed heating element pan. (wires first)
11. Removed "bearing" by lifing it up (snaps in)
12. Cleaned and regreased "bearing"
Assembled in reverse order.

When it comes to repairs the only thing that I can fix are sandwiches. To say that I am a handy man is usually followed by snickers from my wife and friends... However, I was able to completley take apart my dryer, replace the heating pan and coils, put it back together and it works all by myself (my wife was standing behind me with a fire estinguisher when I plugged it in for the 1st time). I took the advice of some of the post I saw on this sight and took some before shots with my camera phone and marked the wires with tape so I knew where to return them and was able to get it all done. I was suprised at how easy it was to do and how simple a dryer really is on the inside. Ordering the part and doing it myself saved me a couple of hundred dollars easy.... this was the way to go!

Remove top lid by pushing tab on either side with a putty knife. Disconnect the 2 wire carriages on right. Remove one
phillips head screw on each side that holds front panel to dryer body. Remove front panel by using flat head screwdriver to pry panel from body. Remove thermostat located on bottom right attached to front of motor on a plastic body by removing two phillips head screws. Disconnect wires and place on new part.

Had to loosen drum and move it forward to get at switch. Didn’t have to remove belt.

Called a repair co. Said it would be about a week before he came to the rural area my mom lives and he probably wouldn't have the part. He would order it after he determined the problem. So I went to your web site and ordered the item it said was 80% and two other parts just in case. He came and used the Heating Element Assembly and said it was a good thing we had it. He would have had to order it and come back probably a week later. THANK YOU!! WE needed the dryer repaired sooner and saved another service call. I am returning the other parts not used and you make it so easy to do. I plan on using your site again.