41781042001 Kenmore Dryer - Instructions

So easy! I ordered the part on the website. Received it 24 hours later. And popped it in place. Good as new.

After changing the drum support bearing, and the front felt ring, the noise continued. It turned out to be the tensioner pully. The harmonic vibration travels throughout the dryer box like an instrument so you can't tell where the sound is comming from. Before you do anything, spray a little wd40 between the bushing and the shaft on the belt tenioner pully. If the squeel goes away, you have found your smoking gun.

Ordered in new Element. (took apart dryer first and verified the coil on the old element was broken).

-Disconnected power
-Used flat blade screw driver and popped the top of the dryer off (two clips at front of the dryer on the door piece). Pull lid back and it will rest on its own.
-Removed two screws on the inside of the front door panel then used flat blade to pop four clips off. Lift up then out to removed door panel, drum will fall down.
-Removed small white plastic rest from front frame.
-Removed back silver vent to access motor. Pull the belt tensor away from assembly and pull belt out.
-Remove drum by grabbing belt and front of drum and forcing it up until it releases from the ball housing. Slide drum out of the front of frame/dryer.
-From here you can see the heating element. disconnect the coil wires (pull them). These are in series so it doesn't matter how they go back on. Disconnect the thermostat wires (X is negative lead).
-Removed the four screws from the back of the dryer to disengaged the element. Removed.
-Reassemble backwards.

Opened top, removed front cover, removed belt, took out drum, replaced bearing on drum and bearing guide on back of dryer. Reinstalled drum and belt, then replaced drum glides and upper felt,let glue set with clamps over night.

Took out of package. Used screw driver to pop off old broken handle.
Installed new part in a minute or two. Nothing to it. Was very pleased to get the part and so easy to install.

Took the front off the dryer and removed the old switch and put in the new one.

I cut off the four that didn't line up - I suppose since this was a gasket that fit several makes, I should expect this type of problem.

Ordered part from partselect.com. Part was back ordered; however they were very proactive in communicating status updates! When it arrived it was simply a matter of removing door using a philips screwdriver, installing the new hinge and presto - job complete! Kudos to partselect.com ??

Snapped the new door handle replacement from this site in place. Fits perfectly.

I just used a putty knife to remove the broken one. It just popped right off.
The new one just popped into place.

I want to say that the girl / lady that answer the phone was extremely helpful and very professional,.

I unscrewed the 2 screws on the side of the door and the 2 screws on the bottom of the door, removed the broken handle and r replaced it with the new one.

I YouTube'd how to repair it. It was super easy. Needed a power drill to get the screwsa off and a flat head screwdriver to pry off the wires but besides that it took about ten minutes and I was finished.

Watched on-line video, then applied those steps.
1. Pop the front of the deck loose using putty knife to depress clips;
2. Disconnect wires from light and door switch;
(Before I disconnected wires from door switch and light, I made wiring sketches to make sure I reconnected in original manner.)
3. Remove lint filter mount screws and mount from bottom of door opening;
4. Cut drum belt with wire-cutters and removed it;
5. Remove drum support clip from top center of front panel;
6. Remove (1) screw from each side of dryer body that hold front to sidewalls, removed front panel;
7. Remove drum by lifting the rear out of the bearing, then moving it forward through the machine front;
[While I had the dryer disassembled, I thoroughly cleaned it of lint, dirt & metal filings. The metal filings were from the worn ball hitch and drum support bearing cup. I spent as much time cleaning it out as I did working on it.]
8. Stand drum on gallon paint bucket while removing ball hitch (Use a #2 drywall phillips apex to obtain sufficient seating & torque to remove and reinstall ball hitch screws at rear of drum.);
9. Have a second person hold the new ball hitch in position while starting screws, if necessary;
10. Use nut driver w/5/16" socket to remove bearing retainer & ground ball clip;
11. Install new bearing into retainer clip, insert attachment screws through the holes in both, stick grounding ball in depression on back of bearing as screws are fed through back panel;
12. Hold ground ball clip in place to start one screw, then the other & tighten with nut driver;
13. Start drum belt on motor shaft and position against tensioner pulley;
14. Feed drum through front of machine and loop belt over rear of drum;
15. Slide belt forward on drum as drum moves to rear to keep it aligned with position of tension pulley;
16. Lift rear of drum to place ball hitch on top of bearing, then press down to seat it into bearing;
17. Turn drum to ensure belt alignment, then re-accomplish steps 6 thru 1.

Just like in the video, but with a stackable washer/dryer unit, works like new now....

First I unplugged the dryer. Then I gently pryed the top of the dryer. This was done from the front using a flat screw driver. Do this gently pushing up on the handle of the tool. It will pop up one side at a time. No need to remove the screws and clips on the the rear top of the dryer. Set the top aside. Then from the inside front of the dryer using a phillips screw driver I removed two screws, one on each side. This allowed me to lift the front of the dryer up and away from the unit, off the two clips on the bottom front of the unit. I set the front cover on top of the dryer. There is no need to disconnect any wires. Next removed the rear vented cover on the back of the dryer so I could acess the belt pullies. From here I pushed the upper left pully to the right to ease belt tension and take the belt off that pully. Slide the belt to the rear of the drum. Next I removed the three screws from the center most part of the inside of the dryer drum. My dryer required the use of a square head driver tool. This allowed me to easily bring the dryer drum out the front of the unit. Set it out of your way. Then I vacuumed the dust out of the dryer. Then I lifted out the metal part that resembles a trailer hitch which had been attached to the dryer drum. Next using a nut driver I removed the two screws which hold the white plastic part of the bearing assembly to the rear of the dryer. That is all the taking apart work.
Putting it all back together was not too difficult. First install the new white plastic part of the bearing assmbly inside the dryer along with the metal part on the outside rear. The little metal ball bearing goes on the OUTSIDE between the little metal part and the rear wall of the dryer. Do not leave it out as it provides electrical grounding between the dryer drum and the body of the dryer. Next attach the new bearing part that looks like a trailer hitch to the rear of the dryer drum. This is the three screw part. Then lift the drum back into the dryer. Do not yet set the drum all the way in. The dryer belt must be looped around the drum. I installed a new belt. If the bearing is worn out it is time for a new belt. The smooth side of the belt goes against the dryer drum. Now apply a generous amout of lubricant to the white plastic cradle which was installed on the back of the dryer and to the ball bearing area. Then the dryer drum may be set into place, that is the trailer hitch part into the white plastic cradle. Now the front of the dryer may be reinstalled. Push up on the inside of the dryer drum to line everything back up. Put the two screws back which hold the dryer front on. Be carefull not to drop them inside. Put the dryer belt back into place on its pullies. It goes on the inside of the left and right pullies and on the outside (bottom) of the pully of the dryer motor. Check for and undo any twists. Plug in and test the dryer. All should be well. Reinstall the rear vented cover. Replace the top, connecting the rear first. Make sure to reattach the green grounding wire. Then push the front of the top down onto its clips. You are done! This took me 1 hour and 10 minutes. It sounds like alot but you can do it! Empower yourself!