MDE12CSACL Maytag Dryer - Instructions

After viewing repair video I used those instructions, after removing drum place new belt on drum, I used scotch tape to hold belt in place, tape belt with 2 inch strip about every foot around drum, leave extra belt that connects to drive motor folded down and taped to drum. After installing drum connect belt to drive motor and roll drum to remove tape. This will keep belt from sliding out of place on drum while installing.

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

We had trouble getting the front of the dryer off; we tried to pry the top off. It works better if you remove the screws at the bottom of the front panel ;) Once we had the front off, we used a 1/4" ratchet wrench to take the front off the fan housing. We took off the compression clamp off easily with a pair of priers. Removing the retainer clip was harder; we ddn't have the right tool. We removed the broken fan. We ordered the part, easy peasy, from this website. Had to buy a $9 tool to put the retainer washer back on. We reassembled the fan housing and put the fron back on. It worked! Total cost: ~$30.00. Actual time (excluding waiting for parts and buying tools): 2 hours.

Followed instruction video

my son did the installation according to your excellent video instructions

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.

Removed front cover.removed 4 screws holding drum in place. Cleaned out lint from everywhere. Placed new belt over drum looping it over idler arm & motor pulley. Pushed drum back ; rotated drum to see that belt was engaged. Put front drum bracket in place. Put front panel in place with 2 screws at the bottom. Tested motor & rotation of drum; then checked heat. All worked fine. Took 1 hr. but most time spent cleaning lint.

Unplug the dryer and pull it away from the wall so front and back can be accessed. Remove front panel. Remove front drum support. Remove rear access panel. Disengage drive belt from idler wheel. Make careful note of course of belt and which side is "outward". Remove drum through front. Remove Rollers using circlip pliers. Remove nuts behind shafts. Remove shafts. Clean-up area and parts before re-install.

Install new Shafts and nuts. Grease shafts. Install new Rollers, washers and clips. Drape drive belt over drum while reinstalling from front. Remount drive belt over drive and idler pullies from the rear access. During this step it helps to have a helper to position the belt around the drum in correct fore/aft position, lying flat and without twists, smooth side against drum. Install front drom support. Rotate drum to seat belt before closing up. Install rear panel cover. Install Front panel. Plug it in and turn it on for a test.

It took me a lot longer to plan the repair and decide to do it than to do the actual work, knowing what I know now, and having the parts, it would take less than half an hour. As there are no repair manuals available, it took one of these reports to give me the confidence I needed to proceed.
I first found out how to open the front (only two screews on the underneath part of the front cover) and opened it to hear the noise, (just put the cover to one side while still connected to the door switch),,,,, sprayed some WD40 all over the place and the noise went away temporarily (DO NOT DO THIS as the oil will burn off on top of heater unit and smell and smoke). I replaced the roller that the drum sits on (above the heating unit) to the right of the drum and the belt. You need a special tool that fits into the little holes in the ring retainer, I got it at Lowe's ($20 +/-). It is a Channellock plier that opens when you squeeze, you have to change the points (comes with it).
So, here is the squence: remove the front panel, disconnect the swhitch (it took some pulling), set aside; remove front drum assembly (only four screws looking at you) and it comes right out; the Drum is light and comes right out as well, it just sits in a dry channel. The belt will fall off.... take the retainer ring off the roller with the special tool... remove roller and replace with new washers (one on either side) replace the ring retainer (recommend getting new one) with same tool. If you remove the small panel in the back of the washer it is very eassy to replace the belt.... I did replace it although the old one looked almost new .. instructions and a diagram come with the parts you buy here by the way... which they should say... place belt on drum per instructions (solid side down), put belt inside the chanell on drum (it will climb to the correct position by itself) put on drum front cover to hold drum in place, and then sting belt on pulley from the back of the dryer. (diagram comes with belt otherwise look at it before taking off the drum) Replace front panel (after reconnecting switch) and you are off (if you want to test without the front panel you have to touch the switch wires to each other (use tape) and do not do plugged in...
After much anxiety but not that much work the dryer runs great and is as quiet as new.... I took the parts off before ordering by the way.... the order came within three days... I am happy to have PartSelect.com .. Maytag had not clue this model even existed.... Thanks

I removed the front panel (two screws at bottom, then lifted bottom toward me until the top holders slid out). Then I unscrewed the front assembly that holds the dryer drum (four screws), first propping the drum from below so it would stay in place. I removed the blower housing (seven screws) and could see that the blower wheel was loose on the spindle. The 'D' shaped fitting had rounded out. A pair of snap ring pliers made removing the retaining ring and the wheel clamp a cinch and saved a good deal of teeth gnashing. I slid on the new blower wheel and then did everything in reverse. One caution: be sure the drum is pushed firmly up and back when reattaching the front assembly. (It can be done successfully with two hands). I had to re-do this part of the reassembly because the bottom of the drum was rubbing against the blower assembly. Once that was corrected, the dryer ran noiselessly. Thank goodness for PartSelect's diagrams. They're invaluable.

Unplug the dryer. Remove two screws to remove the front drum housing. Remove 4 screws to remove the front drum housing. The front panel and front drum housing do not need to be unwired to work on the blower. Loosen wire harnesses and move panel and housing out of the way. Remove 2 spring clips holding the blower assembly to the motor shaft. Remove blower. Install new blower and re-assemble in the reverse order. The other stories written on the subject were spot on. This repair also made the clothes dry more quickly. I did not realize that long before the ryer made noise, there was a reduction in air flow. A simple vacuum switch to monitor air flow would tell you when there is a problem or that the filter/duct needs to be cleaned.

My wife had to help me due to a recent back surgery that I had.

1. Disconnet power. Then if you have room, slide dryer away from wall far enough to tilt it slightly back. We had to do this to remove the two lower front panle philips head scres due to my screwdriver length. If you have a stubby, then you don't need to do this. Remove by pulling out on bottom until the two clips at top disengage from dryer top panel.
2. We removed the four 1/4" head sheet metal screws that hold the front tub support panel (with lint screen). Be carefull of wiring. One moisture sensor wire has to be removed from front cover on lower right side near bottom of tub opening. The remaing wires on left side are long enough to leave them attached and "swing" front panel to your left and in my case, lay it back uprite against the washer front.
3. We slid the tub forward enough to lay old belt down so I could see how it was routed around drive. I wanted to verify paperwork that came with new belt. We then set entire tub out of dryer. You might want to take it to another room if you laundry room is cramped.
4. We removed the nut from back of each support roller shaft, I believe it was 3/8 hex. Then reveresed this procedure to install the new roller and shaft. It was easier to assembly rollers before installing as a unit.
5. I removed the old belt and confirmed its length to new belt. I then installed the new belt over drive sheave and tensioner.
6. We then installed the tub and worked belt around it while keeping it on the drive sheave and tensioner pulley. Had to kind of stick my head into tub to start belt unto it.
7. We checked tub front and rear felt seals and I would recomment\d changing these if your dryer is older than 10 years, we did not have then so kept old ones.
8. We replaced the front tub support and installed the four sheet metal screws.
9. We replaced the front cover and installed the two lower philips head screws.
10. Re-connected power and tested operation.

I had my oldest son who was home from college help me. We removed the front face of the dryer and put the unit on it's back. We removed the door switch and the blower unit. I didn't get a good look at how the belt was routed when we removed the drum but was able to figure it out when we put it back together. Not only was the belt frayed and dry rotted, the blower squirrel cage was free-wheeling on the shaft. I found a tab of metal I was able to insert in the flat of the shaft between the cage bushing and the shaft and I put the squeeze ring and snap ring back in place. We also discovered the source of much of the rattling noise we had grown accustomed to was actually change pieces trapped under the drum ribs. We removed them and put the ribs back in place and we installed the new belt and figured out how the belt routed around the shaft and tensioning pulley. We cleaned all the trapped lint out of the dryer and reassembled the unit. It now works like new. Thanks!

Overall, the repair was pretty easy. I'm a 52 year old woman who has never done drier repair. I replaced both front glides, both drum support roller wheels, the idler pulley wheel and the tumbler and motor belt. Including vacuuming out the inside of dryer and washing down the inside and outside of dryer with cleaning wipes, the whole project took me 2 hours. (if done individually, time would have been 20-30 minutes). You must have correct tools, so I did have to purchase two tools that I didn't have. My only suggestion in replacing the idler pulley wheel and the tumbler/motor belt would be to take the small access panel off the back of the dryer for easier access to the parts.

I watched Steve the repairman on u tube then opened up the front of the dryer and noticed the part in my dryer was a little different than the one on the video. So I called in and I was reassured it was what I wanted. When I got the replacement part and before I removed the old part I took pictures of the wiring noticing the wires where changed from left to right I had to make up one of the 12 gauge wires and connectors with parts from the hardware store and the new part was shorter than the old part, but the machine all ready had screw holes where I needed them. I looked at my photos and wired the new part the same way I took the wires off the old part and put it back together and it works like new! saved money! the local guy is $150 to show up and start the clock. I also fixed the blower,EASY!