Dryer Idler Assembly

Wasn't the belt!! Changed it anyway. Should have come here earlier. That mistake added several days to the repair waiting for a second batch of the right parts. Became a pro at taking the dryer apart and reassembling, though! Easy job, just take your time and mark your wires, if you need to.
Followed other people's excellent instructions. Clean out all the dust bunnies. Schematics were a great resource. Those and the prices made me a repeat customer.
The shaft of the Idler Lever wheel was the cause, but decided, since I had it apart, to spend a little more money and replace both Drum Support Rollers and the Roller Bracket and Shaft Assembly. They showed some wear, and the parts were very inexpensive. Make sure you have snap ring pliers with prongs that are smaller than the standard 0.40 to save some aggravation with the Drum Rollers. $5 tool. Total parts were less than $60. Probably saved $150+ in labor. Quieter than ever now. Thanks!

I removed the covers, released the belt, pulled the drum, replaced rollers, glides, idler pulley and motor. The motor was the main issue but I replaced the rollers, idler and glides while I was in there. My biggest challenge was the clips that hold the motor in place. The hooked over a metal ear. I was able to use a big strait slot with downward pressure to release and reinstall.

The illustratations on the web site made ordering the correct part easy and the part fit perfectly so this repair job could have been accomplshed by anyone with very basic mechanical understanding.

Thank you

removed front cover and top took drum out remove heating unit replced limit switch and fuse reinstalled installed new idler put new belt around drum installed drum replaced glides put top back on and front cover . then replaced boosting heater witch is on the blower also cycling thermostat

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

Squeling from inside dryer. To Fix-
Pry dryer top cover off by popping cover off the two fastening clips located at about 3" inward from the two front corners. A screw driver at these two locations is easily inserted between the top cover and front panel.
Next remove the two screws on the top inside of the driver approximate size 5/16 inch. Pull the top of the front panel outward and then note how the lower portion clips into the fram, lift the front panel off the clips and roll it to the right. Remove the 4 screws and bulkhead.
Draw a picture of how the belt wraps around the drum and idler. Also note the belt orienation on the drum. Roll the belt off the idler pully and reomve the drum.
Replaced Idler asembly by first removing the tension spring and lastly the retaining bolt.
Reinstall everything in reverse order. Can be a bit tough getting the belt around the idler and motor pulley however this is managable. My machine runs great now!
Once again Parts Select comes through with great delivery, perfect fit, good pricing, accurate parts list. This is my third purchase and I have been 100% pleased. By far the best on line service I have ever experienced.

I first thought the drum rollers were the source and replaced those. It took me 60 minutes to get the dryer disassembled and wires labeled for reassembly the first time. Knowing how to do it for this repair made everything go quicker.
I removed the tension from the belt by pulling it away from the spring and then slipped the belt off the motor. I then removed the drum from the dryer to get to the idler arm assy.
The trickest part of this repair was putting a box wrench on the nut on the motor side of the frame. I found a 3/8" box wrench with an angled handle that worked well. I then used a 7/16" socket on the other side of the idler arm base and removed the bolt. I was careful to note the position of the tension spring so that I could put it back together correctly. I then put the new idler arm assy in place with the bolt through the frame but had some trouble keeping the nut in the box wrench. I ended up using a bit of chewing gum to keep the nut in the box wrench long enough to get it threaded!

From there it was a cinch - just put the belt back around the drum, the idler wheel and then pulled up on the arm while I slipped the belt over the motor. No more screeching!

Remove front pannel
remove wires to light and switch
remove drum panel
disconnect motor wiring
unscrew motor mount
replace idlerlever replace belt reassemble all parts

1. Disconnect power and hose. Use a putty knife to release top of dryer. Two restraints couple inches in from each side on front. Raise top and do not remove. Block it up in vertical so it doesn't fly down to back.
2. Disconnect five wires at front. Use magic marker to mark re-installation instructions on underside of top.
2. Remove metal screws (2) that hold front to frame. Remove front.
3. Pull dryer forward and put cardboard box, or some such thing under back to support when laying dryer down.
4. Remove frame (4 screws) that supports filter assy and front of drum.
5. Remove belt. Mark assy. sequence on underside of top.
6. Remove drum.
7. Stand dryer back to upright position.
8. Disconnect spring from idler lever. Drop light may help here. Note position of lever for re-install of new.
9. Unscrew bolt that holds idler lever. Nut is on back of bracket. Must re-install this way as bolt has pivot surface for lever on front side.
10. Install new lever and reconnect spring.
11. Lay dryer back on box.
12. Put drum back in place. Insure it seats well all around the felt gasket. Any misalignment here and it will not rotate smoothly.
13. Put belt around drum using small pieces of tape to hold it into position around drum, and them depress the idler lever and install belt around motor pulley. Rotate drum to insure it rotates smoothly. Remove tape.
14. Re-install filter bracket and insure drum seats nicely in felt gasket. Again, rotate to insure smooth operation.
15. Pull dryer back to standing position and reinstall the front, and re-connect the wires.
16. Lower top and push down to reconnect locking devices.
17. Plug in dryer and turn on to see if all is well.
18. Re-install hose and start drying all those clothes.

Changed, got in aimed wrong direction-best to take a digital photo before you disassemble. Overtightened bolt and nut in assembly, it seized. Attempted to drill/grind it off, should have removed motor. Drill skipped up into motor windings. Could have replaced dryer, decided not, fixed by ordering motor, mount, nut and bolt and new belt idler. Reassembly was a snap till the gremlins hit again and I lost one of the drum glides. After a trip across town, I reassembled and it was good to go. Disassembly, use a screw driver to pry up the top, use the nut driver to remove upper front left and right screws, lift front forward and off bottom hooks. You have to release the wiring harness, it has four connectors. Use a sharpy marker and write the wire colors next to the plug-ins connectors you pull gently off and set the door aside. The second wires are two wires for the inner assembly which again need to be marked for color and then pulled loose. Pull them through the plastic hold down so they're out of the way. Use nut driver to remove four screws from inner drum holder, pry gently off dryer blower. Reaching around both sides of the blower housing find the belt tensioner, pull it to the right, push the belt out of it. Lift the drum out, up slightly over the back rollers. Set aside. Use the nut driver to remove the screws into the base holding the motor mount down, now lift the motor/blower assembly forward and pull gently loose from the dryer vent pipe. Set it up where you can work on it. Using the nut driver, take the screws off the blower housing, use a vise grip to secure the motor and use a 7/8 inch turning counter clockwise to remove the turbine. Use the nut driver to remove the screws holding the turbine housing in place, pop the motor clips off. Pull the motor off and remove the nut and bolt of the belt idler assembly using a wrench on the back and a socket wrench on the other side. Reverse order to reassemble, when tightening the idler arm tighten it to where you feel it stop but not any further. Put the belt around the drum again, get it in the previous location on the drum, feel around the drum to make sure belt isn't twisted, bring belt in from the back between the idler wheel and the vent pipe in a loop (Make sure the belt is behind the tension spring rather than in front), Tip the idler arm upward, use the other hand to slide the belt loop up over the motor pulley. One final note is this being a Maytag you might write these direction on the inside of the front panel for next time.

I was somewhat intimidated by the fact that dryers are all repaired from the front. Pulling out the drum seemed scary at first, but that turned out to be very easy. After removing the front panel and lint shroud it is easy to reach the idler pulley and take the tension off the belt. If you're going to replace the rollers which is generally the cause of the noise, get new retaining wrings and a decent pair of pliers for them. The rings can lose all their spring easily by strechting them too far to get them off. Replace the idler pulley and belt while you have the dryer apart. Vacuum all the lint out of there and you're good to go.