Amana electric dryer thumping

General
1

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Brand:
Model Number:NED4655EWI
Main Symptom:
What happens & when:

Error Code (if any):
Parts or tests already tried:
Photos / video link:

2

For an Amana NED4655EW1 electric dryer, a rhythmic thumping sound while the drum turns is usually mechanical. I’d start with the drum support parts before suspecting the motor.

Most likely causes

  1. Drum support rollers ( Whirlpool 349241T Dryer Rear Drum Support Roller Kit | Genuine OEM Part )
    • Most common suspect.
    • A roller can develop a flat spot, worn bearing, or buildup on its surface.
    • Usually produces a repeating thump-thump-thump that follows drum speed.
    • With the dryer unplugged, rotate the drum by hand. If you can feel the thump at the same point each revolution, inspect the rollers closely.
  2. Drum seam
    • A slight thump where the drum seam passes over the rollers can be normal.
    • If the dryer has always made a faint rhythmic sound, this may simply be the seam.
    • A new or noticeably louder thump deserves inspection.
  3. Idler pulley ( Whirlpool WP691366 Dryer Idler Pulley | Genuine OEM Part )
    • A worn or binding idler can cause thumping, knocking, squeaking, or rumbling.
    • Remove the belt and spin the pulley by hand. It should turn smoothly without excessive play.
  4. Drive belt ( Whirlpool 341241 Dryer Drum Belt 92-1/4" 4-Rib | Genuine OEM Part )
    • Check for a damaged, cracked, stretched, or partially separated belt.
    • A damaged section can make a rhythmic noise each time it passes around the motor pulley.
  5. Something caught in the drum
    • Check the drum seals and baffles for coins, screws, bra wires, buttons, or other objects.
    • Also make sure the drum baffles aren’t loose.

Quick test

Unplug the dryer, empty it, and slowly turn the drum by hand.

If you hear or feel the same thump in the same location every revolution, I’d remove the drum and inspect the drum rollers first. Look for flat spots, cracking, wobbling, or rollers that don’t spin freely.

If the rollers look good, remove the belt from the motor and idler and individually spin the idler pulley and motor shaft. That will usually narrow the noise down pretty quickly.

If the thumping gets faster as the drum turns faster and continues with an empty dryer, the drum rollers are especially high on my suspect list.