Possible Causes:
- Failing drum roller bearings causing squeaking or tumbling noises
- Worn front drum glides leading to grinding sounds
- Faulty idler pulley bearings or damaged idler axle resulting in squeaking
- Blower wheel issues such as lint clogging or damaged blades causing noise
- Deteriorating drive belt compromising drum movement
Tools you’ll need
Varies model to model.
Full transcript – click to expand
View Transcript
Hi, this is Matt with AppliancePartsPros.com.
In this video, we're going to show you how to troubleshoot the top six reasons why your
electric dryer is making noise. Stick around until the end of the video for an important
dryer safety tip that most people don't even know about. But before we begin, we're going
to make sure the appliance is unplugged or the circuit breakers are off so there's no
chance of electrocution. The first thing we're going to check are the drum rollers and axles.
The drum rollers and axles support the drum as it turns. The rollers have bearings in them
that ride on the axles. Depending upon your style, you might have two in the back and two
in the front or just two in the back. If the bearings are starting to fail, you'll hear a
squeaking noise. If you let it go too long and the bearings completely fail, it'll sound like
there's a pair of tennis shoes tumbling inside the dryer. When inspecting the rollers and axles,
you want to make sure that the rollers spin freely on the axles. If the bearings have failed
and you caught it soon enough, the axles may still be okay and you can just replace the rollers.
If you need to replace any of the rollers, it's best to replace them all as a set.
If any of the axles are scratched up, you can replace them as needed.
If you need to order a part, simply go to appliancepartspros.com and type in your model
number. Find your part on the easy to read diagrams and match it to the number below.
Click on the part if you want to see more pictures of the item or watch its repair video.
You can also scroll down to see DIY stories from customers like you or ask a question in the Q&A
section. Once you're ready, you can add the part to your cart. It's that easy. Most orders will
arrive within two business days. Now we need to look at the front drum glides. They're what the
front of the dryer drum rides on. There are a few different styles of glides. Even though they're
different, they all do the same thing. They're usually located on the front panel, on the bulkhead,
or on the drum itself. Once the glides have worn down, the drum will come into direct contact with
whatever it's supported by, whether it's the front panel or the bulkhead, and you'll hear a grinding
noise coming from the front of the dryer. If you've determined that they're worn out, you'll need to
replace them. Next we need to check the idler pulley. The idler pulley puts tension on the belt
so the drum will turn. The idler pulley is mounted on the idler arm and rides on the idler axle.
Depending upon the style you have, the parts may come separately or all together as a complete
assembly. It's usually located down by the motor pulley so that the belt can be routed around it
and the motor pulley. Once you have the dryer apart, inspect the idler pulley. If the bearing in the wheel
has failed, it'll cause a squeaking noise. Also inspect the axle. If it's damaged, you should
replace it at the same time. Next we need to check the blower wheel. The blower wheel circulates the
warm air through the dryer and then out the exhaust. The blower wheel is usually made out of
plastic. It either mounts with threads or a d-shape, depending upon your motor shaft. Depending upon the
design, it can be located either behind the front panel or behind the rear panel inside the blower
housing. Make sure the blower wheel isn't clogged with lint or clothing. You want to make sure that
the blower wheel isn't stripped or has any damaged blades. If it does, then it may be hitting the
blower housing as it turns, causing noise. So spin the blower, which should make the motor turn, as
well as the drum. If it doesn't, then you have to replace it. As always guys, hit those like and
subscribe buttons. Next we need to check the drive belt. The drive belt links the drum to the motor pulley so it turns.
The drive belt is a long multi-group belt that goes around the drum and the pulleys.
Usually it just breaks, but if it's starting to deteriorate and pieces are falling off of it,
it may make a thumping noise as it goes through the pulleys. Once you have the dryer apart, you can
inspect the belt. If it's damaged, you'll need to replace it. Last thing we're going to check is the
drive motor. It drives the dryer drum and the blower wheel. Inside the motor are a couple of
bearings. If they fail, you'll hear a squealing noise when the motor is running. Once you get to
the motor, you can manually turn it. It should spin freely. If there's any unusual friction or you hear
any noise, you'll have to replace it. Now here's that safety tip we promised you earlier. Dryers
cause thousands of house fires every year. Most of these are caused by a buildup of lint. Lint and
dust have a tendency to build up inside the dryer and vent and are the first things to ignite. Make
sure your lint screen isn't missing or damaged or will let lint into the vent hose. Also make sure
you clean it after every load. If you have the flexible style ducting, it's recommended that you
upgrade to the rigid metal kind to prevent lint buildup and the duct from accidentally being
crushed. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions when installing new venting.
Failing to clean the dryer is the number one cause of these fires, so make sure to clean the inside
of the dryer including the lint screen and blower housings, the ducting from the back of the dryer
to the wall, and from the wall all the way to the outside of the house at least once a year.
Once you take care of the problem, you can plug the dryer back in and take it for a spin.
Thanks for joining us for another troubleshooting video brought to you by AppliancePartsPros.com.
Remember to hit the like and subscribe buttons now, and if you have any questions
or want to share how your repair went, leave a comment down below.
Need help finding parts or troubleshooting? Post your question in the Dryer Repair Q&A section.