Is my dryer belt loose? Funny 'thunk' sound at each rotation.

[Paper Roses]

I have had this Maytag for about 10 years and I hope it is not giving up the ghost. I think it is taking longer to dry the clothes too. For the past two days, I have heard this fairly quiet sound that seems to be every time the drum rotates.

I am washing some heavier clothes right now. Perhaps it always did this, I don't think so.

Is replacing the belt a do-it-yourself job? I bet the repair folks will charge a bundle to fix it.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

1. Paper Roses

Regarding taking longer to dry your cloths. Have you cleaned out exhaust hose ? If there is a build up in the hose and at the point of connection to the dryer ,as it backs up in the machine, than it will not dry properly.OK so blockage will cause the dryer to function improperly.

Or, the heating element is on it's way out. When is the last time the exhaust was checked out? Sometimes it is more so easy to simply remove the exhaust hose ,clean out the trapped lint and such in the connection at the dryer,than replace the exhaust hose with a new one. You can do that. And check out where it vents on the outside of the house.

On the belt, it either works or it don't. If than the basket turns or rotates, than it simply works. What that means is when the belt goes, the basket will not turn-,it works or it don't.

Ok so, same as working on yer car, you look fer the obvious first,the obvious is blockage in the venting system. Time for cleaning.


Good Luck.

[Paper Roses]

2. Hi WsDJ, Thanks for your quick reply.

I always empty the lint filter, and every so often, un-clamp the white exhaust hose and vac it out. I never checked into the back of the machine to see if there is anything there. Tomorrow I will take it apart, clean it out and see if that makes a difference. I hope this machine is not going belly up. Guess if it does, I'll have to keep my eye on Craigslist. Maybe someone is moving.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

3. Make sure you have a light

or a flash light so you can look in there good. Pull back and accumulated stuff trapped in there ,than run the dryer without the hose attached. After a few minutes open the door and feel the heat. If it gets hot in there, that was the problem. Best if that experiment is done without cloths in the dryer.

Stuff can accumulate on the outside of the basket too.

Post the results of the experiment.

From there it is switch, and heating element. Different kind of test/experiment.Otherwise known as the trouble shooting process.

[Warpy]

4. Good advice

but if you don't have one, this is a job where a head lamp comes in handy.
It lights whatever you're looking at and frees both your hands for the job.

I have an LED lamp that gets 150 hours on an AAA battery. It's one of those things I never knew I needed until I got it and now I use it all the time.

[Paper Roses]

5. Been an interesting morning here. On my hands and knees with

all kinds of tools, trying to clean out the dryer.

Maytag has designed this thing so that only a professional can get into the innards. I went on line to see if I could find a schematic. I did but it is no help to me because I cannot get the darn thing open as it shows.

The two sides and back are one piece. The front can only be removed after lifting the top. I don't know if you need a special tool to lift that. I see by the diagram and some text elsewhere that the top is held in place by 2 clips. Either they are rusted tight or you need some kind of leverage that I cannot do. I don't want to pry at it because I know I'll chip the enamel.

Cleaned out any dust I found after opening the small 10" sq. panel in the back. I could see electrical components, wires and a small section of the belt going around a small pulley. Tried my best to clean the area in the front by way of the lint filter. Could reach some dust with a long radiator brush and got some more loose after feeding a plumbers snake down there. I can see sand at the base but there is no way to get that out.

I replaced the plastic exhaust hose with a new aluminum one and put everything back together. The drum gets warm--maybe hot-and the clunk is no longer there. I did find a stray screw. Don't know where it came from. We'll see if the heat is any better tomorrow when I wash a load.

I know more can be cleaned from the innards but this will have to do.

Warpy, I sure could have used that light. I'm going to look for one.

Thanks to all.

[madokie]

10. If you haven't already taken it apart and fixed the problem

check the two rollers that supports the front of the drum and see if one of them is bad. I've had this problem on a maytag years ago and it was a simple fix to replace the roller.

[Paper Roses]

11. Are the two rollers accessed by lifting the top?

Today the "thunk" is back. The dryer is heating up fine now and I thought the sound was gone. Did a load of towels this AM and it was back

If the roller is accessed from the top, I am sunk. I can't get the top up to look inside. It lifts from the front according to a diagram. I don't know if it is rusted shut but the top will not budge.
Are the back and sides of yours one section? If so, how did you raise the top back?

[madokie]

12. You have to put something like a flat bar

maybe a 2 inch putty knife between the top and the front in the crack there and pry it apart, You will think you tore it up by the sound it'll make but thats normal. Just pry it up first one side then the other then you can raise the top and prop it up so as to not let it fall on your hands and look and you will see a couple screws holding the front to the sides take them out lift up a little on the front then and take it off and the rollers are at the bottom holding the tub up. Be all kinds of more lint and stuff to clean up once you get to that point too. While you have the front off check the felt gasket that is between the tub and the front panel where they meet and see if you need to replace it too. If much air is drawn in around the gasket then that air isn't being pulled passed the heating coils which will make them over heat and eventually quite working. The rollers and gasket is not too expensive either.

pm me if you need or have any questions, maybe I can help you with them.

[Lars39]

6. Your lint filter may need washing with soapy water to get rid of buildup.

Especially if you use fabric softener or dryer sheets. Just make sure the filter is really dry before you put it back in.

[Paper Roses]

7. Thanks for the reminder, will do. n/t

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

8. Paper Roses, When you do that

please make certain you unplug the unite or shut off the circuit breaker ,given it is a breaker box, if not remove the fuses.

And know for a fact befor you proceed there is no power going to the unit.
Your dryer is 220 v and 220 v is no place to play.
110 v. will shock you, 220 v will throw you across the room.

Do apply all safty precautions Paper Roses.

And good job !

[Paper Roses]

9. Thanks for the guidance. Sometimes I scare myself.

Fools rush in and all that. If I can tackle a job I will. Sometimes I need help and you are all great to give me advice. The only thing I will not touch is the table saw, but the other saws do not bother me. I take warnings seriously. A family member was rushed to the hospital years ago with an injury from a bit of careless use of a table saw.

PS, I unplugged the dryer. The first thing I head for is always the plug.