A loud squealing and rattling sound from the laundry room on Friday changed my weekend. Instead of hanging out with the kids and working on cleaning out the garage in anticipation of spring, I got to learn all sorts of things about our dryer.
Turns out that it’s a relatively simple machine and that there is one primary threat to it: lint. Specifically too much lint where you would expect to find it, or lint in places where the design of the machine should prevent it from getting to. I really don’t know how old the dryer is, but it had an impressive amount of lint in those areas.
So, a good rule of thumb is to first fix that which is cheapest among the choices you have. I did. That cheapest choice was to replace the belt and support bearings for the drum.
One 40-mile round trip and $30.49 later I began the two-hour process of disassembly, cleaning, replacing and reassembly. Turned it on. Worked like a charm.
Success!
Until later that evening when I tried out a load of towels and it crapped out again. Now to the expensive fix.
Second 40-mile round trip and $106.64 later I redid that whole process, now adding the removal and replacement of the motor. Turned it on. Worked like a charm.
Success! Part two! For real this time…
Next trip to Sears I’m buying something really expensive and only moderately useful to make up for this.
Can not really feel for you because you did all the work. Appreciate your thoughts and advice but still would call someone to come and fix it.
your wife
I love Sears. Craftsman hand tools rule!