HELP! I replaced the rear bearing on my kenmore model number 417.90872992, it worked for 15 minutes then started squeaking again. The drum was not tumbling just squeaking. Could I have not replaced the belt probably on the pulley? Does anyone have a picture of the way the belt should be attached to the pulley correctly? Or do you think it might be another problem entirely? Thanks!

FedEx delivered the repair kit today, and I did the repair in an hour or two (didn't pay careful attention to the time). It's a straightforward job, but I really needed the help knowing how to disassemble the dryer. And of course I wouldn't have had any idea that the repair kit was really the solution!

A couple of comments on ApplGuy's beautiful instructions: in my dryer there was no reason to disconnect the door switch. I wasn't going to work on the dryer with power applied, so there was no danger of accidental turn-on, and the wires only go to the front panel. I don't think there was any reason to remove the funny yellow thing either. To pop the drum out of the old bearing I used my hands leveraged against the back panel, rather than pulling on the belt.

I didn't have any significant trouble with just two hands. The screws that hold the post to the back of the drum were the trickiest part. I succeeded by judiciously switching between a regular screwdriver and an electric one. I wonder why they didn't supply star or torx head screws?

We also fixed our dryer using the great directions (1 hour including fighting with the 3 screws on the drum... but the recommended hex head screws before starting).

Some notes: our Fridgaire had a coupling to disconnect for the front panel instead of individual wires. The current Phillips head screws are #3 size and that may be why many have problems with them (#3 requires a large Phillips screwdriver). Have a vacuum handy to clean out the lint build-up.

I have read this entire post history. I have a Frigidaire gas dryer. I had the squeeking noise so I replaced the rear drum bearing kit for $28. I still have the noise. I have found the source - it is the exhaust blower wheel and it is resonating through the exhaust duct. I found this by unplugging the machine, disconnecting the belt drive, and turning the blower wheel with my hand. Does anyone know how to replace the blower wheel or fix it?

Applguy, is this the same part number for the Frigidaire FSEC748GF Dryer. It is an older stackable, and has the same squeak as the above dryers. Also where is the cheapest place on the internet to get these parts?

Thank you in advance

I have the same symptoms but my Dryer is an Admiral model number ADE7005AYW. Will the fix from applguy work with this model as well? If so where would I get the parts? If not, what might be the problem with this dryer?

I just wanted to add my kudos to applguy and this entire post for guiding me (actually us) through the replacement of our Frigidaire dryer's hideously squealing bearing. The job proceeded smoothly and was done in a couple hours.

A couple notes for those trying this: (1) as mentioned earlier (applguy's post dated Apr 17, 2006), an extra person is helpful and nearly mandatory when attaching the cradle assembly; (2) removing and reattaching the belt around the idler pulley is best and most easily performed through the rear inspection cover, if present (applguy's post dated May 2, 2006).

Along these same lines, for those who don't know how this is done, the idler pulley in attached to a spring loaded "L" bracket that rotates, slackening the belt for removal and reattachment. I should have known this before proceeding but did not. Trying to unhook the belt, from the front, without knowing about the rear panel or the pulley bracket's motion was quite the P.I.T.A. Now I know.

Thanks again, applguy, and all the rest. We now enjoy the drying sounds of silence (apologies to Simon and Garfunkel).

I own a westinghouse dryer that had a belt get shredded probably due to being 5+ years old. We had noticed a pretty loud squelching sound but it was tolerable so we let it go... finally the belt came apart.

In hind sight - I think the ball joint in the back was so devoid of lube that the belt was getting very taxed and that probably did the sucker in.

So I pulled the top and front off - replaced the belt and put it back together only to have the thing dead... completely ZIPPO. :mad:

Checked the outside circuit breaker - it was fine. I double checked my door connection - it was fine. Still nothing.

VERY FRUSTRATED and 4 hours into this little project (including the $20 trip to the parts store) - I finally pulled the back off the control panel. And there I found a ray of hope - I saw a white wire dangling in the wind. SWEET! - So where do I put it? The length of the wire suggested that it could only connect to the back of the timer - but there were no obvious "missing" connections. :confused:

I am not joking when I say that after another 3 hours of following wires and the cryptic wiring diagram... I was on Craigslist looking for another dryer. :eek:

In one last gust of desperation - I went back into the guts of this box and sat down. I found one odd place on the side of the already connected timer loop - which was black and looped to itself (sort of)... and you can pony the white/neutral to that side connector.

I plugged her in, hit start and just about pooped my pants when I heard the whiiirrrr!

So - if you are in the "dead dryer" boat - and have 8-9 hours to spend trying to figure out why your blasted machine won't kickup anymore - pop the back off the control panel and have a look.

Now all I need - is a good recommendation for a metal to metal lube/oil that I can slather on the ball joint..?

Thanks for all the previous answers - even though they didn't solve my issue - they helped me keep digging. :D :D

I want to THANK APPLGUY I found this on the net and joined just to be able to say THANKS. I heard that noise in my dryer and fixed it by myself using your instructions. You were awesome. Thank you. You saved me a lot of money. Come on if a woman can read these directions and fix her dryer you know he did a great job. Thanks again. From San Antonio, TX

I put high temp axle grease on the bearing on my dryer and it has worked good so far.
I just want to say what a sorry piece of engineering these things are.
I have had our dryer for maybe 5 to 7 years and have had to replace the felt strip with the teflon pads and lubed the bearing countless times.
Why don't they use some sort of sealed bearing and bearings instead of the teflon pads?
Seems they are designed not to last.

AppleGuy, you're the man. Thank you so much for posting the detailed instructions on repairing the rear bearing. :)
I purchased the kit for $25 and had it installed 90 minutes later. Glad I did too, as the bottom of the dryer was full of lint and needed to be cleaned. :p
I wish I would have purchased the belt at the same time as it is badly cracked. Just a suggestion to those still considering the repair.

I have a question, please, about a GE Dryer. It was making HUGE squeaking noises, metal on metal. I open the top of the dryer, looked down and tried applying some WD40 on the drum belt. I could not see where to open the bottom panel or the panel in the back. However, upon further inspection, I saw a gob of grey matter down along the left side, toward the front where the drum rolls and rubs on. I pulled it out and it appears to be a kind of felt belt or padding that must have prevented the metal drum from rubbing the metal path. Am I correct? Well, it's broken and I have it out. Can this be replaced or is this dryer dried it's last load? Replies would be very welcome. You can write to me direct at [email protected].

I have a Hotpoint that started making this load squeaky noise, as soon as I add the clothes and run it, Its starts. The wetter the clothes are the loader it gets it is about 6 yrs old please help.

Hotpoint and GE are about the same. Follow the advice contained in the thread here for a cure.

Applguy DOES rock!

I took his advice and replaced the rear bearing assembly on my Frigidaire dryer.
Thanks to his advice, I saved my dryer! It cost me less than $20 to fix it!

To hopefully help others, I documented my repair with comments and pictures at:
How To Fix A Squeaky Dryer

Just repaired our dryer using appleguy's instructions, very easy to follow.

Some notes:
- the idler pulley is spring loaded. When you remove the spring be prepared for the parts around it to fall out/down. If you have a rear fan panel on the back side, it may be easier for you to access the idler this way. Take a picture of what the pulley looks like before you remove the spring.
- the smaller bearing was completely gone (ground away) so we were unsure where the new one went, but we figured it out
- you will need new screws. Buy some 10 x1/2 and a few nuts. We used hex washer heads.
- when you are re-assembling the drum it will appear to hang too low and angle slightly. This will fix itself when you put the front panel back on.

great detailed explanation of what needs to be done, thanks again.

Thanks for the info on the repair. My dryer is quiet again!

I was looking at new dryers when I found this site.

I have a Maytag Performa mde3500ayw that needs a rear bearing (it’s squeaking). Is the part that I’m looking for?

Maytag 12001541 Bearing Roller Drum Assembly, Maytag 12001541 at PartStore.com

My Kenmore Laundry Center dryer began to make a loud squeak. It is 13 years old. I went online and studied up on possible troubleshooting ideas. Appleguy seemed to strongly feel that it was a bearing issue. I read his instructions and while they were detailed- I was not up to the challenge. One other post caught my eye. I think that Marth said that her daughter suggested finding a place in the back where the dryer moves and see if you can lube there. It just couldn't be that easy. So I called the repair man and paid $29 to have him tell me that it was as Appleguy stated- a bearing problem. His estimate was $200 for the repair. I do not have $200 at this time for a dryer repair on a 13 year old machine! Desperate, I went to DoItCenter and purchased a white lithium grease spray with a long straw nozzle like a WD-40 can. Next, I rotated the Laundry Center to access the rear of the unit and saw 3 holes where the dryer barrell assembly would be. Then, I sprayed some grease into each of the three holes. Guess what, it worked. As I type my dryer is working without any noise. Thanks Marth!! My wife wanted me to sign up and tell this story so it can hopefully help someone in the future. So, try this first before even calling a repair guy for an estimate.:)

No grease,no oil,just a great dry lube. (NO LINT STICKING.)Been using it for years. See if you can find it locally at the hardware store.

Amazon.com: Elmer's E450 Slide-All Dry Spray Lubricant 4-Ounce: Home Improvement