Hi,

I have an 8-year old Amana Dryer Model #LEA10AW.

It started squeaking a few weeks ago, sounding like what others
Here have described. It would get better after it ran for a while.
The squeak subsided a bit, but now the dryer won't heat and the
Control dial does not advance.

I opened it up at the bottom. The back left rubber wheel, the
Drum roller, I presume, has gone "bad." The screw that holds it
In place is not in the center of the hole and there are rubber crumbs
On the bottom.

Could this cause the heat to go out as well, via a short or something?

Is this repairable, or is it time to move on to a new machine? I would
Consider doing it myself having read through some of the other repairs
On this site.

Thanks for any help you can give!

I would recommend moving on, since most people get 8-10 years out of them before something forces a change. The rollers aren't so hard to replace, but they won't stop it from heating, so that tells me you have two problems. The Amana line of laundry products has never been very good, and a lot of people I talk to regret buying them. If you can afford a different unit, that's what I would do. If you want to try to fix it, let me know.

Thanks for your help.

I guess we will look at new dryers. Our Amana washer died
Just a few months ago, so I believe you when you say that the
Amana line has never been very good. Is the heating problem
Difficult do diagnose? The rollers do not look too bad to fix.

The wheel is to help the tumbler in your drier to turn ,But the sqeeking is caused by the belt you will have to replace it ,And your heating eliment has gone out you need to take it to a repair shop to have it replaced.

To replace the support rollers, you go in from the front removing the front panels, front bulkhead and the drum. It's not really that hard to do and they aren't that expensive. One very common failure on the Amana dryers was the rear drum felt seal. It would collapse leaving a large gap which allows fresh air into the drum, causing the heater to run too hot. In this case, the heater may have failed, but it is more likely that the heater cutoff or high limit thermostat has failed due to excessive temps. The newer felt seals were changed; they added material into the middle of the seal so it is thicker. If your heater is open and you don't find out why, you could replace the heater and not solve your problem, just the symptom. Dryer belts such as this (looks like a small automotive serpentine belt) don't squeak; at least I've never seen one in 15 years (that's why they use them). If a dryer is squeaking, it's usually a bearing failure, such as a support roller, idler pulley or a motor bearing or it is a metal on metal squeak usually caused by failed front drum glides or deteriorated drum felt seal. You could sink quite a bit of money into this dryer without getting your money's worth in time. That is why I recommend replacing the dryer. In my opinion, the replacement cost isn't worth the risk of throwing good money after bad.

Why buy a new one?You will pay $300.00 to 500.00 for a new one and pay anywhere from 30.00 to 50.00 to have it repaired.But that's just me you can do what you want.But a salesman will try anything to make a sale.And a repiarman will give a warranty on their workmanship.