Sounds like the belt is ready to go... is making a grinding sound when it's drying, almost like it needs WD-40 or a new belt... any suggestions?

You can take the front panel off and examine the belt for tension and wear.

If it's grinding, sounds like the rear bearing or support roller bearings.

What make and model number is this dryer and how old is it? You will need to totally tear it down to fix it if it's more than two years old anyway.