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khangnguyen1 · Jun 14, 2012, 06:35 PM

My dryer's drum will not spin, we've replaced the motor and the fan, we checked the belt, and we've checked everything else under the back panel. Our drum will also not spin without a push.

Our dryer model is a Whirlpool WED5700VW0

Handyman2007 · Jun 14, 2012, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by khangnguyen1

My dryer's drum will not spin, we've replaced the motor and the fan, we checked the belt, and we've checked everything else under the back panel. Our drum will also not spin without a push.

our dryer model is a Whirlpool WED5700VW0

You are saying that the drum will begin to turn if you manually start it? If that is the case, it's a good chance that the rollers for the drum are worn to the point that there is so much friction they won't turn on their own. Will the motor run with the belt off it? If not, the motor bearings are probably bad. Another possibility would be the timer control having bad contacts.

khangnguyen1 · Jun 14, 2012, 11:42 PM

If the drum and the belt are taken out and when we run the motor alone, it is fine. With the drum and belt attached it need a manual start. Can you tell me more about the roller?

Handyman2007 · Jun 15, 2012, 05:41 AM

The drum, when installed rests on three rollers,, they look somewhat like the rollers used on garage doors. They are on the rear of the drum.

Stratmando · Jun 15, 2012, 06:46 AM

Bulkhead replacement parts for Whirlpool WED5700VW0 29"ELECTRIC DRYER | AppliancePartsPros.com

I believe the above site is who I have used, but doesn't act like it. I believe this is one who had Excellent explode views and pictures of the parts.
For some reason the photos and diagrams aren't showing up?
My pop up blocker is off?

Stratmando · Jun 15, 2012, 06:48 AM

When I clicked on the link, the photos/diagrams showed up, strange:
Bulkhead replacement parts for Whirlpool WED5700VW0 29"ELECTRIC DRYER | AppliancePartsPros.com

drtom4444 · Jun 15, 2012, 08:25 AM

Here are the manuals to help you: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/8010163/Whirlpool%20Dryers.zip
It could be that the start capacitor is bad. The only way to know is to remove it from the motor and test with a meter. It is a black cylindrical plastic part with two wires that attach to the top. It holds electricity, unless it has a bleed resister across the two terminals. Make sure to short out terminals before testing with an ohm meter. The ohms will start low and then go to infinity or the value of resister and then with leads reversed it will do it again. If it stays at the value of resister or at infinity then you need to replace it. Make sure to measure the resistance between the two wires coming out of motor and if you get infinity then the start winding is bad and you need a new motor. Also, check resistance to ground and if you get any reading of resistance the motor is grounded and is therefore bad. Here is a book on how to use the meter: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/8010163/Whi...e%20Manual.pdf
The rollers could also be bad as the others said, but you should be able to fix this fairly easily and cheaply because even with a new motor it is cheap to fix. You can usually find a used motor at used appliance shops.

khangnguyen1 · Jun 15, 2012, 06:40 PM

I don't know how that would be possible, we replaced our old motor with a new one. Shouldn't the start capacitor be new along with the motor? And what do I check for if the rollers are bad?

Stratmando · Jun 16, 2012, 05:54 AM

You need to remove the Drum and see if they spin free, as well as the tensioner pulley.
Removing the Drum is not as difficult as it sounds, Probably less than 8 screws to remove.
I would search on YouTube for Removing the cover and removing the dryer drum.
When you push start it, are you doing this with or without the door switch pushed in?

Handyman2007 · Jun 16, 2012, 06:23 AM

AHA!! I never thought about the door switch. If you are turning the drum manually, the door must be open therefore not allowing the dryer to run.

drtom4444 · Jun 16, 2012, 12:14 PM

Good point. I would assume that they would know to depress the door switch as it would not start at all even with them spinning the drum to start it. That's why I assumed they had to have had the door switch depressed. Motors with bad start capacitors or bad start windings will start if you start it spinning, unless it is a split phase motor that has a run capacitor in the circuit all the time. Dryer motors just have the start capacitor in the circuit for about a second then the centrifugal switch drops the start winding and cap out of the circuit.

khangnguyen1 · Jun 16, 2012, 05:35 PM

I press the door switch and the start button and let someone else turn the drum for me. So basically I open the door and just hold the switch down along with pressing the start button.

Stratmando · Jun 16, 2012, 06:04 PM

How about dust/dirt in the centrifugal switch?
Just realized new motor, not likely? A bad centrifugal out of the box?
I wonder if your belt is slipping and the push start is enough to get it going?

khangnguyen1 · Jun 18, 2012, 01:10 AM

One more information, we took out the belt and drum and started the motor itself, we had to hold the start button for the motor to start working, we held the start button for 30 secs until the motor started. If we released it before 30 secs, it wouldn't the motor wouldn't run.

drtom4444 · Jun 18, 2012, 06:36 AM

It sounds like a bad start capacitor. Test the one you have and replace it if it's bad. You can remove it and take it to an HVAC parts house and most of the time they will test it for you and will have one to replace it. If you do not have a start capacitor you have a start relay that could be bad.