ADE20L4W Admiral Dryer - Instructions

With no experience repairing appliances, I did figure it out that the drive belt was broken since the motor was running and the drum did not turn.

What to do? Start looking for fasteners! I knew I had to get to the drum, but there was nothing up front, on top, or bottom that gave a clue. Only the back panel had hex head steel screws. I removed them and the panel. Then I removed a tube that pulled air from the drum to the outlet. I saw some screws holding the back of the dryer top. After removing them, the top popped off by pulling it up and releasing the attachment at the front.

This gave me access to a couple of screws holding the top of the front (holding the door). It seemed to make sense to lay what was left of the dryer on it's back. After removing the last two screws at the top corners of the front panel, I pulled it up and removed it. The drum lifted right out. The belt tightener was loose and lying against the back wall.

The local Sears did not have a replacement belt and their web site was not that helpful or forgiving. A Google search revealed a site called PartSelect. It had a very useful search routine which led me to make a purchase on a Saturday evening. The belt arrived at my door on the following Tuesday! Be sure to look at the instructions that come with the belt, it will demonstrate how to fish it through the loose belt tightener.

In about 1.5 hours the dryer was back together and doing it's thing. There were two additional screws left over, but I figure that's a manufacturing defect.

I was a hero to the wife, as usual.

Followed the instructions and the repair went like clockwork, took less than an hour. I spent more time brushing and vacuuming old lint from the innards of the machine than I did doing the actual repair. Finished up $0.78 richer, too, from the change I found inside the machine.

Was a little hard getting at the idler pulley being it was behind the blower assembly, but it was the only draw back.

Shut off power and gas, unscrewed lint vent, raised top on angle with rope, unscrewed and moved door switch, unscrewed and took off front, put new belt around drum, then raised front end of drum with 4 narrow pieces of 1" foam insulation which let me view and install the belt connection to the drive motor shaft, adjusted the level of the drum using the rope holding up the top, removed foam pieces, replaced and rescrewed the front to fit the drum front channel, replaced the door switch, replaced the top and screwed it to the lint vent, returned gas and power, and ran confirmation test.

Remove back panel, looking for access. upon reassembly dropped socket into lint trap. Dissemble again, also dissemble lint trap ducting, found it almost completely blocked by lint, clean and reassemble. Remove front panel and there is the problem of the broken belt. Try to look up online to no avail because I didn't have the proper machine ID, but I did find out where to look. Now with the right info ordered the part. Received in the post about 5 days. Upon reassembly I realized that the adjustor was laying in the bottom, picked up, cleaned inspected, OK, then needed to figure out where it goes, got it, then to figure out how it holds tension on belt. That took a few minutes, well maybe 10 then the old Ford light bulb came on, then installed the belt and adjuster. Replace front panel, slide back into place, hook up wiring and duct. Test, guess what folks it works.

After using a voltage meter I tracked it to the thermal fuse. In order to get to the fuse you have to remove the heating element. However when I replaced the heating element I didn't check to make sure that the heating wires weren't touching the metal housing it sits in. So when I turned on the dryer I burned out the element and had to purchase another one so a simple repair became much more expensive. Since the thermal fuse is what blew initially I made sure to clean out the vent from the lint trap all the way to the outside vent. It was pretty dirty and probably caused the unit to get too hot and blow the fuse.

Pretty much just followed the video - I'd never opened a dryer before, so I'd watch a step, pause and do it, then run the video a few more minutes, and repeat. These dryers are really extremely simple devices: just a heater, then a motor to spin the drum and run the fan (I think the same motor does both). So you loosen a couple of screws, pry the metal case open, and slip on the new belt. Done! I didn't keep track of time, but I'm psyched to have saved myself a $200 repair call! Standard delivery arrived in less than two days, just like they said it would.

I watched an online video about how to replace a dryer belt & followed the directions. Placing the belt around the drum is easy but stringing it thru the pulley is a little difficult because the belt has tension. This takes a little effort but is doable. Dryer runs great now........Be sure to unplug appliance 1st........

Unplugged the 220 line, removed lint cover, (2 screws). Lifted top with a screw driver, (2 plastic fasteners) then unplugged a ground line at the front lip to separate the front panel. There was a 50/50 chance here that I would not put the wires back correctly, didn't not make note of the color differences. There was no lower panel, just a single panel on the front, which I first tried to remove like the top, but quickly saw no results, then lifted the panel easily, which I set aside. I rested the drum on a 4x4 piece of wood. I then slipped the new belt over the drum, aligned the bulkhead at the rear, and positioned the belt in the original position, there was a distinct mark showing this. Next I saw the idler pulley lying on it's side, hmm, thought this might take some time, but the illustrated instructions were very accurate, reset the pulley, pushed it toward the motor and doubled the belt around the pulley, it sort of felt right, according to the grooves on the floor panel. I then rotated the drum counter clockwise, then tested. It worked! Became a hero to my wife and found $1.86 in change, woo hoo! Total cost, including shipping under $20., two day delivery, amazing. Thanks.

I googled 'replace dryer belt' and found instructions on the 'Virtual Repair Man' web site. After reading the instructions through twice I began.

First I removed lent filter and removed the two screws that hold the lent body in place. I rotated the top panel up and back and leaned it on the wall; proped up the dryer drum with some scrap wood pieces; rotated the front panel of the machine out enough to slip the new belt, groves down, around the drum; reinstalled the idler pulley under the drum; raised the drum slightly and reattached the front panel. Reattached the top panel and replaced the filter. Did a test run and worked good.

I got a price from Sears for the part and they were asking $45 just for the belt. I saved enough in parts and labor to take my wife out for a real nice dinner. thanks

first I took the two screws that hold the filter in, then disconected the power,then I poped the top of dryer up and removed the two 5/16 screws on the inside of the front panel then the two screws down by the loading door hinges and took off the front cover and the drum, replaced the belt and put the ajuster back on and put everything back in revers order and it is working like new thank you for the fast order .tony

Once I realized it was just a drum belt and how easy it was to fix, I ordered the belt myself with no help from a national warehouse hardware chain where the manager said "I don't have a belt but I can sell you a dryer." Thank you I kept my 300+ dollars and once I got the belt it only required removing the two screws that sealed the lint screen cannel to the top; popping the top, removing the to nutbolts fastening the front to the side panels; slidding the front panel out; putting the belt around the drum and attaching it properly to the tension pully and motor. Finally, I closed it up and tested it. Household hero in less than 12 minutes! Not bad for a psychologist, eh?

Took two screws out of the Lint tray on top. remove to bolts from under hood then put new belt on. Always make sure there are no twists in belt when put back on

Buy the part the site provide a video on how to do it and was very helpful thanks

I watch the video and played it again while I was working.
I am a 54 year young woman and I did it.