DDC4500T4WH General Electric Dryer - Instructions

Dear PartSelect.com,

My repair went off without a hitch.

2 screws removed to remove top.
4 screws removed from inside to remove front panel w/ door.
4 screws removed from top of control panel, loosed and popped top right off.
Flathead screwdriver to pop off old plastic panel.
Removed old wire chase (plastic, approx 3” long).
Removed built-up lint, wiped down area for new duct.
Snapped new duct on.
Dryer works like new!!
Took about 35 minutes, most of time spent cleaning up inside of dryer from lint due to broken duct.

One problem was that salesperson sold me on a new felt strip to go with new duct. That felt comes already installed on the new duct so I did not need it. Cost me a few extra dollars I did not need to spend.

Other than that, easy ordering, fast shipment, and parts are as close to original as possible.

Thanks for all your help!

First I really had to hunt for the proper way to get my dryer drum accessible for the repair. With my model it was as simple as removing two screws to take off the top panel (located by opening the dryer door), and then removing two other screws inside the front panel at the top. The front will then be able to swing to the left side (the door switch wires are on this side for this model). Simply remove the drum bearing by gently pulling it off. My slides were in such poor shape for less than 4 years old!! One of them had completely disintegrated! These slides have a small whole on one end which attaches to a small nub at the edge of a slot while the other side just slid into a slot at the other end. No need to even take out the drum!!
The hardest part of the job was to get into the dryer!

I pried out the remaining pieces of the handle out of the door with a screwdriver. When the new part arrived, I snapped it into place and it was done. It fit perfectly.

The end repair was very simple and took minimal effort. The time and difficulty was all in the testing. I disassembled the dryer and removed the drum and then hard wired each thermo-fuse to determine where the fault was. After test all of those I was stumped. When I opened the door the light would not come on so I assumed it was a power fault closer to the source. However after all of my testing I couldn't find anything wrong. I then removed the light bulb and realized it was burned out which led me to the door switch being the fault. I removed the switch and soldered the three wire together and the dryer started right up! All I had to do was order a new $15 part, unsolder the wires and plug them in. Would have been so much simpler if that light bulb hadn't of been burned out causing me to over think my diagnosis. This was my first major appliance repair and I did it with only the help of the parts diagram provided on the website.

pulled out door striker anddoor latch out with pliers and just pushed in new parts. works like new in under a min.

This part arrived at our house two days after I ordered it. I was stunned by how quickly it arrived.

Our dryer was making a very annoying squeaking/rubbing noise while drying and it became worse as the outside temps dropped (it's winter)...colder air cooling the exhaust line, causing metal in dryer to contract more.

I called an appliance repair service and they said, "Honestly, your money is going to be better spent to just buy a new dryer. The bearings on these are a pain to replace."

Yeah, right.

I've never taken apart a dryer, but it took me less than 45 minutes to complete this repair and our dryer is back to normal. Total cost was $18, including shipping. A $300 savings versus buying a new dryer.

There is another description of the process for this part so I won't repeat it all.

I did it a little differently than most, namely I did not remove the dryer drum. I simply pulled it out about six inches (make sure and slide belt back as you inch out the drum). But first, unplug the dryer, then remove the top, then the front.

A Philips screwdriver will quickly remove the top of the dryer (two screws on inside front, where door closes) and the front face (two screws at top of front, inside face). Lift the front up about an inch and it is free. I had to disconnect a couple wires, just make sure you mark before you disconnect them.

With that done, the drum will pull straight toward you (out). Make sure and support the weight of the drum as you slide it out. I found no need to remove the drum.

At the rear inside of our drum, there are three Torx screws that hold the bearing assembly on. I have a pretty long reach so I just removed two of the Torx screws, then reached around the back of the drum while removing the third screw, to keep the bearing assembly from falling onto the floor behind the back of the drum.

This plastic bearing is held to the bearing shaft by a little o-ring. Just pull the o-ring off, slide off the old bearing, slide the new bearing on and replace the o-ring (if yours is broken, any home store will have one that will work as a replacement in their faucet repair department).

Reattach the bearing housing to the drum with the Torx screws (get all three started before you tighten any of them), slide the drum back in - make sure you slide the belt as you move the drum back in and support the weight of the drum so you don't bash the bearing assembly into the back of the dryer.

You're doing this part blind, but in a few seconds, you can guide the bearing back into the hole in the back wall of the dryer. It just slides into the hole, nothing fancy.

Put the front of the dryer back on. Then replace the top (I had to remove the five screws on top of the dial panel to give it some flex so the top would pop back into place without stressing the dial panel), plug the dryer back in, and fire it up.

45 minutes after this part arrived at our home, our dryer problems were gone. Now that I've done one, I could probably do it in 20 minutes the next time (it's that simple/easy). And we didn't need a new dryer. Makes me think I should have the appliance guy who told me we needed a new dryer to direct all of these "pain in the fanny" bearing replacements to me because I could charge someone $50 total for the repair and make good money.

Hope all this babble helps someone else who doesn't need a new dryer.

Easy repair. Removed top of dryer and removed two screws to front panel and door assembly. Old front air duct assembly was worn and broken, so it literally fell off the panel. I cleaned the front panel and door assembly of all the lint and dirt, and snapped the new parts into place. The new parts came with the gasket and felt drum seal already installed, to all that had to be done was to snap it into place. Installing the drum slides was a breeze. I simply had to slide one end in the slot, position the hole over the pin, and slide the other end in. I put everything back together, and ran a full cycle for test. Dryer works like new, and run quiet.

Doing some simple troubleshooting with the volt-ohm meter I determined that the door switch was failed.

The replacement door switch restored the motor circuit keeping my dryer in action.

First, I loosened the the top control panel and then loosened the top flat roof panel which allowed me access to the inside of the dryer. Then, I removed the front panel which allowed access to the drum. I was amazed at the amount of lint that was inside the dryer itself. Most of my time was spent in the disassembly and cleaning of the internal cavity around the drum. I reached below the drum and removed the belt from the pulley wheels and then unscrewed the drum (from the inside) from the back of the dryer and bearing kit. I removed the diffuser and cleaned it thoroughly. Then I replaced the entire drum bearing kit - the old one was almost completely dissentigrated. I probably should have applied some kind of non-flammable lubricant to the new bearing kit - the instructions did not include this step but after about 3 loads a slight squeak (different). I put everything back together - applying the new drum kit will require 2 sets of hands (my 9-year old daughter did great at this). I re-assembled the dryer and it works great, again except for the slight squeak that's still there. I may disassemble it again and apply some lubricant but I do not know what kind to get; I need to check that out.

easy no problem

A very easy fix. Opening the front door to the dryer locate two chrome phillips head screws in the upper part of the door opening which hold on the top of the dryer. (I think in the older dryers the top simply was held on with keepers and you could simply pry it off. Not the case here)Lifting up on the front of the top it comes away from the back control panel. I would recommed that the control panel be removed as it is necessary to remove it to put the dryer top back on due to three clips that wont allow you to put the top back down with the control panel in place. It takes a star wrence to remove it. Once the top is off ther are two phillips screws holding the front of the dryer on (one on each side) remove them and the whole fron lifts up and off. The drum rides on a plastic schroud attached to the dryer inside front. Mine was so worn it required the purchase of the entire assembly which comes in two parts. The upper part had worn away so badly the drum was riding on the metal causing the noise. I ordered both the upper and lower assembly and both just simply snap off and the new ones snap right back on. No tools. I was a bit dissapointed as I assumed that the felt which is located in the lower assembly would come with the new part however it did not nor did some plastic tabs which the drum rides on in the upper assembly comes with the replacement part. It takes four of those tabs so order appropriately. Went back together easily and the whole job was done in about 40 minutes.

Everything is cleaned as it is removed.

Remove the two screws holding the top down.
Disconnect two wires from door switch.
Remove the two hex screws holding the front on.
Remove the 4 screws holding the access panel on the back and disengage idler pulley to loosen the belt.
Remove the drum.
Label the wires then remove the heating element.
Check orientation of ground strap before disassembling rear bearing.
Remove four screws holding rear bearing to back of heating element.
Install rear bearing and ground strap on to heating element.
Reinstall heating element.
Reconnect wires.

Most Important : Get help putting parts back on drum! I didn't and that's why it took over 2 hours.
I will describe how I did it.

Unscrew bearing from inside of drum.
Wrap screwdriver with tape to a little larger than the screw hole.
Use small screwdriver to line up the drum, shim and deflector.
Don't forget the brass shim. It wasn't on the parts diagram.
Start two screws don't tighten them yet.
Remove Screwdriver and start third screw. Tighten all three down.
Put belt on drum.
Install drum and belt.
Reverse disassembly.
When putting the front on make sure drum rests in the felt.

I rated this a bit difficult because I did it myself. With help this is a fairly easy repair.

straightforward swap, just form the top rail and click it in

First, let me say that my repairman said the bearing and slides would cost between $150-200, and the total repair would be pushing $400, so we should just get a new dryer. Well, the total cost for the parts was less than $50.

The installation was easy.
1. Remove the two bottom screws of the door hinges, loosen the two top screws, and remove the door.
2. Unscrew the two screws, under the upper lip of the door opening, that secure the front panel to the top panel.
3. Pull the front of the top panel up, and then pull the panel off.
4. Remove the bulb from the front panel.
5. Unscrew the two screws, from inside the dryer, that secure the front panel to the frame.
6. Pull the front panel away from the drum and frame. Had to lift the drum slightly to do this. The electrical connection wire was still attached to the front panel.
7. Slide off the old drum bearing from the inside of the front panel.
8. Insert 4 new slides onto the new bearing.
9. Slide the new bearing onto the rim of the opening in the front panel.
10. Reset the front panel back into the slots at the bottom front of the frame, with the bearing fitting into the drum. Again, had to lift the drum slightly to do this, and make sure the wire was not caught between the front panel and frame.
11. Re-secured the front panel to the frame with the two screws.
12. Replaced the bulb in the front panel.
13. Replaced the top, and re-secured it with the two screws.
13. Put the door back on.
Quiet dryer once again! And saved the $800, including installation, a new gas dryer would have cost us!

5 minutes! loosened 4 screws pulled front off replaced bearing, felt, and slides. put everything back together, tightened screws. Worked like a NEW ONE!!!!