D537E*129 General Electric Dryer - Instructions

The repair in retrospect was very easy. Not knowing alot about the dryer I made one mistake. I put the bearing in backwards and broke the rubber gasket. After ordering a new gasket and paying close attention to what I was doing it worked out fine. Saved me about $200 for a repairman.

After identifying the issue, the biggest issue was trying to identify how to get the belt around the drum tumbler. After looking through the back hatch, I figured the best way was through the top. I removed the top just enough to work the belt in between the drum and the front sheet metal. Then I turned it on its side and worked the belt from the back hatch. I pulled the pulley back on the tensioner and slipped the belt under neath. Put it back together, been working great.

Removed 3 torx screws on the control panel. Removed two more regular screws from the dryer opening. This allows removal of the top. Removed some panels from the back to access where belt feeds through the motor. Found the belt snapped in two inside.

Now that I knew what the problem was I found partselect.com on Google. Ordered the part friday morning with ground. The belt arrived SATURDAY MORNING! I didn't even know fedex would deliver ground shipments on Saturday. Less than 24 hours later I had it. AWESOME.

Removed the front panel by removing two hex bolts to allow me to drape the belt over the drum. Not having seen how the belt was originally around the tensioner and the bad diagrams included with the dryer, it took some figuring to get it back on right. But we did it and we're back in business. I will absolutely buy from PartSelect.com again!

I read all the reviews first, and decided on the best method, which is, disconnect utilities, remove four phillips screws under front of top,swing top open like a box lid, pull the two spade connectors off of the door switch, loosen the two hex head screws under the front of the front panel,remove the 2 hex head screws near the top of the front panel, and free the wire harness along right side of machine, this will allow you to swing the entire front panel to the right side,now remove the three torx screws inside the drum,this will allow the drum to be removed, exposing the bearing assembly at the rear of the drum. My machine is 20 years old, and when ordering parts, my machine #s were not listed, but they looked identical, but my bearing's shaft had a circlip retaining it in the bearing receiver, which had to be removed,( the newer shaft just inserts into the receiver, which is screwed into the back of the machine). Make sure to install the ground strap like the one you removed.My best advice for someone thinking about this repair, take it apart first and survey the parts needed before making the decision to repair your old machine, my drum's old bearing allowed the machine to function, and the shaft wore through the bottom of the receiver, allowing the defector, a round disc of thin sheet metal at the back of the drum (a $128 part), to make contact with it's housing, severely damaging both parts, making further investment in this machine unwise,even if I replaced the disc, the cut in the back, would allow really hot gases to escape into the dryer's interior, a scary scenario. I cut my losses and bought a new dryer last week. Anybody want to buy a brand new rear bearing assembly & belt for a GE dryer?. If you only have to replace the bearing, the job is a snap, but prepare to do a lot of dust removal!. Steve

The instructions that came with the bearing were limited and the illustrations were too dark to see. However, after reading the reports of others on this website, the repair was very easy.

Prior to disassembly, remove theaccess panel on the rear of the dryer. Pull the belt drive pulley arm up and the belt will easily slide off of the motor pulley. The belt can be left on the drum.

Then, remove two screws at the inside top of the dryer door. The top of the dryer will then lift up at the front and slide forward to remove. This will allow you access to two bolt head screws on each side of the front panel. Remove these two screws and then lift the panel slightly up and forward. The front panel will then be free and the dryer drum will slide forward and out. Remove the four bolt head screws (behind the electric elements) from the heater element on the inside back of the dryer box.

You can now exchange the bearing on the drum and the bearing insert on the dryer heating element simply by removing the old and reinstalling the new just as the old was removed - four screws for each.

You will need an assistant to re-install the bearing. Someone needs to hold the three pieces behind the drum as you insert the three screws. You'll also need a star wrench set for this.

The drum is easily reinserted - just be careful to get the front of the drum placed into the front bearing surface when reinstalling the front panel. One word of caution, My wife tried to remove the felt bearing on the bottom of the front panel thinking that it was lint.

I found that the inside of my ten year old dryer was unbelievably full of lint. I'm sure that the efficiency improvements by cleaning the air passages will be substantial and I've just saved $400 on the price of a similar dryer ($900 if my wife and I decided to upgrade to the "new" model that we wanted but really didn't need.

I used a flat head, a phillips head, and two sizes of sockets with my screwdriver to complete this project. I initially undid the control panel, but I don't think I needed to. I next took out two long screws that were holding the top of the cabinet on. These screws were just inside the doorway, directly above where the door sits when closed. I took the top off and set it aside. Being careful to mark which wire went to which lead, I undid the leads to the door open/closed switch. I next found two, black, hex-end screws, one each on the upper sides, towards the front, and undid these with a socket end on the screwdriver; being careful not to drop them as they came out. I then tilted the front panel out and up and set it aside. Note that the front opening holds the drum up so it can spin. Next, I tilted the front of the drum up, and pulled it outwards, till bearing at the back pulled out of the socket, and the drum dropped down enough that I could push the belt off the back of the drum. I then pulled the drum out through the front opening. I could see that the bearing was mostly worn away and metal was rubbing on metal. On the drum, I took off the air diffuser and the drum's half of the bearing assembly, and attached the new part of the bearing assembly, where the old one was. There was a metal disk that I was careful to reinsert in its former spot. I tried to make sure that all screws were tightened with equal force. Then I removed the entire bearing housing/blower assembly by undoing the outer screws that attached it ti the back wall of the cabinet, I rotated it outward at the top , pivoting around the compression fitting (no screws) at the base. I then removed the back half of the bearing housing, and replaced it. I needed to screw in the screws from the front while holding the spring-clip-thing in place (once installed, you can stick your finger through the hole in the bearing housing and feel the clip right behind it). I took this opportunity to clean all the excess lint out of the cabinet. I then replaced everything in reverse order until I got to the drum. I put the belt loosely arounf the drum, with the grooved/ridged side facing in. Then put the bearing (with drum), back in the socket. Feeling through the hole under the front of the drum, take the belt where it hangs off the drum TO YOUR RIGHT, run it under then up around the left side of the small pulley, then pull it to the right (above the small pulley) and around the right side of the big (tensioner) pulley, and let go. Note that there is a swithch in the tensioner that won't switch on unless there is enough tension on the belt! Put the front back on, lifting up the barrel from the inside, so that the barrel opening slides around the outside of the front's assembly. Ours seemed to fit more tightly than it had previously, into the felt padding around to bottom of the front assembly, but it seems to work fine? Screw in the two black, hex-head screws from the sides into the front, and re-attach the door-switch wires. Turn it on (carefully) to make sure it runs. Then attach the top, using the two long screws up through the door opening into the top. Ours is working much better than before - hotter, faster, quieter! Should we have lubricated the bearing with lithium grease?

Remove top panel and front panel. 12 Screws. Be sure to vacuum entire inside of cabinet free of lint.

Unplug the AC cord. Open dryer door and unscrew 4 small Phillips screws that hold the top panel to the front panel. Tilt up the top panel.
To remove the front panel: Look on the inside of the front panel, disconnect all the wire connections that go to/from the front panel, such as the light and door switch. Remove 2 screws that attach the top of front panel to the side panels using a 8mm or 5/16" wrench. Undo or loosen 2 Phillips screws at the bottom of the front panel, one at each bottom corner. Remove the front panel. Go to the back of the dryer. Remove the 8 screws holding the lower access panel (8mm or 5/16"). Remove the access panel. Also, remove the 2"x4" access plate in the center of the back panel (2 8mm/5/16"). Reach inside the small panel opening with a needle nose pliers and remove a Cir-clip and washer that holds the rear drum bearing shaft in place. Now you can remove the drum straight forward. Clean, clean, clean the insides. Replace the worn drive belt, follower wheel and front slider pads as needed. Reverse the procedure to reassemble. Plug in and test. Drink beer.

Removed filter as for cleaning. Replaced with new filter. NO TOOLS REQUIRED!

Replaced High limit thermostat per video on the website. However, the flange of new thermostat is flat, while chassis it mounts on is round to conform to drum of dryer. So new thermostat was not flush with chassis. Dryer did not shut off early (that problem solved), but instead continued to dry clothes beyond time necessary. Note that old thermostat had one side of flange slightly bent and probably more flush with chassis, and better able to sense when hot temperatures were reached. I dismantled dryer again, slightly bent new flange, re-installed. Seems to work better now .

Just took it out and installed the new one--thanks so much

Found excellent instructions and diagrams online by searching under the model number. Best of all was the service from PartSelect. Belt arrived 24 hours after ordering. It was the right part, it was easy to install, and the dryer is running beautifully.

I wanted to be sure a replacement would be available when the need arose. The dryer might be 30+ years old. Within a very few minutes I found the filter and placed an order. It arrived in 2 days. Now I won't have to worry about it in this aging lifetime.

Took the top and front off. DO NOT TAKE DRUM OFF!! Lifted drum slightly and worked belt around drum. Replaced front and top. Took off rear panel at bottom near vent pipe. Put belt around motor and then tension pulley. Buttoned everything up and that was it!

just changed out the gas igniter very simple to do thanks