7MKGDS400DW0 Kenmore Dryer - Instructions

Two parts were needed in order to convert the dry back to Natural Gas. Part Select is usually good, but dropped the ball completely on this one. I received the correct Orifice, but was not asked or told about the need for the part for the regulator so the gas pressure would be changed back to Natural Gas. I found one at a local supplier and finished the switch. I chose to change the belt while in there because the dryer sounded like the belt had a chunk missing with the rhythmic thump. After installing the new, I found that one of the tumble paddles had a penny flopping inside it. One thump per revolution. This is the first in my career that the technician had not left the original orifice and regulator cap attached to the dryer.

I changed the belt, tension pully and rollers. Runs like new now. I also took the opportunity to clean it out real good while I had it apart.

I opened the top and front of the dryer. 1st I pulled out the drum and cleaned up the lint and mess from the busted support roller. Next it was a matter of looking at the enclosed drawing and instructions. I could not believe it was that easy.

I just followed your video how to replace a broken belt , after viewing replacing belt went easy

I use the manentance kit that was not the problem. I end buying the drive motor and that was it. I was happy with the service I got from part select, overnight mail what more could I ask for? I am also glad I replace everthing with mainentance kit. Thank you for your help john degnan

I first tried replacing the Radiant Flame Sensor, which was located in a tight space and was very difficult to access. I finally gave up and called a handyman to replace it. That didn't fix my problem. I needed a new igniter. That was easy to replace, but it's fragile and I broke the first one...

Followed the included instructions in the Maintenance kit. Very easy to understand & follow. Only advice is to have an extra set of hands to assist in re-installing drum w/ the new belt. Entire disassembly & reassembly could be done w/ basic hand tools but went alot quicker using a cordless drill w/ a set of nut/screw driver bits.

Took the two screws holding the lint trap to top. Used a putty knife to loose the clips holding the top of the dryer up so it could be hindged up for access. Used a nut driver to remove the four screws hold the front door on. Removed the lower dust panel, just clips holding in on. Pull the dryer drum out along with the broken belt and old belt tensioner. Took shop vac and cleaned lint and removed about $2.00 of loose change from the base. Installed the new drum supper wheels. Held belt around drum to put back in. Looped the belt through tensioner and around motor drive pulley as shown in instructions. Put front door on only to find the felt around the door had slipped making the drum hard to turn. Pulled the door back off and laid the dryer on it's back before putting the door back on , so you can run your hand around the door to make sure the felt go inside the drum. Put the four screws back in the door panel before uprighting the dryer. Sucess the drum turned freely. Put other remaining panel and srews in lint trap . Hook the dryer back up to vent, power and gas, and turned on the dryer. Runs like new!

Worked with a guy, I'm a girl. He had a good "feeling" about how to take apart the dryer, install the belt and put it back together. After one go putting the belt on, starting the dryer and having the belt come off....I followed along silently looking at the directions. Definately needed 4 hands to put the drum back in alignment. Other than that, this was very simple PROVIDED THE DIRECTIONS TO REALIGN THE DRUM are followed at the end. So simply: my directions are meaningless here, just follow the ones enclosed with the belt and this should take no more than 1 hour. :)

Dont go in through the back!! Take the top off then the obvious steps to get to the drum and belt. On the kitchen aid model at least I would advise to make all the hassel of replacing the belt well worth your time to go ahead and buy a new tension pulley with the wheel on it as opposed to the all metal tension pulley. My dryer is much more quiet now and seems to be more efficient.

I waited a two days to get my belt then deciced to get a new tension pulley. Ordered it one day and the next it was at my door. This was well worth my time and effort. Thanks PartSelect!!

Took the top off then front off of the dryer with just 2 screws( thank god not the back) and replaced the belt...had a difficult time getting the tension pully in place, belt kept falling off..the stop screw for the tension pulley was bent ,so had to replace that first.

Pry up front of top and lay back. Remove two 1/4" srews at top corners. The front of dryer will then swing to the right. The drumb will lift out easily. Remove broken belt. Inspect the drum rollers on the back wall. Replace if loose or not turning. Mine needed replacement. The assembly part is not easy. You need the drum in place and after it is in place you can't get the belt on. After 8 tries I got smart and made a prop to hold the idler pully up, then put the belt in place and let the pully down slowly. It worked! Put the front back on and the 2 screws and pop the top back down. Also it is a good idea to unplug the electric cord and turn off the gas (if app).

I yanked up the front of the lid, the broken belt laid across the drum like a dead snake. Pulled that out, then removed the two screws holding the front. Using the pliers, pulled off the two wires snapped to the door switch.
Lifted out the front panel, and lifted the drum, (added a bit of a yank to get it out of the two rollers in the back).
Vacuumed out the dust and dead bugs, then tried to figure out how to thread the belt on the idler and motor. (This was the hardest part) the picture that shows the parts is an exploded view, and does not show the way that it goes together. After about half an hour, I asked for help, and we found a slight rubbing on the idler and figured out that the tensioning spring pulls on the lower part of the idler arm, not the top. Putting the belt on, and getting the spring into the hole in the base was tricky, but not hard. Reassembly was straightforward, and took less than 5 minutes. (put in the drum with the belt on it, hook the belt on the motor and idler, push the rear of the drum into the rollers, then put on the front panel, re-attach the door switch, and the two screws holding the front, and close the lid).

The repair video provided for this model 110.97584810 gave erroneous info. It says to remove the back vent cover. The back on this model is not removable. I wasted an hour trying to remove back and top of dryer before discovering that the bottom front panel below the door pops off. Then the cover of the blower must be removed by removing two screws. The thermostat part can then be accessed and replaced as shown in the video. You'll need a 1/4" rachet to remove the screws as there isn't space to use a nut driver. Note that the statement in the video "This repair is done all from the back" is completely wrong. It is done entirely from the front. It can be done without even moving the dryer.

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.