7MKGDS400DW0 Kenmore Dryer - Instructions

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

Pretty much followed your great video: . Watching it gave me the confidence that I could accomplish the job myself.

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.

Disconnect the power and gas supply so that you can slide dryer out and into an accessable area to work comfortablely. Removed top and front of dryer. When disconnecting numerous wires from the top controls, draw a simple color coded diagram for reconnection before you disconnect those wires. After removing the top and front, take out the drum and clean all the lint, money etc. out of the normally nonexcessable area of dryer. Place new belt on as you replace the drum. This takes two people; one to hold the drum in position and one to carefully work the new belt into place. Rotating the drum by hand will assist in the placement of the new belt on the drum. After reassembling the newly cleaned dryer it was a pleasure to try it and find a dryer that worked better than during its pre-repair use and it saved us the price of a repair call or a new dryer.

first, i read all the comments on this web site as well as other web site. sooner i confirm the problem is the drum belt, i order the parts.
my kemore model front panel is one piece. so i have to lay down the dryer and open the front panel on the top. The instruction sheet sent with the belt is very good, so it does not take too much time to replace the belt, the challenge task is to reconnect the front panel to the side panel. I spend too much time trying different way to use the fastner hook to connect panels without realizing that the hook is broken. stupid me. i later have to use the wire to connect the front panel to side panel. overall, i am very happy i fix the dryer.

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.

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.

replaced rollers, belt and pulley. Video was very helpful

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........

Tools and materials:

#2 Philips head screw driver
Standard flat-tip screw driver
1/4" nut driver or ratchet
1/4" drive sockets: 1/4, 5/16
Something 3-4 inches thick to wedge under drum for support (i.e. scrap 4x4, soap bottle, books)

Replacement Procedures:

1. Unplug dryer from wall outlet
2. Pull out lint screen
3. Remove 2 Philips screws attaching lint trap to dryer top
4. Lift hinged dryer top panel near front and lean it back on wall. You may need to pry between side panels and top with flat-tip screw driver to get it started.
5. Disconnect plug from dryer door switch near front
6. Remove two 1/4" and two 5/16" hex screws inside front panel near top.
7. Open dryer door and lift front panel straight up to disengage tabs from slots near bottom of front panel.
8. While supporting drum with one hand, lift front panel and set aside with other hand.
9. Slip replacement belt around drum with ribs facing drum and position it where old belt left its mark.
10. Wedge something under drum to support it while installing the belt.
11. Re-position tensioner in two slots in bottom panel just in front of motor. On my model the bend in the spring will be on the right side with the idler pulley to the left, when viewed from the front.
12. Ensuring the belt isn't twisted, thread a small loop of it through the opening in the tensioner just below the pulley.
13. With the left hand, push against the tensioner spring while working the loop over the drive pulley.
14. While supporting drum with one hand, remove whatever you put under the drum to support it.
15. Replace front panel by aligning the slots with the tabs near the bottom and lowering it into place.
16. Carefully slip the drum opening over the flange on the front panel and replace hex screws.
17. Slowly roll the drum in one direction or the other until the belt aligns and centers itself.
18. Re-connect the plug for the dryer door switch.
19. Lower the dryer top and press until it snaps back into place.
20. Replace philips screws to secure lint trap and replace lint screen.
21. Plug dryer back into wall outlet, close door, set to dry, and press start.

Thank goodness the part was still available for a 25 year old dryer. Website was great to help solve the problem and the video was wonderful to show me how to identify the part and how to get to it. You take off the back of the dryer and then unscrew the thermostat from it's mooring. Undo the 4 wire connections. Stick in the new thermostat and re-install. Thank you!

Un pluged and Moved it out from the Wall, Raised the top, found broken belt. ordered belt on line, 2 days belt came in. cleaned all dust and dirt out put greese on berrings for rollers bleu out vent hose with Leef Blower. put top down, pushed back. pluged in and turned on IT WORKS!!!