41798988840 Kenmore Dryer - Instructions

I've replaced the rear plastic bearing on this dryer twice, so I am familiar with taking the unit apart. After replacing the bearing in December, the machine still made noise (which had been masked by how loud the bearing was). The belt didn't look so great and it's 13 years old, so I ordered one and a new idler pulley assembly.

First, I disconnected the power and pulled it out for access. Using a large blade screwdriver, popped the cover open from the two clips in front. Be sure to support the top cover when you open it on the tabs or they will bend - I propped it against the wall. I disconnected the two wires that go to the door switch, and then removed the two screws that hold the front panel and door in place and lifted/opened that and removed the front panel and set it aside.

Next, I removed the back access grill (2 screws) and popped the belt off the idler by relieving the tension on the belt. Using a 10mm socket, I removed the idler pivot bolt and idler arm assembly. I installed the new idler arm assembly in its place and reattached the spring.

Moving to the front of the dryer, I lifted the drum off the blower housing on which it was resting and took off the belt through the front of the dryer. I then replaced the belt in reverse. Back through the access panel on the rear, I put the new belt on the motor and idler.

Be sure to check that there are no flips in the belt. I rotate the drum by hand a couple of revolutions to be certain.

I then reinstalled the front cover and door, reconnected the door switch, replaced the access panel and put the cover back down, popping the clips into place.

Put the dryer back in place, reconnected the exhaust and plugged it in. Voila - quiet dryer.

As an aside, I also took the time to clean the lint out of the blower and exhaust with a vacuum cleaner hose.

I basically followed the video instructions on your website. Pretty simple but ran into an issue pre-threading the 3 self taping screws into the spindle bearing. The screws provided were blunt on the end and did not tap easily at all. I used the existing screws that were much more "sharp" and worked much better. Also, the new screws were Philips drive and due to the amount of torque trying to self tap nearly stripped them out. The old sharper screws were square drive which had a better bite. So basically, I used the old screws to self tap and then used the new screws for the final installation.
It took a long time to clean all the lint out from the inside of the dryer. The motor was completely embedded with lint and animal hair. You may want to suggest that a good cleaning may be needed so bring a shop vac...and also something to carefully pick the lint balls out from around the motor armature and bearing area. Overall the video instructions were really a big help!

I unplugged the dryer. Undid the top by taking out 2 screws and mounts on each side of the back. There were two screws in the front panel that had to be removed. One on each side. Then I took the two wires off the killer switch on the door. Marking which was top and which was bottom. Then I removed the front panel. Then I undid the drum which had 3 screws in. I took out the drum to find the problem. I replaced the drum putting the belt on. Then I took off the back panel at the bottom of the dryer to get at the idler arm. Took off the spring and unhooked the arm. I put the new arm on and replaced the spring. I then put the belt on to the pulley and closed up the back panel. I put back the front panel. I put the top back on. I plugged it back in and turned it on and it worked!

Almost exactly as per the videos available on the PartSelect web site. The only additional information that would help is that the vent on the back of the unit can be removed to allow for access to the belt spring pulley. This avoids having to reach around from the front of the unit and feel your way to remove and re-install the belt.

Removed rear inspection plate, removed pulley spring and one hex bolt, replaced in reverse order. Very simple removal and install for this. Glad to see that Part Select still had parts for this 22 year old drier.

I unscrewed the old the lint screen FRAME and easily removed it, replacing it with the new one. The new lint -- SCREEN -- just needed to be squeezed here and there, and molded into a better shape. The screen itself, arrived flattened on the bottom, causing it to be too wide and difficult to remove from the frame. I easily molded it with my hands into the shape of the previous one and it slipped right into place. ( Shaped like an oval, flexible sack.) VERY easy!

For me it wasn't even a repair, but rather, open the package, take out and discard the old lint tray and pop the new one in! Done. I didn't have to replace the frame. I would like to comment on how easy ordering was from partselect.com and how quickly the part arrived. Very satisfied customer! Thank you!

1. After checking the Parts Select website for some useful information I unplugged the dryer.
2. I popped the two clips holding the top down and lifted the top up and out of the way.
3. I used the 8mm socket and screwdiver combo to remove the two screws holding the front of the dryer on. These screws are so close to the sides of the dryer that you need something very thin to seat the socket, it is so thin a small rachet would not fit.
4. Once the to screws are free to forget to unhook the two wires that lead to the automatic cutoff switch on the right. Label them and move them out of the way.
5. The front of the dryer should pivot forward and come right off. Don't forget about the two clips at the bottom, they are not really attached to anything and can be easy to lose.
6. Get your screwdriver and dive into the drum, on the back should be three screws, take those out.
7. Spin the dryer around and take off the vent cover in the lower left corner of the back of the dryer, watch out the socket is a smaller size.
8. Once inside there is an idler pulley like on the back of a ten speed bike, pull the tension out of it and take the drive belt off the pulleys.
9. The drum should be able to be pulled out the front of the dryer, set aside with the door. The screws on my dryer were so tight I had to use a hammer drill to remove them.
10. This is were I got stuck, no one mentioned how to get the bearing plate off, as if everyone would just know. You must lift up on the bearing plate and once it moves up then you can pull it out.
11. Use the 8mm socket to unscrew the old plastic bearing guide. The small metal clip on the back of the dryer will fall off with the grounding ball bearing.
12. With brum bearing kit in hand start off by putting as much high temp lubricant as you can into the bottom of the new bearing guide. I also use a little lubricant like glue to hold the new grounding ball bearing in the little hole on the back of the bearing guide.
13. Here is the tricky part you have to screw the bearing guide into the the dryer while simulaneously holding the little metal clip in place on the back of the dryer. I used duct tape to hold the metal clip and once the screws got started I just took the tape off.
14. Now you have to do the impossible, the bearing must be screwed to the drum. So unless you have 7 foot long arms you can't hold the bearing and drive the screws. Another problem is the bearing itself, the holes are not the same size as the original and they are not threaded. I stripped every screw that came with the kit trying to get them through the metal of the bearing.
15. With an unwilling victim holding the bearing steady I finally got a replacement screw to seat through the bearing. Once you get one the rest are easier.
16. You are ready to reassemble, after vacuuming everything ou, pick up the drum making sure the belt is around the drum about where it was when you took it off. Push the drum through the front of the dryer all the way to the back, aim a little high so the bearing can move down and seat in the bearing guide.
17. Tuck the clips on the front panel of the dryer into the bottom front edge of the dryer and the whole front should pivot up, when you get it almost closed you will have to lift the drum and set it on the front bearing in the door.
18. While holding the front of the dryer on you have to reach inside and get the 8mm screw started on the left or right, if you let go the front of the dryer will pop off and you have to start over with the pivot. Now is a good time to have a magnet on a stick so when you drop the screw or screw driver you don't have to take the front off to retrieve your tools.
19. Once the front is on reconnect the two wires to the switch in the front of the dryer. Remember the ones you were supposed to have labeled earlier.
20. Close the top of the dryer and spin the dryer around so you can reach inside the vent door and pull the tension pulley over and reseat the drive belt. Rem

Followed your website repair guides and the great belt replacement video.

Other parts used were; front lower basket seal, dryer seal, and dryer drum belt.

Had no problems except for keeping the drum belt idler pulley tension spring in place. Used the rear access panel to solve this issue.

John H.
Palm Desert, CA

Removed 2 screws and dropped new screen holder in with lint screen in it and replaced screws. Really easy

This was easer than, well brushing my teeth. And it took less time than that too. Really, really easy, just like I read.

removed two screws - replaced lint screen replacement, TIME TO REPLACE UNIT - ONE MINUTE. What made this project a snap was the pictures and graphs( parts replace) uses to ensure you are ordering the exact screen .

This was the easiest and most inexpensive repair I ever had on a dryer. I did a search on the internet, found "PartSelect.com" searched their web site, found the part I needed (at a very reasonably low price) ordered it, received it within 2 days, opened the box, removed 2 screws from the old part, put the new part in, replaced the 2 screws, inserted the filter screen... and my wife was happy. Thank You PartSelect.com for perfect selection, ordering and service.

After unplugging the dryer, disconnecting it from the vent, and moving into an open work area, I popped the top open with the blade of a screwdriver, disconnected the two wires that connect to the door switch, then lifted the front panel (with the door) up and away from the drum. Next, I lifted the drum out of the worn rear bearing assembly and lowered it into the dryer in order to release tension on the belt. I then removed the entire drum by carrying it forward and out of the way. I then removed the old bearing assembly, which was loose and covered with metal dust. After cleaning the area with a dry cloth to remove the old grease and metal dust, and vacuuming all the lint off *everything*, I installed the new bearing assembly with a 5/16" nut driver, being careful to position the provided ball-bearing between the plastic bearing assembly and the outer clip. The little ball-bearing is very important, as it is the drum's only path to ground, and prevents the build up of static electricity as the drums spins. I then filled the new bearing assembly with the provided grease. Everything is easy up to this point, but the difficult part for me was removing the old hub from the drum and re-attaching the new one. It is held on by three screws and they become seated very tightly. After loosening them and removing the old hub from the drum, attaching the new one prvoed difficult as well, as the screw-holes in the new hub are not threaded to fit the screws. The screws muct be forced to cut a thread as you install them, which requires a great deal of force. After installing the new hub and putting the new belt (pruchased separately) around the drum, the next step is to reinstall the drum by lifting it in through the front of the dryer and positioning the new hub over the new bearing assembly and pressing it down into place. It will gently "snap" into place as it seats. Then, on the back side of the dryer, I removed the vent panel by removing the two screws that hold it in place and positioned the new drive belt (loosely dangling around the drum) over the motor's drive wheel and behind the sring-tensioned idle arm. Then it is a simply matter to reinstall the front panel by genly lifting the drum and sliding the door opening inside it, then reseating all the little clips that hold the front panel in place. I then pressed the top back into place, reconnected the vent hose, plugged it back in and checked for operation. My fifteen year-old dryer now works like new!

After lifting the dryer top and finding the location of the thermal limiter on the back of the dryer, where it is difficult to get at, I carefully cut through the dryer cabinet with the multimaster on three sides to form a 'flap' upon which the limiter was mounted. By prying this flap open from the back, the two wires and two screws are easily accessible to replace the limiter, without having to remove the whole drum. Afterwards, I just bent the flap back into place and taped the seams. If it ever blows again, the fix will take all of about two minutes.