DE180 Maytag Dryer - Instructions

No tools required, just insert the new lint filter in place of the old one. My dryer is about 20 years old. I think I was lucky to even be able to find a replacement lint filter.

The directions for the door latch kit told you to take the front of the washer apart to remove the old latch. But in my case the latch was broken in such a way that was not necessary. The new part just popped into place! No more fridge magnets holding the door closed!!!

And the new lint filter is great, the old one was so gunked up with old lint it was becoming difficult to clean.

I don't really know how old my dryer is, I purchased it used about 3 years ago.

Unplug the dryer. Remove two screws to remove the front drum housing. Remove 4 screws to remove the front drum housing. The front panel and front drum housing do not need to be unwired to work on the blower. Loosen wire harnesses and move panel and housing out of the way. Remove 2 spring clips holding the blower assembly to the motor shaft. Remove blower. Install new blower and re-assemble in the reverse order. The other stories written on the subject were spot on. This repair also made the clothes dry more quickly. I did not realize that long before the ryer made noise, there was a reduction in air flow. A simple vacuum switch to monitor air flow would tell you when there is a problem or that the filter/duct needs to be cleaned.

I bought this machine in 1984. For the belt to last this long, is extraordinary. The belt comes in a plastic bag with instructions. After removing the front cover(2 screws at the bottom, tip bottom out towards you. Cover unhinges from the top. Lean face against a wall. Don't remove any wires). I then vacuumed the inside thoroughly. Used a parts brush to wipe everything off, and blew out with compressed air. Vacuumed again. A bit obsessive, but gas and dust are not a good combination. So why not take the extra time. There is a continuous mark on the circumference of the drum, left by the original belt. Use this as your guide to locate the new belt. Rotate the drum by hand to make sure it tracks correctly. I also ran the motor with everything open, to make sure everything was cool before I buttoned it up. Also took the time to replace the gas line with a new one, and duct-taped the vent pipe to improve air flow.

This dryer has been really reliable. This is the first time I've had to repair it. PartsSelect.com says the noise had a 30% chance the problem would be the tumbler rollers and shaft and 18% it would be the blower impeller fan. I took a chance on the rollers, thinking I would save $20 on the blower fan. Big mistake! Once I dissambled the dryer, I realized almost immediately it was the blower fan and not the rollers. When I manually turned the motor shaft, I discovered the problem. The plastic fan's shaft hole is worn to a larger diameter and is semi-freewheeling on the shaft causing the racket. I replaced the rollers and belt and ordered a new fan. I tried putting electrical tape on the shaft to enlarged the OD like a fellow on this site said, but it worked for about 3 minutes then the racket started again. Also, I had to pull the dryer away from the wall and open the access door to the back of the motor in order to thread the drive belt on the motor and idler pulleys. I couldn't fit my arms along side and under the tumbler. I've got the scratches on my left arm to prove it. Suggestion: Replace the blower fan, rollers and shafts if you have the rumbling noise when operating the dryer. Might as well replace the drive belt while you have it apart, too.

Fast receipt of parts from supplier . All parts went together very quickly. Don/t recommend this work for those who have no mechanical skills. realignment of screws can be very tricky . They must all be correctly aligned first and driven in at diagonals to equalize pressure . Job needs to be used with hand tools as it is easy to strip out the threads in dryer by overtightening the screws.
PS before this we had replaced the drum belt.
Update:
We ran the dryer after replacing the drum support rollers and the idler pulley and it was smooth for about 5 minutes. then the rumbling and uneven rotation started up again! The tip-off was when we had done a test roll on the drum after changing the above parts, we heard a rumble from the blower wheel! so we ordered the blower wheel, replaced it and the dryer sounds like new.
Thanks to others who have written their stories which helped us figure out the problem. : ) saves big $$ on buying a new dryer. PS ours is 15 years old and has had heavy use.

Problem was the blower wheel, (Plastic deteriorated). Replaced the tumbler and motor belt as well as th idler pulley. While the blower wheel turned out to be the problem, the other parts were significantly deteriorated. Since I had the dryer disassembled it made sense to replace the other parts. The 24 year old dryer runs like new. The parts select instructional videos were extremely helpful.

The video was excellent and made for an easy repair. Would highly recommend.

Unplug dryer
Remove front (2 screws at bottom)
From bottom lift out and up to release top bracket
Move front panel gently to the left not disturbing wires
Remove blower cover with nut driver
Remove expansion clip on shaft with expansion clip pliers
Remove blower clamp with pliers
Slide blower wheel off
Replace blower wheel an reassemble

Tip: If the belt broke make sure the Drum Rollers are not seized which could have broken the belt. I recommend if replacing the belt replace the Drum Rollers (2- required) at the same time.
The instruction sheet that came with the Drum Roller kit is straight forward. It provided detail on what to disassemble to replace the rollers. So follow the instructions. Tip: Make sure you have a C – clip ring pliers to remove the C clip. The instruction sheet calls it the snap ring
The Idler Pulley came with no instructions, however it was easy to replace. The idler pulley is secured with an “E” shape clip which can be removed with a small straight blade screw driver.
The instruction sheet on how to install the belt was good showing how the belt is routed. The instruction wants the belt installed from the front around the tumbler then from underneath the tumbler towards the back and around the motor pulley and idler pulley. It is hard to see the motor and idler pulleys from underneath the tumbler. However I think it was easier if the tumbler was moved forward enough so you can see the motor and idler pulleys from the top. Install the belt as shown in the instruction sheet diagram around the motor pulley with the groves of the belt are against the pulley, then around the idler pulley. While holding the belt with slight tension, move the tumbler back into position while routing the belt around the tumbler and slowly turning the tumbler until the belt is completely installed. The belt should be about 1-1/2” from the back screws which hold the tumbler baffles. Note: the belt should be installed with the flat side against the tumbler. The belt should not be in the back grove of the tumbler.

opened dryer front; disconeccted old heating unit and removed same. re-installed and connected new part; re-installed door switch assembly replaced front panel. problem related to fact that rear of replacement part was to big to fit into orifice in dryer, had to compress to fit.

Fliped it on its side and removed the front of dryer, access to the rear screw was nearly impossable but with the aid of a 3' extension it finally came out

Remove the two screws that hold the front cover. Remove front cover and disconneted wiring to door switch.Remove the cover ( lower right hand corner )back of the dryer to gain access to belt idler pulley/tensioner. Remove old belt and slide new belt on the tumbler.

First I unplugged the dryer. Then, I took off the front cover, then a piece that holds the tumbler on. I put the new belt on and took a few minutes to make sure the belt was placed correctly. Lastly I put everything back on and plugged it back in. She started right up.

I was able to order exactly the same lint filter as the original. The dryer is a 1984 Maytag.Thank you Partselect.com