MDE21PRAYW Maytag Dryer - Instructions

I removed the dryer door and attaching hardware to other covers. Raise the top cover and prop it up. Remove the drum retaining cover and disconnect the door switch wires, making note of their locations. Release tension on idler and take belt off of motor. Pull the drum out with belt still around it. Vacuum lint and dust from inside cabinet. Use snapring pliers and remove the snaprings on the drum rollers. Remove the old rollers and washers, clean the shafts and apply a light film of oil on the shafts. Install new rollers and plastic washers on shafts and secure with snaprings. Remove the "E" clip from the idler shaft and remove the old roller. Clean and lube the shaft and install the new idler and clip. Place the new belt on the drum with the ribs against the drum. Put the drum in place and install the front drum retainer. Position the belt around the motor pully and tensioner. Rotate the drum to get the belt to track. Attach the remaining covers.

We inherited this dryer three years ago upon purchasing our current house. At that time I found this website to purchase and install a couple of the baffles that were missing. This time, I checked the troubleshooting for my current problem and ordered all of the parts I felt I needed to resolve the problem. Once I received the parts, I followed the great how-to videos by Steve to disassemble the front of the dryer and remove the drum. I could not get to the repairs right away since the interior of the dryer was quite dirty and I took a lot of time to clean it out. Once I got to removing and replacing the drum rollers, idler pulley, rear drum felt shaft, and drum belt, everything went smoothly and was just as easy as Steve described in the videos. If I didn't have such a dirty machine interior, removing the old parts and installing the new parts would have taken less than an hour. I had to hold off on installing the front glide kit and front drum felt seal since I forgot to order two of each (I'll install these at a later date. I proceeded to putting everything back together and testing the dryer. The dryer now runs quietly and works great.

We could not find directions for the brand that we have. First we took the back off, which we did not need to do.
lift the top of the dryer, remove the front remove drum. Place belt on front of motor, wrap double belt around support on bottom of dryer, open the remaining belt and stretch around drum. Hold drum in place, replace front and top.
Need at least 2 people, not at all intuitive.

Firts I had to take all the front parts off using a screwdriver and nutdriver then I loossen the belt to get the drum out then I had to use snapping ring pliers to remove the rollers and put the new ones in I cleaned the inside of the dryer then I put everything back in place. After all that I tested it and it worked really good it took me about an hour to do all that

Went on line and got a diagram of the dryer. Removed four screws around the door. Removed the door and then the front cover. The toughest part was removing the drum. Once I got that out of the way replacing the rollers was easy. Re installed the drum. The belt was a little tricky but worked. Then replaced the front of the dryer and the door. The dryer works fine now and no more noise. Pretty easy.

repairmen said to buy a new dryer! or replace the motor! DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!

It was the spring washer that was rubbing against the metal that was causing the very loud noise. The fiber washer that is used on the shaft on both sides of the roller had worn though and allowed the metal-metal contact. The fiber washer wore out! The fiber washers are very cheap!!!! in comparison to a motor or new dryer!


The drum rollers that support the rotating drum eventually wear out the fiber washer.
UNPLUG THE DRYER, DISCONNECT THE VENT
Remove the two screws on the lower front of the dryer panel, probably after you have tilted the unit backward. Remove the front panel by tilting out the bottom as there are two clips at the top. AFTER DOCUMENTING the CONNECTIONS - Disconnect the wires from the switch which is mounted on the front panel.
Carefully put the dryer on its back - be careful of the dryer vent to avoid damaging your floor or dryer vent!
Carefully pull the dryer drum up out of the dryer - as this is done the belt which moves the drum will fall away from the drum. I suggest before you remove the drum to eyeball the way the belt is tensioned and wrapped around the motor driveshaft, guard and tensioner. This will be the most difficult part of reassembling the machine. Some visual understand, maybe even pictures will help you later to get it installed correctly back into proper position... and it is NOT intuitive!
Once the drum is removed, the rollers are accessible. Rotate each and find the squeaker!
I recommend you replace the fiber washer on both, even though only one may be squeaking at this point (the other will be close to being worn out as well!).
I will not document the replacement of these parts as the assembly seems well documented elsewhere. I suggest you remain using the spring washer if there - as the after factory replacements do not seem to provide spring washers.
I would also suggest replacing the dryer drum belt, it is worn, after this many years, and putting in a new one will keep the dryer running for many more years. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER - USE IT

repair was pretty easy, actually took more time removing the door and the front housing that actually changing out the rollers

Received parts within two days of order. thank you

It was easier than I thought. Unplugger the dryer, took the door off, front panel and inside front panel. I wiggled the drum out and vacuumed up all the lint. All I really needed to replace was the belt and idler wheel but replaced the 2 support rollers since I had gotten new ones. The belt had a twist in it and was rubbing and causing the idler to rub against its bracket, thus wearing them both out prematurely. I slapped it all back together and it never ran better.
Thanks for the inexpensive parts and quick delivery. You guys are great!

looked at video on your web site my wife and I decided to try it ourselves we are 70 and 71 And I am in a wheelchair just had surgery so we ordered parts. received parts looked at repair video a couple of times and went for it. during process we had some moments of frustration but we went back to video. end result, screech is gone. could not have done it with out video thanks.

Several times I watched the video of "Steve" removing the old motor and installing the new one. Pretty much followed what he did. Faltered for a moment at the end reinstalling the drive belt as that was a blind procedure, done by feel. Hardest part was getting the spring clamps off the old motor; even Steve struggled a bit doing that part of the job on the video. But in the end, the dryver started right up and ran quieter than it has for months.

Unplugged the dryer (don't forget this step guys!!!)

Pulled the front off the dryer (4 screws) and swapped the motor out - take off the belt, pull the blower wheel (by removing the snaprigs and squeeze collar), then pull off the motor retaining clips... unplug the motor and install the new one in reverse. Took me less than 2 hours and my dryer works like new.

WAY CHEAPER than a new dryer!!!

removed front door, removed front panels, lifted top back, unhooked belt, removed drum and belt, removed blower housing front, removed squirrel cage, removed blower housing, unplugged motor, removed motor assembly , ..switched new motor to motor cradle ... reversed process.

I removed and replaced all the problem pieces, and now she runs better then when I got her!

I removed the lower panel and control panel, then the front body panel. With those open, I removed the drum support and drum. I then removed the cover from the air guide, then unbolted the air guide from the motor assembly.

Then, I disconnected the wiring connector to the motor, unbolted the motor carrier from the bottom of the unit, and removed it. I removed the idler arm from the motor carrier, then unclipped the two clips holding the motor in the carrier.

At that point, while everything was out, I gave the carrier a thorough cleaning. I then placed the new motor, replaced the clips that hold it in place, and put everything back together in the reverse order of taking it apart.

While I was in the machine, since I had everything taken apart, I did also take the opportunity to replace the idler pulley and drum rollers proactively.

Followed the directions of the video and all went smooth. Cleaning the lint and parts was the more time consuming than the actual repair. 30 minutes for the repair and an hour for the clean. All and all very easy.