GDE482 Maytag Dryer - Instructions

This website is awesome. After imputing my dryer model I was able to select from the list if symptoms my issue...Dryer will not start. From there was percentage of issues that would cause my issue. After determining it was the motor (after 25 years who would have thought that!!!). In this process I discovered other non related issues that i should attend to. So I basically rebuilt the dryer and it worked right away. I am retired military and in the tax preparation/representation business now, so a lot of this was new to me. The detailed instruction and especially the videos provided foolproof methods to complete each of the repairs. It was a little time consuming but very easy to complete. I did gain some new tools and diagnostic equipment that will come in handy in the future. Now I am going to tackle my daughters dishwasher. Thank you Parts Select and Steve (on the videos). John Beazle

My first attemp was to replace the drum roller and idler roller, drive belt, and the felt seal for the back, since I had experience replacing these on an older machine many years ago. The dryer was very easy to work on....After installing the new parts, I reassembled and discovered it still made the same loud noise. I then, disassembled for the second time to discover the blower wheel was worn out; so i ordered another blower wheel and a drum support roller (i only ordered one the first time.). After reassembling it made an annoying high pitch sound. I attributed that to the new parts...probably the new belt and new felt seal. Gave it some time to run-in and it seems to have quieted down. Overall, i found the dryer very easy to work on. I actually found the felt seal the most onerous to install....needed to have about three hands to get the drum back in place! I just wish that the stamped metal dryer housing didn't have such sharp edges. I had to be very careful to avoid sharp burrs but still got nicked a couple of times.

I removed the cover from the control panel, took out the schematic, removed the rear cover by the motor, followed the schematic, powered the heater by taking the blue hot leg wire off the right side of the switch and touching it to the black lead for the heater on the left side, and I could hear the heater power on. Since bypassing the motor start switch powered the heater, I ordered the part. When it came, I installed it in about 5 minutes and the dryer worked perfectly.

Undid two screws in lower front of dryer and popped off front. Removed screws holding lint screen duct and brackets supporting tumbler and removed duct and tumbler quite easily. Pulled, cleaned and oiled rear rollers, replaced front glides, and thoroughly cleaned exhaust duct of lint. Put new belt into position on the roller before sliding tumbler back in, then pulled belt over tumbler as it went in. Be careful to follow belt path directions correctly.
Key to this repair was obtaining the parts so easily from Parts Select.com. Ordered at 2pm and had them 2pm the following day. Unbelievable! These machines are relatively simple to keep running when the parts are available so easily. Thanks for great service.

I didn't think it would fit as it looked bigger then the old one, I called the service department and they were very helpful. They made note of the fact that I had called with questions in case I had to call again, but it worked, and no one laughed at me. It was very nice of them. Thank you for all the help

Per instructions I printed off online: took off door, then the front panel. Pulled out the old switch/button, connected the new switch/button, made sure the new button was working; put the panel back on then the door and DONE!

Replaced both rollers,shafts, bearings and snap rings.

I removed the front 2 screws witha phillips shorty due to there proximity to the floor. I removed the heater plate the wiring and the heating element in about 10 minutes, the only issue I had was sue to the fact that the heater is 2 pieces and not totally cylindrical it was kind of a pain to get it back into the hole on the back side, I ended up having to form it better into a circle so that I could get it in. After that the rest putting it back together was no big deal. The unit now works great.

I had replaced belt, but the noise continued. Ordered new rollers and washer. Removed the front panel by tipping the dryer back against the wall and removing two screws at the bottom of the panel. Tipping the dryer makes it easy to remove the front panel. Removed the front drum support by removing four (4) screws. I was then able to just move the drum enough to have access to the rollers. Didn't even have to remove the belt. Replaced the rollers. Needed special pliers to remove and replace the retaining rings. Put the drum back into position and mounted the front drum support. Tightened four screws and then put the front panel back on. Plugged it in and tested it. Problem solved. Took about 35 minutes. Thanks

If your dryer is making a rumbling noise, change the blower wheel. It's plastic and the heating and cooling cycles causes the keyway in the plastic to give out and the wheel just spins causing the noise and the slower dry time. The other parts I replaced see below. Like many other repairs, remove screws below dryer door. Mark all wires and locations for re-assembly. Next remove front tumbler/lint screen assembly (4 sheet metal screws 2/L 2/R. Work belt off back of tumbler and remove. Use flathead screw driver to release tabs that hold felts on both front and back tumble supports. Make sure you know rotation of tumbler and install new felts so the overlap goes in direction of spin. Use a drum stick or 3/8 ratchet extension, something dull and flat to press tabs back down on felts. A screwdriver could slip off and tear cloth. Next drill out heads of the rivets on the glides and remove teflon glide and cork backer. Make sure all rivet material is removed front and back. Install new cork and glide. Rivet one side back in, then the other. Repeat on 2nd glide. Re-assemble dryer. Super smooth, super quiet.

Overall, the repair was pretty easy. I'm a 52 year old woman who has never done drier repair. I replaced both front glides, both drum support roller wheels, the idler pulley wheel and the tumbler and motor belt. Including vacuuming out the inside of dryer and washing down the inside and outside of dryer with cleaning wipes, the whole project took me 2 hours. (if done individually, time would have been 20-30 minutes). You must have correct tools, so I did have to purchase two tools that I didn't have. My only suggestion in replacing the idler pulley wheel and the tumbler/motor belt would be to take the small access panel off the back of the dryer for easier access to the parts.

Looked in one of the back removable panels and saw the broken belt. Took the machines front panel off per a You Tube video and saw the repair was simple but too the time to vacuum out a large amount of Lint Debris that had accumulated over the past 34 years all over the inside of the machine which is dangerous.. After cleaning it all up I simply put the new belt on and put everything back together and it all works nicely again!

There were two screws to remove the front of the dryer. Then 4 screws to remove the front drum support. Remove the drum. Then one nut each on changing the back drum support rollers. Assemble the drum and front support in reverse, and door front, don't forget to put the new drive belt ovre the drum. Then from the rear panel opening, one screw to change the idler assembly. Easy

I had replaced other parts on this dryer before (drive belt, interlock switch), so knew how to remove the front. That is easy to do. Didn't even have to pull dryer away from the wall. Removed heater assembly. NOTE: take a picture, or note which wires go where! Took a chance that it was only the heating element after measuring the resistance of the element and noting that it was an open circuit (very high resistance). Could also have been something else in addition, but turned out, not. The hard part was getting the new housing assembly to fit in the circular hole at the back. It comes as a poor fit, not shaped right. I eventually just used pliers to bend in the edges, like crimping, and finally got it to fit in. Some pushing to get all screws back in place and now it runs and heats. A great dryer, over 30 years old, and still going. Well worth the effort to repair.

It took me a lot longer to plan the repair and decide to do it than to do the actual work, knowing what I know now, and having the parts, it would take less than half an hour. As there are no repair manuals available, it took one of these reports to give me the confidence I needed to proceed.
I first found out how to open the front (only two screews on the underneath part of the front cover) and opened it to hear the noise, (just put the cover to one side while still connected to the door switch),,,,, sprayed some WD40 all over the place and the noise went away temporarily (DO NOT DO THIS as the oil will burn off on top of heater unit and smell and smoke). I replaced the roller that the drum sits on (above the heating unit) to the right of the drum and the belt. You need a special tool that fits into the little holes in the ring retainer, I got it at Lowe's ($20 +/-). It is a Channellock plier that opens when you squeeze, you have to change the points (comes with it).
So, here is the squence: remove the front panel, disconnect the swhitch (it took some pulling), set aside; remove front drum assembly (only four screws looking at you) and it comes right out; the Drum is light and comes right out as well, it just sits in a dry channel. The belt will fall off.... take the retainer ring off the roller with the special tool... remove roller and replace with new washers (one on either side) replace the ring retainer (recommend getting new one) with same tool. If you remove the small panel in the back of the washer it is very eassy to replace the belt.... I did replace it although the old one looked almost new .. instructions and a diagram come with the parts you buy here by the way... which they should say... place belt on drum per instructions (solid side down), put belt inside the chanell on drum (it will climb to the correct position by itself) put on drum front cover to hold drum in place, and then sting belt on pulley from the back of the dryer. (diagram comes with belt otherwise look at it before taking off the drum) Replace front panel (after reconnecting switch) and you are off (if you want to test without the front panel you have to touch the switch wires to each other (use tape) and do not do plugged in...
After much anxiety but not that much work the dryer runs great and is as quiet as new.... I took the parts off before ordering by the way.... the order came within three days... I am happy to have PartSelect.com .. Maytag had not clue this model even existed.... Thanks