MDE216RBW0 Tappan Dryer - Instructions

UNPLUG DRYER (this is key) Removed the top of dryer. used screwdriver and pliers to remove two screws and electrical connections then reinstalled new part stick the magnet behind the part to the back of the dryer to help control the small screws.

Replaced rear drum bearing, drum support bearing & drum belt. Still very noisy. Will order new motor & see if that does the trick.

Remove top panel with large flat screwdriver and 2 screws in back.Remove bottom panel with 2 screws.Release belt tensioner and remove belt.Remove 3 screws in center of drum inside.Remove drum. Remove rear bearing by pulling up on assembly.Replace all parts in reverse order.

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!

Romoved front from dryer . Then loosened tub , slid belt on , reached in back and put belt on pulley , turned tub till belt went into place and reassembled dryer all with the help of a 3 year old and an8 year old,so in my oppinion it was one of the easiest fixes i've ever done!

replaced bearing and shaft new belt and everything works just fine

After changing the drum support bearing, and the front felt ring, the noise continued. It turned out to be the tensioner pully. The harmonic vibration travels throughout the dryer box like an instrument so you can't tell where the sound is comming from. Before you do anything, spray a little wd40 between the bushing and the shaft on the belt tenioner pully. If the squeel goes away, you have found your smoking gun.

I am a "do-it-yourselfer" despite my husbands opposition. I followed instructions from one of the posts on the site and took apart the dryer. I found the location of the rear bearing and took it out and replaced it with the new one. Easy as that. Made sure the parts looked the same. Made sure I saw how everything went together. I used a magnet to hold the ball bearing in place on the rear mount and taped the metal bracket on the outside of the dryer. Screwed it right in. Reassembled in reverse and works like a charm. To all the women out there who don't think they can do this. It's easy. Give it a try.

First I unplugged the dryer. Then I gently pryed the top of the dryer. This was done from the front using a flat screw driver. Do this gently pushing up on the handle of the tool. It will pop up one side at a time. No need to remove the screws and clips on the the rear top of the dryer. Set the top aside. Then from the inside front of the dryer using a phillips screw driver I removed two screws, one on each side. This allowed me to lift the front of the dryer up and away from the unit, off the two clips on the bottom front of the unit. I set the front cover on top of the dryer. There is no need to disconnect any wires. Next removed the rear vented cover on the back of the dryer so I could acess the belt pullies. From here I pushed the upper left pully to the right to ease belt tension and take the belt off that pully. Slide the belt to the rear of the drum. Next I removed the three screws from the center most part of the inside of the dryer drum. My dryer required the use of a square head driver tool. This allowed me to easily bring the dryer drum out the front of the unit. Set it out of your way. Then I vacuumed the dust out of the dryer. Then I lifted out the metal part that resembles a trailer hitch which had been attached to the dryer drum. Next using a nut driver I removed the two screws which hold the white plastic part of the bearing assembly to the rear of the dryer. That is all the taking apart work.
Putting it all back together was not too difficult. First install the new white plastic part of the bearing assmbly inside the dryer along with the metal part on the outside rear. The little metal ball bearing goes on the OUTSIDE between the little metal part and the rear wall of the dryer. Do not leave it out as it provides electrical grounding between the dryer drum and the body of the dryer. Next attach the new bearing part that looks like a trailer hitch to the rear of the dryer drum. This is the three screw part. Then lift the drum back into the dryer. Do not yet set the drum all the way in. The dryer belt must be looped around the drum. I installed a new belt. If the bearing is worn out it is time for a new belt. The smooth side of the belt goes against the dryer drum. Now apply a generous amout of lubricant to the white plastic cradle which was installed on the back of the dryer and to the ball bearing area. Then the dryer drum may be set into place, that is the trailer hitch part into the white plastic cradle. Now the front of the dryer may be reinstalled. Push up on the inside of the dryer drum to line everything back up. Put the two screws back which hold the dryer front on. Be carefull not to drop them inside. Put the dryer belt back into place on its pullies. It goes on the inside of the left and right pullies and on the outside (bottom) of the pully of the dryer motor. Check for and undo any twists. Plug in and test the dryer. All should be well. Reinstall the rear vented cover. Replace the top, connecting the rear first. Make sure to reattach the green grounding wire. Then push the front of the top down onto its clips. You are done! This took me 1 hour and 10 minutes. It sounds like alot but you can do it! Empower yourself!

I followed the instillation instructions provided on your website. They were very informative and spot on. My only problem was my strength. I could not get the drum off of the rear bearing myself, but then I am a 61 year old female.

Watched on-line video, then applied those steps.
1. Pop the front of the deck loose using putty knife to depress clips;
2. Disconnect wires from light and door switch;
(Before I disconnected wires from door switch and light, I made wiring sketches to make sure I reconnected in original manner.)
3. Remove lint filter mount screws and mount from bottom of door opening;
4. Cut drum belt with wire-cutters and removed it;
5. Remove drum support clip from top center of front panel;
6. Remove (1) screw from each side of dryer body that hold front to sidewalls, removed front panel;
7. Remove drum by lifting the rear out of the bearing, then moving it forward through the machine front;
[While I had the dryer disassembled, I thoroughly cleaned it of lint, dirt & metal filings. The metal filings were from the worn ball hitch and drum support bearing cup. I spent as much time cleaning it out as I did working on it.]
8. Stand drum on gallon paint bucket while removing ball hitch (Use a #2 drywall phillips apex to obtain sufficient seating & torque to remove and reinstall ball hitch screws at rear of drum.);
9. Have a second person hold the new ball hitch in position while starting screws, if necessary;
10. Use nut driver w/5/16" socket to remove bearing retainer & ground ball clip;
11. Install new bearing into retainer clip, insert attachment screws through the holes in both, stick grounding ball in depression on back of bearing as screws are fed through back panel;
12. Hold ground ball clip in place to start one screw, then the other & tighten with nut driver;
13. Start drum belt on motor shaft and position against tensioner pulley;
14. Feed drum through front of machine and loop belt over rear of drum;
15. Slide belt forward on drum as drum moves to rear to keep it aligned with position of tension pulley;
16. Lift rear of drum to place ball hitch on top of bearing, then press down to seat it into bearing;
17. Turn drum to ensure belt alignment, then re-accomplish steps 6 thru 1.

Unplugged the dryer, removed the top of, disconnected the electrical connectors, removed the front panel, disconnected the belt, removed the drum, removed the old Safety Thermostat, installed the new Safety Thermostat and assembled the dryer again.

The repair went smoothly considering I am a rookie. The repair videos on your site are great. Followed the techs instructions and got thru it fine.

Thanks,

Jim

lacked instructions. Internet yielded a simple paragraph. Scored real bonus when we discovered the lint build up past the internal filter was approaching catastropic level. Replaced the exhaust tube (plastic) with rigid metal and resolved to disassemble and clean dryer on 2 year cycle in future. Kit just isn't complete without detailed instructions. Parts were complete and sufficient. Local codes have eliminated the plactic exhaust tube. Recommend that all old installs refit to rigid or semirigid before the fire happens!

First removed the top of the dryer, then the front of the dryer. Took the plate off the back left of the dryer to disengage the belt off the pulley.
Took the three screws out that hold the drum in place, of course the third screw stripped and had to use a screw remover, which didn't work, but the adjustable pliers did so then lifted the drum out of the plastic reservoir in which the bearing laid. Next unscrewed the two bolts holding the plastic reservoir which also loosened the small metal piece on the back of the dryer where a small bearing is located. Put the new parts in, but instead of putting the larger bearing that fits in the plastic reservoir, I decided to put it on the drum first and guide it into the reservoir all at once, this worked well . Prior to that I put the new plastic piece on the inside and taped it there while holding that piece put the small metal piece with the small bearing on the back of the dryer. I'm sure it is alot easier with two people doing this part, but it worked and I didn't lose the small bearing. Next put the front of the dryer back on and then put the belt back on the pulley, then the top.
It definitely helped immensely to read how someone did this, just follow the instructions given and there you go, no more annoying squeak and also a feeling of accomplishment and thanks to the person who wrote the story on how to do this job, appreciate it.