SWFB73WN Speed Queen Washer - Instructions

Unplugged the 220 volt source. Disconnected the vent line from the back of the drier. Removed the six screws holding the back panel with a 1/4 inch nut driver. Tipped the drier up at a 45 degree angle against the wall to give better access to the inside. Removed the screws holding the two thermostats to the side of the heater box and laid them aside. Disconnected the two red power lines to the heater element. Removed the large screw at the top of the heater box and removed the flexible bracket holding the heater box, then lifted the heater box up and away from the drier. Removed the one screw holding the heater element inside the heater box and pulled out the old heating element. The old element was open as found using an ohmeter on the two main terminals. Threw away the old element. Removed the new heating element from the box and slid it into the heater box making sure to align the terminal bracket with the hole in the heater box for the reinstallation of the mounting screw. Tightened this screw. Remounted the heater box to the two mounting slots and reinstalled the flexible mounting bracket to the top of the heater box and installed and tightened the large screw holding this bracket. Cut off and removed the old electrical push-on terminals from the two red power wires for the heater element. These were discolored and oxidated from the conducted heat over the years of operation. Using the supplied short red leads with push-on terminals already installed, I wire tied these new leads to the existing red power leads and pushed them onto the heater element terminals. Rechecked the soundness of the twisted wire connections to make sure they were tight. Replaced the back panel and reinstalled the six 1/4" screws with the 1/4' nut driever. Reinstalled the driver vent line and tightened its holding ring. Slid the drier back into position on the floor. Checked the level and readjusted the leveling legs for a steady floor stance. Reinstalled the 220 volt power connecter and set the controlls for a drying cycle. Let the drier run for aproximately 1 minute and then checked the air temperature inside the drier. IT WAS NOW PRODUCING HOT AIR. Project completed successfully and I was now a HERO in my wifes eyes. Absolutely no technical problems encountered. Just remember, unplug the drier before starting ANY repairs. To forget this COULD RUIN YOUR DAY.

This is the second heating element I have replaced in this dryer which I bought new in 1977. That's right it is 32 years old and still works great!

The replacement process is simple:
One: pull the dryer away from the wall so that you have room to work in the back.
Two: Disconnect the dryer vent hose from the back of the dryer.
Three: Remove the five - 5/16" hex head sheet metal screws that hold the back cover in place and set the cover to the side.
Four: Go to the front of the dryer and remove the lint filter and the two slot head screws that hold the lint filter opening to the internal frame.
Five: Pop the top of the dryer open and remove the one 5/16" hex head screw that holds the top of the heating element strap to the frame.
Six: Go to the back of the dryer and remove the two leads from the thermostat that is mounted to the heating element casing. CAUTION: Be careful to note the position of the wires and be certain that you reattach the correct wire to the correct lead.
Seven: Lift the heating element case up about 1/2" to disengage the hooks at the bottom that hold it in place.Then pull the bottom of the heating toward you slightly while sliding it down. This will allow you to remove the heating element and casing.
Eight: Remove the heating element from the casing and insert the replacement heating element.

Reverse the above process to reassemble.
This entire process only takes about 20 minutes.

An additional note: Be certain that you pay careful attention to the positioning of the strap that holds the top of the heating element case to the dryer frame. If you install it incorrectly, the heating element case can fall away from the back of the drum assembly.

FIRST unplug dryer from electrical source, CAUTION, the top of this dryer does not open with clips, do not pry on top to open! On the front of the dryer look under the lower panel, and find two screws, one on the left side, and one on the right, remove these screws, and pull slightly down on panel to remove. Behind this panel find two screws holding the door panel, one on the left, and one on the right, remove the left, and support the door panel while removing the right side. Gently pull the bottom of door panel outward, and the clips on top of door panel will unhinge from top, carefully rotate left side of door panel to floor, and note the wire connections on switch, and orientation of switch, then unplug wires, and move door panel to a comfortable working positon. Door must be open to remove switch, then depress the two plastic retaining keepers on each side of switch, and push switch through toward door. Replace with new switch, reconnect the wires, and reassymble in reverse order. Remember, door assymbly must be inserted in dryer top at an angle, and then bottom rotated downward, and bottom panel nylon guildes inserted into door panel bottom.

First, I moved the dryer out where it would be easily accessable. I then removed the back of the dryer using a nut driver. Once this was complete, I removed the cover holding the heating element. I disconnected the two wires and puled the old element out. I replaced it with the new heating element and reconnected the two wires. I then replace the back cover and moved the dryer back in place. The dryer works and heats much better now. Thankyou

First, I removed the wet clothes from the dryer. (Actually, I just kept drying them with cold air until they were dry... hee hee).
Then, I went to PartSelect.com and found a heating element for my make and model. I checked around and came back to PartSelect.com because they had the best price.

I thought about just buying the heating coil and restringing my old one, but I'm glad I didn't because the diameters were not a match and I wouldn't have been able to restring the new larger coil through the insulator holes of my old one.

I ordered my part Sunday night online and it was stated that my part would ship to me by Monday morning. It also said to allow 3-5 days to arrive.
My part was waiting for me Tuesday when I arrived home from work. That was quick!

I took the part out of the box and looked at it and said, "Yep, that's a heating element alright. I hope it fits."

I took the heating element out to the laundry room/garage/wife's shoes and clothing storage and muscled the dryer away from the wall and into a tiny area that she calls my space.

I pulled the lint trap screen out so I could get to those two screws that keep the lint shute attached to the top and unscrewed them.

Next, I lifted the top up just like you would a car's hood. Here's a cool trick to pop the top up. Pound the upper left front with the butt of your hand at the same time you are prying the top up on the left. Do the same on the front upper right area. That should help get that top up.

There was a bracket I knew about that I had to unscrew once the top was up. The bracket holds the top ot the heating element's box. It has to be removed so you can remove the heating element's box from the back in the next step.

With that heating element box bracket removed, I closed the top back down and then put the dryer on the floor with the door down and the back facing up.

I removed all the screws that were holding the back on and put the back out of my way, but still within the confines known as my space.

I pulled two electrical wires connected to a limit switch which were attached to the heating element box. Then I pulled the two power wires from the heating element itself.

Then I wiggled the heating element box out of the dryer and unscrewed a screw that was holding the heating element to the box.

I slipped the old heating element out of the box and put it next to the new one. Then I said a couple cuss words, because I noticed that the new element was much wider than the old one.

I took the new element and tried to slip it in the box. It just barely fit. Wow, that was a close call.

I knew that the element couldn't touch any part of the box it was nested in or it would cause a short and become an electrifying experience to remember. I checked very carefully that the heating element was safely suspended inside the box and no part of coil was touching the box.

Then I reattached the box to the dryer just the way I removed it. I wired it up and the limit switch too. I put the back back on. I stood the dryer back upright and popped the top again. I reinstalled the upper heating element brace back the way it was. It was a bit of a puzzle, because it's shaped funny.

Then I closed the top back down and it snapped into place. I put the lint trap screws back in. I positioned the dryer back were it likes to dance best and plugged it in.

I turned it on and it got hot. End of story!

Replacing the Heating Element was the natural solution after I determined that the element had separated. First loosen the top panel and remove the lockdown clamp from the top of the Heating Element sleeve. Lean the dryer forward onto towels to avoid any scratches in the porceline. Remove the back panel of the dryer, and disconnect the six wires, then remove the Heating Element sleeve. Remove the screw holding the defective Heating Element and replace it with the new one. Reassemble in "reverse order" making certain that you attach the wires correctly and align all the panels squarely.

Switch can be removed from outside of dryer and your video described the repair as having to work from inside dryer. But since wires were still attached to old switch, it could be popped out and wires switched. Since there were three wires on new switch to allow it to turn on and off a circuit, it was useful to check the resistance of the switch compressed or released to be certain I was attaching the two wires to the right two poles of the new switch. But that all required only a couple of minutes. Thank you.

Took the back cover off and WA-LA, a bad element. Went online to PartSelect.Com and ordered the part and my Mom was drying clothes again in lees than a week. Now, I am her favorite son again.

Shut off or unplugged dryer for safety.

Slipped thin blade putty knife up under bezel of switch to unlatch from the panel and pulled forward to remove the swwitch from the dryer. Unplugged the quick connect terminals (3) from the old switch and plugged them onto the new switch. one of the terminals had gotten quite hot and darkened the insulation so it was replaced with one that was supplied with the switch. that was a cut, strip, crimp process. Placed the new switch into the panel and snapped into place.

remove bottom section under door 2 screws remove door 2 screws remove switch by squeezing tabs install 2 new female ends on wires supplied with switch . put switch back in plug in wires .

Unplug the dryer and remove the back panel. I lifted the top of the dryer for easy access to the screw that held the Heater Box. Removed the Heater box, unbolted the heating element, pulled the old one out put the new one in the reversed the process.

I ordered the part Saturday, had it by Tuesday.

Removed rear panel, removed 3 screws and old element and installed new element. To install new element I only needed one screw and spliced in the two wires that were provided with the element. This repair was simple and now the dryer works great.

After un-plugging the frig and allowing it to defrost, we emptied the frig and gave it a thorough cleaning inside and outside. I then removed the shelving in the freezer and the face plate at the back of the machine. One of the defrost heater coils had burned out and there was a loss of continuity which was keeping the frig from defrosting properly. The old heater snapped out easily. I went to this website and ordered a new defrost heater assembly which arrived practically overnight. It was identical to the old one and installed as quickly and easily as the original had come out. I put the faceplate back on, put the shelving back in, placed a thermometer inside the fresh food section, plugged it in and waited until I heard ice cubes drop. The fresh food section was holding at 41 degrees F which is optimum. The refrigerator has been working smoothly every since! Easy job!

Followed the instructions, removed the back cover, disconnected the top, disconnected the element and removed the element holder, then the element. Reversed procedure to install the new part.

I unplugged the dryer from the electrical outlet, removed the back of the unit and checked the heating element for continuity. There was no reading. I then removed the housing and heating element and visually inspected it. The coiled wire was broken in two places.
I then did a Google search with the model number and found Parts Select. I placed my order Sunday afternoon and the part arrived the following Wednesday. That evening it took about 20 minutes to install the new element,put the back on the dryer and re-attach the exhaust tube.
The old dryer is as good as new again.
TJ in Boise