If your clothes are coming from the drier more damaged when they went in, the felt gasket on the drum may be worn out. The gasket’s project would be to prevent clothes from being ground between the drum and the body of the drier, and over time it may wear down to the point that clothes may get trapped and torn. Replacing the gasket is not that tough, and best of all, it can help extend the life span of your dryer.
Disconnect the Power
Never operate on an appliance such as a drier while its power is still on. You have to either tighten it or, if the appliance is hard-wired, switch off the circuit breaker that forces the drier. Test the circuit in the drier with a noncontact voltage tester to verify no electricity is flowing.
Open the Dryer Cabinet
To fix the appliance, then first remove the front and top panels of the drier. Most flashlights include either single-panel or dual-panel fronts. If the dryer is just a single-panel model, remove the lint screen from the surface of the drier and unscrew the screws located under the lint door. Use a stiff putty knife or flat-head screwdriver to pry the top of the drier from the spring clips that secure it to the side and front panels. Disconnect the doorway switch wiring harness and bend the front of the top panel back. Remove the top two screws securing the front panel into the side panels and slide the front panel out and up. If the dryer has two front panels, you will need to remove the top panel in precisely the exact same fashion as mentioned before, with the exception that the lint screen is usually found within the drum area with this version. Use the putty knife or flat screwdriver to pry the lower panel from its spring clips. On the interior of the lower opening, then there’ll be a huge spring on the left and right sides. Eliminate both bend and loosen the two screws at the base of the top front panel. Slide the top front panel up and out.
Out With the Old
Find the belt wheel under the wax and release the tension on the belt by bending the belt wheel away from the motor’s shaft. The belt will become slack, letting you slide it from the motor’s pulley. It is possible to slide the belt wheel tension bar from its slot when the belt is removed to give you a bit more room to perform, but it is not required to finish this job. Then lift the drum from the cabinet. Pull or scrape the aged, worn felt gasket from the drum and then use a plastic putty knife to scrape away any leftover adhesive. Wipe the lip of the drum with a clean rag as best as possible to remove any residue.
Install the New Felt Gasket
Apply high-temperature glue (that usually comes with the new gasket, but not always) into the border of the drum’s lip and start seating the new gasket in place. Firmly press the gasket on the adhesive so that it makes a good bond all the way around the drum. Wait the recommended drying time on the jar of adhesive before placing the drier back. Because you need to wait for the glue to dry, now would also be a good time to vacuum the dryer cabinet to remove lint and dust.
Reassembly
Establish the drum in the cupboard by aligning its rim on the two rollers. Bend the drier belt tension wheel back and run the belt above the wheel and motor pulley in a zigzag fashion. Rotate the drum a few times to help make sure that the belt is tight, aligned and centered. Reassemble the front and top panels, making sure you remember to connect the dryer door wiring harness before shutting up everything. Restore power to the drier.