Dryer drum off-centered, somehow... HELP??

[92LC_good2go]

Okay... the Laundry Gods are against me today.

Washing machine started leaking when I went down to use it this morning. Found and fixed the leaky pipe leading into it. Fine and dandy.


Now, after a coupla loads, the damn dryer is giving me problems.

I know NOTHING about the dryer. Just plumbing.


The drum is off-center; that much I can tell. It's rumbling and jumping about unhappily. Stopped it for now.


Can anybody give me advice on how to re-center the drum, now, PLEASE???




So much for taking Midnight for a forest run out in May Apple Hill or up in Eagle Rock Reservation!
He'll have to settle for the trolly run out back, if I can't get my dryer working properly.



Thanks for any assistance, in advance.

 

[PabloCruise]

Wow. The appliances are messing with us today!

I would unload the drum.

Then I would push the drum around and see if that does it. If not, dryers are pretty easy to take apart - just sheetmetal and screws!

Oh yeah, unplug it first!

 

[coinless]

Check the belt and make sure it is level.

 

[92LC_good2go]

Thanks, PabloCruise.

I tried unloading and pushing around. No luck.


I suppose I could try taking the cover off it --- but I'm supposed to meet friends for dinner, so I can't do a job that dirty 'till late tonight. Or tomorrow, after church.

It'll be a really REALLY filthy job: mine is a real cellar ... not a basement. Still dirt floor in one area, and the rest is dirty cement slab floor with unfinihsed cinderblock walls.




Once I unscrew and take the civer off ... is there anything else I should know? Or any tips/suggestions?


Aaaack!

 

[92LC_good2go]

Check the belt and make sure it is level.

I know what a belt looks like (and how it works, just like a car or any other motor) ... but what do you mean by "make sure the belt's level" ??

 

[DBAX]

I think it means make sure it's rotating on an even axis. If the crankshaft is offset, the whole thing will spin cattywampus..

 

[cruiser88]

Thanks, PabloCruise.

I tried unloading and pushing around. No luck.


I suppose I could try taking the cover off it --- but I'm supposed to meet friends for dinner, so I can't do a job that dirty 'till late tonight. Or tomorrow, after church.

It'll be a really REALLY filthy job: mine is a real cellar ... not a basement. Still dirt floor in one area, and the rest is dirty cement slab floor with unfinihsed cinderblock walls.




Once I unscrew and take the civer off ... is there anything else I should know? Or any tips/suggestions?


Aaaack!

yea a hammer

 

[92LC_good2go]

Thanks.

God, what else could happen to me this week?

kitchen sink drain replaced

one toilet repaired

pipe behind washer repaired

another toilet repaired

light fixture in kitcehn needed replacement


I AM SICK OF PLAYING MR HANDYMAN!!


I NEED a Mr Handyman.

I should advertize for one:

Needed: A Mr Fix-It. Must have knowledge about all things regarding an old house. Room & board. (He'll need to live here!) And all the booze he can drink. Apply in person. LOL

 

[cruiser88]

Thanks.

God, what else could happen to me this week?

kitchen sink drain replaced

one toilet repaired

pipe behind washer repaired

another toilet repaired

light fixture in kitcehn needed replacement


I AM SICK OF PLAYING MR HANDYMAN!!


I NEED a Mr Handyman.

I should advertize for one:

Needed: A Mr Fix-It. Must have knowledge about all things regarding an old house. Room & board. (He'll need to live here!) And all the booze he can drink. Apply in person. LOL

can i drive the cruiser ,i here jman is handy;p

 

[92LC_good2go]

can i drive the cruiser ,i here jman is handy;p

Jman won't live here; he's married.

(didn't say he was unwelcome, just that he wouldn't )


Here fixed it for you --

Needed: A Mr Fix-It. Must have knowledge about all things regarding an old house. Room & board. (He'll need to live here!) And all the booze he can drink. Can drive my '92 FJ80, and, once I get it in the spring, my '03 LX470. Apply in person. Other perks possible, upon request.

LOL

 

[cruiser88]

Jman won't live here; he's married.

(didn't say he was unwelcome, just that he wouldn't )


Here fixed it for you --

just trying to get a smile out of ya.my way of brighting somebodys day .if i pick means your cool .psss i do it to the jeep guys all of the time;p

 

[e rock]

What brand is your dryer?

 

[92LC_good2go]

a 30+yr old Sears Kenmore dryer
might be 35+ years...


do i need to go down and check the exact model? I will...

 

[92LC_good2go]

just trying to get a smile out of ya.my way of brighting somebodys day .if i pick means your cool .psss i do it to the jeep guys all of the time;p

I know.

And thanks, I needed that smile and chuckle.



Now, if only I could figure out what the heck is Babycakes' problem this evening. Just went out to crank him up, warm him up, before going out to dinner with friends... and he's stalling.

I think he's jealous, pissed off that I've ignored him, left him all alone in the garage, for nearly 5 months, while tooling about in my FJ80 too much.

Babycakes is my 1980 Olds Cutlass Brougham.

At least I KNOW how to fix whatever's ailing him... Had him for the past 26 years...

Besides, it's my mechanic (my "other husband") and his wife with whom I'm going to dinner. Worst case...

nah. I'd go pick them up in my cruiser.


Gotta run, soon, to see if I can get Babycakes to take us out, or if he will yield to his much-hated Toyota relative. lol
Bet Babycakes will run as soon as I threaten to take the cruiser.

 

[cruiser88]

I know.

And thanks, I needed that smile and chuckle.



Now, if only I could figure out what the heck is Babycakes' problem this evening. Just went out to crank him up, warm him up, before going out to dinner with friends... and he's stalling.

I think he's jealous, pissed off that I've ignored him, left him all alone in the garage, for nearly 5 months, while tooling about in my FJ80 too much.

Babycakes is my 1980 Olds Cutlass Brougham.

At least I KNOW how to fix whatever's ailing him... Had him for the past 26 years...

Besides, it's my mechanic (my "other husband") and his wife with whom I'm going to dinner. Worst case...

nah. I'd go pick them up in my cruiser.


Gotta run, soon, to see if I can get Babycakes to take us out, or if he will yield to his much-hated Toyota relative. lol
Bet Babycakes will run as soon as I threaten to take the cruiser.

i like those old cars they are hard to kill,sounds like time for a tune up.if ya need help give me a yell if you like geting your hands dirty,my wife will not find helping people out by phone

 

[92LC_good2go]

Thanks, cruiser88; will do.


As soon as I told Babycakes it was run & warm up for half an hour - OR - stay in the garage & sulk while Hryfyrd took us all out ... Babycakes started up... and ran. And is warming up right now.


Yeah, it sounds like Babycakes needs a tune-up.


You're not seriously telliong me that you can talk me thru a tune-up on the phone, are you?!

I have given my truck a tune-up, but only under direct supervision, and only once, a few months back. So it's not like I'm a complete noob with mechanical stuff and cars.

My mechanic was being lazy that day, so he told me he'd watch me do it. So I did it.

 

[cruiser88]

yes thats what im telling ya ,ive helped people rebuid carbs over the phone im sure we can get you new plugs and etc in your old baby

 

[e rock]

a 30+yr old Sears Kenmore dryer
might be 35+ years...


do i need to go down and check the exact model? I will...

Model number isn't necessary. Probably a 90% chance that the drum rollers are toast - they're kinda like rollerblade wheels that the rear of the drum rolls on. Should be about $15 for the full kit at any appliance repair store.

Here's the quick rundown. This is from memory and I haven't done appliances for a while, but it should be pretty accurate.

Pull the dryer away from the wall at least 8" or so to begin with.

If the lint filter goes through the top, pull it out and remove the 2 screws that hold the ducting to the top panel.

Crouch down level with the top-panel-to-front-panel seam and using a putty knife (or butter knife) inserted into the seam, push in on the two spring clips that hold the top panel down. Then lift the top panel up like a car's hood and rest it against the wall. It sounds more difficult than it is - just feel around with the putty knife until you find the clips.

Before you go any further, start the dryer and watch the drum to see if you can pinpoint what's wrong. Like I said, I'm pretty sure the rollers are bad, but it doesn't hurt to look for other possible problems along the way.

Unplug the power cord.

Look inside along the front panel and find the wires to the door switch. Pull them off the switch. Also: note the position of any wire clips that you remove since you'll want to put them back to keep those wires from shorting out on the rotating drum.

Inside the body, there are two screws (5/16 hex - one on each side) that hold the front panel to the side panels. They should only be about 2" from the top. Remove them.

Now you're ready to pull the front panel off. There are little clips at the bottom of the front edge of both sides that the front panel sits on, so you need to pull the top out and up. The drum isn't retained to the front panel - it just rides on felt sliders around the door. Set the front panel aside.

Now get a flashlight and take a good hard look at the belt and the configuration of the motor pulley and tension/idler pulley. I'd recommend taking a digital picture just for reference. The tension/idler pulley will almost certainly come unhooked from where it sits and you'll have a hell of a time figuring it out without some frame of reference.

Release tension on the belt by moving the tension pulley, and slip the belt off the motor pulley.

Stand up and grab the now loose belt and use it to lift the drum up (to get it off the rear rollers) and slide it out through the front of the machine. Set it aside.

Pick up change from the bottom of the machine.

Now you can see the support rollers that I'm guessing are no longer smooth and round. There are little spring clips of some sort holding them on - don't worry about saving the clips since the new rollers come with new clips.

Put it all back together with new rollers and marvel at how much quieter it is.


HTH,
Eric

 

[PabloCruise]

Once I unscrew and take the civer off ... is there anything else I should know? Or any tips/suggestions?


Aaaack!

Might as well fire up the shop vac and suck all the lint out of there!

 

[92LC_good2go]

yes thats what im telling ya ,ive helped people rebuid carbs over the phone im sure we can get you new plugs and etc in your old baby

just got home (after dinner out).

Babycakes dont need no stinkin tuneup! Runs like a top.

Only needs front rotors cut, and headlights adjusted a tad (the right anyway).

And need to readjust the steering wheel a bit to sit straighter, but the alignment is A0okay!




Told ya my Babycakes'd run just fine, once he got over his temper tantrum.


But I'll keep you in mind next time he needs that kind of work... Thanks.




Going to take the dryer apart later tonight (when I can't sleep; it'll give me something to do besides TuT). I'll wait 'till all the mud'ders on TuT go to bed, and go down to my cellar to work on my dryer.


and this is why i should never have entered TuT!