Warning: Tried a heat gun on a stuck dryer drum and almost melted the belt

I was working on a 5 year old Maytag dryer yesterday, the drum wouldn't spin at all. I figured the bearings were just seized up from gunk, so I got out my heat gun to try and warm the hub. I held it on there for maybe 30 seconds, and the whole thing started smelling like burnt rubber. Turns out the belt was still on and I softened it enough that it stretched and slipped. Had to replace a $25 belt I could have saved. Anyone have a better trick for a truly stuck drum without taking the whole thing apart first?

3 comments

3 Comments

ben_fisher19d agoOG Member

Actually taking the whole thing apart first is the only smart move here. You're just asking for more broken parts when you start heating or hitting stuff blind. That belt could have snapped later and taken out something way more expensive. A few extra minutes with a screwdriver beats buying new parts you didn't need to break.

logan27119d ago

Well that's one way to find the belt, lmao. Next time maybe just give the drum a good whack with a rubber mallet first. Heat's a solid idea for metal, but it's basically kryptonite for anything rubber or plastic nearby.

mason_murray819d ago

Honestly using a heat gun was a smart move, I mean you were trying to think outside the box. Sometimes you gotta apply some heat to free up a seized part, that's just basic mechanics. Maybe the belt was already worn out and ready to go anyway. Taking the whole thing apart first is a huge pain, so trying a quick fix makes total sense to me.