The tumble dryer is a very convenient appliance to have in your home - without out them you will have to wait sometime before your clothes are dried.
If you are noticing that the motor is running but the drum does not turn - the most likely cause will be the drive belt. In this guide we will talk you through how to replace not only the drive belt but also the pulley on a Beko tumble dryer.
Please be aware that this guide will take you through the process of dismantling your tumble dryer to remove the drum and replace the belt. This should follow a similar procedure for most makes of dryer.
This video shows an example on how to remove or replace the part on a typical machine, some models may be different but the procedure should be similar.
What You Will Need:
Step 1 - Safety Advice
Safety First! Please ensure that you have disconnected the appliance from the mains before starting any repair and due to the sharp edges exposed we suggest suitable Safety Gloves are worn to help prevent injury.
Step 2 - A Task of Epic Proportions
A word of warning this will not be a small task - however with some perseverance and a helping hand from us here, you will soon be back to drying your clothes...So to begin the top and side panels need to be removed along with the heater cover which is located on the back. Using a screwdriver you can start to remove the screws.
Important - Screw Related Information:
It is worth noting that this appliance has two screws as seen in the video above the appliance has a small screw and a larger screw - these are different because:
- The smaller screw is designed to go into metal
- This larger screw is designed to go into plastic
When removing the screws from your machine take a note of where they've come from, so you can put them back in exactly the same position. You could also use a container to hold onto your loose screws, keeping them safe until you need to refit them.
Step 3 - The Empty Shell of A Tumble Dryer
So carrying on - you should now be faced with a tumble dryer which has a top cover, side panel and heater cover removed. Able to see into the machine you should see the motor fan - and to remove this from the machine you will need a wrench kit.
With the motor fan out of the way you should now be able to see the broken belt - If your existing belt has snapped you can remove it - this will stop it from being a hindrance and getting in the way.
Please Note:
If you're just replacing the large drive belt on your Beko tumble dryer it is possible to separate the front and the rear of the cavity slightly so you can lift the old belt out and drop the new one in. However it is particularly difficult to do on the model shown in the video.
Therefore If you are replacing the small belt located at the bottom or the drive pulley you'll need to remove the whole of the drum which - going forward is what we’ll tell you how to do.
Step 4 - Dryer Separation
To begin to separate the rear of the tumble dryer from the front you are going to need to first remove the water container drawer. Secondly, remove the tumble dryers top support and then the four screws which hold the upper section of the control panel in place.
There may be a plastic bracket which rests over where a number of the screws sit. Using a flathead screwdriver you should be able to separate it from the appliance, gaining you access to the screws.
With the screws removed - you should now be able to gently allow the control panel to drop down. However be wary of the cables making sure none of the wires behind become damaged.
We are now getting close to making enough space to make replacing the belt and pulley possible - now you will need to remove another set of screws allowing you to loosen the front and right-hand bracket. Next you will need to remove another set of screws - these hold the drawer housing and pipes in place.
Step 5 - Pipe Removal
Held in place by clips - the two pipes can now be removed. With the pipes away from the clips - you can now disconnect them from the appliance. It is recommended to remove the white one from the draw, however leave it attached at the bottom.
Then not forgetting the second pipe; this grey pipe can be unclipped also - this pipe can be released from the pump sitting at the bottom. With the pipe unclipped - it and the whole drawer assembly can be lifted away.
Step 6 - Disconnecting the Cables
Now that you should have removed the drawer you can begin to disconnect the electrical connections. Located at the rear of the dryer - disconnecting the wires will then allow you to separate the back of the appliance. To begin -.start with the heater wiring, which should be the uppermost connection.
Next, release the clip that holds the wires in place and then disconnect the loom and guide from the rear of the machine. Releasing the wiring loom and guide is simple - on the outer back of the machine find the two pipes and using a screwdriver push them out of place. When released - unhook the bracket from the rear of the machine.
With all the wiring disconnected, you can now unscrew the screw which is holding the side of the cabinet in place. Now remove the four screws which hold the back panel and hey presto you should now be able to remove the drum!
Step 7 - Drum Lifting
Now that the rear of the tumble dryer and drum are ready to be lifted out, take note that there is never much clearance between the bottom of the drum and the base panel.
eSpares Top Tip: To get a good hold of the drum when removing - get a good grasp of it, and lift the rear of the dryer and drum together. It may be a tad bit fiddling and be careful of the sharp edges.
Step 8 - Moving the Motor
With the drum and the rear of the machine removed you can see how easy you can access the motor. Now the next step is to remove the tension spring which sits at the bottom - using a screwdriver you can remove the spring with ease. To the side of the motor sits the fan - however it is protected by a cover and yes you guessed it this needs to be removed too.
The motor has a supply of electrical connections underneath it - these too need to be removed, along with the retaining bracket. With the motor now released it can be lifted up and out.
Step 9 - The Pulley Replacement
With the motor removed we can begin to replace the belt on the pulley. Removing the smaller belt is pretty simple - lift the motor up and applying some upward pressure - the belt should come away easily.
With the belt removed, the circlip also needs to be removed - the purpose of the circlip is to hold the pulley in place. When taking off the clip, it is recommended to use a pair of circlip pliers and remember to be careful as it is small and very delicate. Now the circlip is removed you can then detach the old pulley and fit the new one before of course replacing the circlip - securing the new pulley in place.
With the pulley fitted a new, smaller belt needs to be fitted - to fit simply put the belt around the motor pulley first before wrapping it around the larger pulley. With the belt in place begin to slowly turn the pulleys - being careful to feed the belt and with some patience the belt will fall into place.
Step 10 - The Reassembly Begins
We are close to the finishing line - the chequered flag is visible a couple more steps will see your tumble dryer repaired and operational. Once the new belt and pulley are in place the motor can be reconnected and fitted.
To refit the motor - feed the motor spindle in first as this will allow the motor and fan to simply fit back in place. With the motor in place, reconnect the wires and don’t forget that retaining bracket, fan cover and spring.
The next step can be rather fiddling but like the rest of this guide we’ll run you through it hoping to make it as effortless as possible. However continuing - we now need to replace the drum and back plate.
There is a lip at the bottom which the drum struggles to get over so as an eSpares Top Tip: it is recommended to put the top of the drum in first then angle the remainder of the drum and back panel into place.
However this is also where you can put on the new drum belt - simply wrap the belt around the drum and if need be, you can use it as a handle to help when lifting the drum up and into the dryer frame.
Step 11- Putting Back the Drum...And Dryer Assembly
Now, with the drum and rear panel back in place the top bracket needs to be re-screwed - along with reattaching the screws to the back of the panel.
Great! So we are really close now, the reassembly is pretty much the reversal process of the previous steps (minus the drum removal). However soldiering on you need to reattach the loom and to do this you need to head to the back of the machine.
Easy to do - ensure that the two hooks on the plastic come through the holes and slide into position and then the two pips will poke through.
Now with the electrics! Again at the back of the appliance, feed the wires into the little clips which keeps them looking tidy and before screwing in the electrics cover, make sure that the wires are low down to the heater - these need to be covered sufficiently before fitting.
Step 12 - Everything Back In Place
Remembering this is a condenser dryer remember to reconnect the water container housing and the pipes. The housing simply screws back into place, and once in place you can connect the pipes - remember to clip the pipe back into place this helps to keep them out of the way as the drum spins.
Once the pipes are in place and secure now the control panel can be re-screwed in at the top and just so you don’t forget you can also reinsert the water container drawer.
Step 13 - Fitting the Drive Belt And Finishing The Job
And the final step to why you are here - the moment has come to fit the belt onto the drum - so far we have disassembled the tumble dryer, replaced the pulley and belt and began to reassemble the appliance to now finally fit the drive belt...doesn't seem like a lot does it
Now to fit the new belt to the motor pulley, after fitting the tension spring the easiest way is to very carefully insert a screwdriver into one of the gaps on the motor - But be very careful not to damage the internal motor windings. With the screwdriver in place you can now lever the motor up and simply tuck the belt underneath.
With the belt in place you can reattach the fan to the heater cover and re-screw in the side panels - and finally the top panel!
And You’re Done
There you have it! Not the quickest or easiest of tasks however with the new drive belt and pulley fitted - not only have you saved money on not calling a repairman but you have also increased your own knowledge and DIY skills.
You should genuinely feel achieved as most would either throw in the towel before even starting the repair and pay an expensive call out fee to have someone else come to do it.
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