How to Replace The Shaft & Bearings On A Tumble Dryer

The drum shaft in your tumble dryer fits at the back of the drum on the outside. The shaft goes through the back of the appliance and sits on a bearing, with this bearing being attached to the back panel to allow the whole drum to spin around. Firstly, just to check you are on the right path, here are the warning signs that your drum shaft and bearings need to be replaced:

• If the tumble dryer is making a lot of noise when the drum turns
• If the whole drum has excessive movement

Whatever the reason though, if you need to replace the drum shaft or bearings for your tumble dryer,  then you will be pleased to know that you have come to the right place!

If you are unsure where to start there’s no need to panic. We’ll talk you through how to successfully replace the drum shaft and bearings without damaging your tumble dryer.

You will often be able to obtain a drum shaft kit, which would come with the shaft, bearings, bearing pads, screws, washers and seals.

In this video we will show how to fit a new drum shaft to an Indesit vented tumble dryer, some models may be different but the procedure should be similar. This video should be a useful guide, if you are fitting a new drum shaft to many models of tumble 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.

• Shaft and Bearings
• Screwdriver
• Pliers
• Device to take photos (i.e. camera)

Safety First! Please make sure that you have switched your appliance off at the mains before starting your repair.

You need to remove the top, both sides and also the back panel. To do this you would have to get the tumble dryer on its front, and for this to be possible you first need to remove the door. Once done you can tilt the appliance carefully on its front as planned - ready to remove those panels.

Let’s get the top and side panels off now then…initially start by removing the air vent, which is just held in place by one screw. Once you have taken off the top and side panels, by simply removing the screws, you are left with the task of removing the back panel.

We need to get the back panel off now…remove the vent tube from inside, the bearing cover and then followed by the heater - again just by removing the screws. Uncouple the power cable to the heater, and you are free to then take the heater off from your appliance and place it to one side. Last thing to come off from the back panel is the fan (the one in our video requires an 8mm socket)

Just a couple more things left to do to be able to release that back panel, we promise! You need to disconnect the wires, but before you do it is time to offer you an eSpares Top Tip at this point - before disconnecting the wires, just take a couple of quick photo’s of how they are wired in - as you can refer back to them when it comes to wiring them back in later on.

Now the only thing keeping the back panel on is the shaft itself. This is secured by a shaft collar, that has a pin going through the end of the shaft - you need to remove the pin, and the shaft collar will then slide out.

*Please Note: You need to keep any parts you remove, such as the shaft collar, to be used again unless you have a replacement.

Loosen the left side panel by removing a couple of screws, and this will allow you to take the back panel off completely. Remove the belt from the motor pulley (careful not to get your fingers caught in the motor pulley) with the belt removed, you will be able to carefully lift the drum away.

Say goodbye to the old drum shaft…with the drum in plenty of room now, you will be able to see the elusive drum shaft! This can be taken out by removing the screws from inside the drum (these are torx head screws, so you will need a torx head screwdriver or a set of torx keys).

Say hello to the new drum shaft…place the drum shaft in position. Proceed to then fit the bearing on to the back panel, and apply the holding screw back in. If you now flip the panel over you will be able to remove the old seal by pulling it away (once detached you might need to remove any excess adhesive that might have stuck to the panel - you can actually use a paint scraper for this). You can now add your new seal.

At this point we need to replace the bearing pads and the seal that goes right around the outside. The bearing pads should actually just clip out, and then you need to remove the old seal (again, this might leave some excess adhesive that needs to be removed).

Put the seal in place, you should have a groove in one side, and simply tuck the loose ends in there. When in the position you want, start taking the backing tape off and sticking it down - working our way round. Finish off by just clicking your new bearing pads in place.

Time to get your appliance to look like a tumble dryer again! You have done all the work up to now, and the time has come to put everything back together again. Start with this left hand side panel, then move on to the back panel (before doing this - put the washer over the shaft). Proceed to pop the shaft collar over the top, and then insert the pin. With a pair of pliers, bend the straight end around just to make an ‘S’ shape. Now it is just a case of reassembling by refitting the parts removed.

Congratulations - you have now successfully been able to replace the drum shaft and bearings on your tumble dryer! You can now get back to quickly drying your clothes again.

Tumble Dryer In Need Of Some Loving, Care & Attention?

Your tumble dryer no doubt works hard for you in getting your clothes nice and dry. If you really want to get the best performance from your tumble dryer, and better results for your clothes, then look no further than these energy saving tumble dryer balls - providing a natural, eco-friendly alternative to fabric softeners (ideal for delicate or sensitive skin). When placed in your tumble dryer their square tips compress and soften fabrics, reducing drying time by up to 25%.

Need To Locate The Correct Drum Shaft And Bearings For Your Tumble Dryer?

Here at eSpares, we have a wide-range of replacement tumble dryer drum shafts and bearings for you to select from - so you can soon be on your way to repairing it yourself.