If you can’t really tell where the squeak is coming from, that’s okay. Since you’re taking your dryer apart anyway, you’ll be able to get a closer look at all the parts to see what’s going on.
Usually these screws are Phillip’s head, but your dryer may have different screws.
If the screws are near your lint trap, take the trap out of the dryer and set it aside before you unscrew.
Rest the top panel of the dryer against a wall or another solid surface. Try to keep it at a 90-degree angle to the dryer so you don’t pull on any wires or connections. For some dryers, all you need to do is pull the top panel backward to slide it off.
Unclipping the wires ensures you won’t pull or tug on them as you disassemble the rest of the dryer.
If there is a metal panel on top of your dryer, use your putty knife or flathead screwdriver to pop that off as well. Now your entire dryer is visible to you so you can see what’s going on.
Dryer belts are one of the most common issues with dryers, especially if yours is an older model. Belts tend to snap and fray easily, leading to a grating, irritating noise while drying.
Dryer belts are easy to swap in and out. Simply pull the old one off the drum, then slide the new one onto it in its place. Some dryers are even missing a belt all together. If you look for a belt and you can’t find one, that’s a sure sign that it’s the lack of a belt causing the squeaking.
Be sure to buy glide bearings made for your specific dryer model. Otherwise, they may not fit inside the drum.
Be sure that the belt glides smoothly through the pulley before you reassemble your dryer. Otherwise, you could be dealing with more squeaking and grinding.
To reattach the drum belt, set the drum inside the dryer and pull the belt over the pulley again. Spin the drum manually a few times to spread the oil around, then reassemble the dryer.
If your idler pulley is squeaky and you’ve fixed it with oil or WD-40, you might want to replace it anyway. Chances are, the oil will hold it over for a few weeks, but it will probably start squeaking again in the future.
Take this time to clean off any lint or hair that you see on the post of the roller wheel, too. This will help it spin smoothly instead of catching and squeaking.
You can only do this step after you’ve removed the top panel of your dryer.
As you clean the blower wheel, check it carefully for small objects that may have gotten lodged inside. Things like pencils and tweezers can get stuck inside the blower wheel, causing a squeaky grinding noise.
Attach your new blower wheel by going in reverse: tighten the new wheel by hand, use a wrench to screw the wheel into the rear motor, and then add the metal clip back onto the motor.
