Rumbling noise when Maytag electric dryer starts

trader-of-some-jacks

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Mar 8, 2009, 12:05:54 PM3/8/09

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My dryer is a 1989 Maytag model, electric, no bells and whistles.

Last year, I had the rollers and the drum itself replaced because of
an ongoing squealing noise the thing was making.

Now, for about a week or so, when it starts, it makes an odd rumbling
noise for a second.

The noise sounds like there are a few childrens wooden blocks in it.
Kind of a clattering noise more than a rumble.

The noise is over in less than a second, then the dryer works fine and
runs quietly through its cycle.

But it ALWAYS makes this noise on startup, whether empty or full, and
even if I'm putting pressure on any of its panels.

Ideas?

Bob

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Mar 8, 2009, 4:28:19 PM3/8/09

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trader-of-some-jacks wrote:

> The noise is over in less than a second, then the dryer works fine and
> runs quietly through its cycle.

Check the squirrel cage fan coupled to the motor. There could be a
foreign object in there (fell in through the lint screen opening) that
stops rumbling when it sticks to the fan by centrifugal force.

Joe

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Mar 9, 2009, 12:23:26 AM3/9/09

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On Mar 8, 11:05 am, trader-of-some-jacks <tradej...@dontspam.net>
wrote:

Might be the motor rumbling on its mounts due to a stretched or too
long belt.

Joe

trader-of-some-jacks

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Mar 9, 2009, 4:18:22 PM3/9/09

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http://www.applianceaid.com/images/ldrm-heat-partsrev.jpg shows a
picture of what my dryer would look like with the front off.

I take it I'm to look behind that tan-colored thing on the left, that
looks like the housing for the lint filter?

Sorry for the ignorance; this is not my forte!

Bob

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Mar 9, 2009, 8:23:00 PM3/9/09

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trader-of-some-jacks wrote:
> http://www.applianceaid.com/images/ldrm-heat-partsrev.jpg shows a
> picture of what my dryer would look like with the front off.
>
> I take it I'm to look behind that tan-colored thing on the left, that
> looks like the housing for the lint filter?

Right. The fan draws air through the lint screen, past the thermal fuse
and cycling thermostat, and out the exhaust duct. The fan is behind the
big cover on the left side. Your dryer design may be a mirror image of
the photo.

trader-of-some-jacks

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Mar 14, 2009, 10:00:48 AM3/14/09

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On Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:28:19 -0700, Bob <RBF...@YAH0O.COM> wrote:

>Check the squirrel cage fan coupled to the motor. There could be a
>foreign object in there (fell in through the lint screen opening) that
>stops rumbling when it sticks to the fan by centrifugal force.

Sorry, I am just now acting on this.

The squirrel cage fan is on the front bottom left, if you're facing
the dryer.

I checked, and the noise is coming from the rear portion of the dryer,
the part closest to the wall.

Ed Pawlowski

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Mar 14, 2009, 10:56:45 AM3/14/09

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"trader-of-some-jacks" <trad...@dontspam.net> wrote in message

> The squirrel cage fan is on the front bottom left, if you're facing
> the dryer.
>
> I checked, and the noise is coming from the rear portion of the dryer,
> the part closest to the wall.

The drum sits on a couple of guides or supports that rotate with it. They
may be worn, damaged, or have a flat spot.