Repairing our appliances is not an easy task! It’s more often than not slow, difficult, confusing, and ultimately frustrating. Not to mention that it can be dangerous, especially if you do it on your own without the help of professional technicians. On the other hand, hiring a qualified repairman to fix your home appliances like washing machine can also be a pain on your pocket. It can be quite expensive! This article is intended to provide a simple guide on replacing the drive belt on a washing machine, one of the easiest and most common appliance repairs.
The washer drive belt does a lot of work, moving the agitator, rotating the barrel, and is what gets things moving inside the washer. Without this rubber belt, you could never clean your clothes. That being said, this is the most common and easily broken part on any washing machine. When the belt on my Maytag Dependable Care Plus washer recently broke, a little research saved me a lot of money.
It is also important to note that the straps are made of rubber. Therefore, they can easily dry out and crack. Excessively large loads can strain them. If the fabrics get tangled in the agitator, the belt can smoke and shred. So to keep belts protected and your washing machine running longer, be sure to sort your clothes before washing. Take large drapes, rugs, blankets, and comforters to a laundromat and wash them in large industrial-size washers.
Begin your repair by unplugging the power cord. I guess this should be given the utmost attention and should never be ignored, because your security depends on it. After unplugging the electrical cord, you can begin to unhook the water connections. Then check if your washing machine has an access panel and remove them. On the Maytag Dependable Care Plus washer, the drive belts are located on the bottom of the machine.
After locating the drive belts, you can turn or place the washer on a side that is comfortable for you to work on. It would also be advisable to place the washing machine on a dry cloth to prevent water from spilling all over the place. Proceed to remove the clamps that connect the rubber coupling, the belt and the motor of the washing machine. Slide the old drive belt off and replace it with the new one, then reattach the rubber coupling and clamps over the new washer belt. Then finally put your washing machine back in its place, plug in the power cord and turn it on to check if it is now working properly.