Belt Tension

[pulsator]

ARGH!!!!! After a couple weeks of waiting, a new belt finally came for my Bradford dryer. It's a touch smaller than the old one, which is good, but, it doesn't fit!!! After looping it around the drum, motor pulley, and idler pulley, it's still too loose to do anything! The idler pulley has the belt shoved up against the dryer cabinet! Am I missing something? Are there two idler pulleys or something? HELP!!!!

 

[coldspot66]

Can you take a pic of the idler pulley? Does the belt loop under the idler pulley wheel, then around the motor pulley to maintain tension????...much like a whirlpool???? Let me know, email me if you want.

 

[pulsator]

The motor pulley, it loops up to the idler pulley...

 

[pulsator]

The idler pulley and the drum above it...

 

[deeptub]

What if you unthread the belt from the tensioner as you have it now, then hold the tensioner down, pass a "loop" of belt through the tensioner (through the space between the two "arms" that hold the roller), put that loop of belt around the motor pulley, and then let go of the tensioner. Will that work? That's how a lot of dryers I've seen have it threaded.

T.

 

[pulsator]

But wouldn't the belt rub against itself?

 

[jamman_98]

Ok here is an Idea

I think the belt is on the wrong side of the pully wheel. I think it is ment to put tention on the belt near the motor. Take the belt off the pully wheel. Pull the pully wheel down close to the motor thingy then see if it causes tention on the belt when you release it. Teh belt should go on the outside of the pully wheel instead of the inside. I did a crude drawing in MS Paint so I hope this helps.

Joe
jamman_98

 

[pulsator]

This way I can make the belt tight if I pull the idler pulley down but, the spring on it just makes the pulley pop back where it was when I let go... We're getting closer! I think we're on the right track, we're just missing something...

 

[filterflo]

Austin, You are close to getting it but its just a little tricky and hard to describe. If you have a GE dryer manual OR Kenmore Whirlpool manual OR Frigidaire 1-18 dryer manual, look in those and see how the belt loops thru the idler. Your application here is very similar to those mentioned above. With just a little studying of how those go on, you should be able to figure this out...........

 

[pulsator]

Unfortunately I have no manuals that explain how the belt fits on...
-Jamie

 

[panthera]

maybe this way...

Lots of European dryers put the tension on the other side of the motor, perhaps this one does too - it would explain the way the spring is connected to the idler pulley. Hope this helps or gives you at least an idea.

 

[panthera]

2nd possibility

It is also possible that the pulley applies tension, but the belt is not actually put through the cut out in the arm. The idler roller just rests against the belt from below.
Or, a third idea...could the motor have shifted off its mounts, respectively been loosened and can be drawn tight? Could be all of these.
Or none....

 

[pulsator]

Well, the idler pulley can't move to the other side of the motor because both the pulley and the pulley mount won't fit around the motor. The motor couldn't have shifted because it is mounted in a fixed position and is directly connected to the fan which would in turn have to move around in it's chamber, which it can't because it would hit the sides of it's chamber.

-Jamie (the frustration is begining to build!)

 

[filterflo]

What you are doing wrong Jamie happens all the time with these belts. From the pic you took you have ONE side of the belt thru the idler. This is where you are in error. Bring the belt thru the idler so BOTH sides of the belt go thru it and then hook it around the pulley of the motor. Try that and see what happens...........

 

[pulsator]

Ok, this is the second time this was recommended to me, so I finally tried it, and, IT WORKED!!! I'll never doubt any fixing opinions you guys have ever again!!! YAY!!! Well, now that that hurdle has been jumped, we've only one to go. Now that it tumbles, I have noticed that it doesn't heat! ARGH!!! Now what?

 

[panthera]

good for you, filter flo

I wish I could write an explanation that well. The moment I read it, I understood it. Want to come teach my class in technical English here in Munich?

 

[panthera]

no heat

There are lots of reasons why you might not be getting any heat. I would check the following:
(Being very careful of the voltages involved, even a disconnected dryer can still have lethal voltage in the capacitor.)
1) Is power getting to the machine on both legs of the supply? You can check this at the circuit breaker box, the outlet and the cord where it comes in the back. It is possible for the motor, timer, lights, etc. to run if only one phase is getting to the machine.
2) Is the internal wiring all properly hooked up? Since you had to figure out the belt by yourself, maybe the old one snapped and took off a wire or connector when it went?
3) Is the heating element ok? You can test this without taking it apart - just check the resistance. It may be very low - but if there is complete resistance (0 on a digital-multimetter, infinity on an analogue) then the element is broken or an overheating thermostat you can't see has opened. Before you check the element, make sure you disconnect at least one wire going to it. If you don't know how to do this, best ask someone to show you.
4) There are safety thermostats, door and lint filter interlocks *and* temperature controlling interlocks built into dryers. If any single one fails or "jams" then the heater won't work...but the fan would continue. Most units I have seen over here in Europe and the 'States before 1980 have at least one safety thermostat located in the airflow somewhere away from the heating element - easy to overlook it.
5) A switch or (oh my paws and whiskers!) the timer have failed. This one can be nasty. Just about everything else hasn't really changed in the last 50 years or so...but that could be interesting.
6) You might have - don't be angry - overlooked a setting on the unit and it has been "told" to only air fluff...
Anybody think of anything else?
Good luck - oh, a shot of the wiring diagramme or a couple pictures of the wiring harness in all locations and that might help us figure something out, too.