Help needed, Montgomery Wards dryer element..

[vintagekitchen]

The heating element in my Montgomery Ward dryer is kaput, unfortunately. The model is UAN-7419-80A, Serial 87J-12002, I think it's from 1977?

After a quick search, it appears that the part is only available as a full kit, part number 5300142885 and only from a few sources. Most are about 100 dollars plus shipping, I found one for 77 dollars plus shipping.

Since it is only the element which has worn out, why do I need an entire kit which includes ceramic insulators and everything else, instead of just a new heating coil? Is it possible to get just a replacement coil? I love this dryer, but the full repair kit just isn't in the budget.

First 2 pics are the dryer, last pic is the part.

 

[turquoisedude]

Kevin, you definitely should be able to find just a heating element that will fit the dryer.   I wish I had kept the reference information, but about a year ago, I helped a friend of mine with a repair for a more modern Frigidaire dryer which also needed a new heating element.  We ran into the same situation - only a full 'kit' (in this case it included the entire rear heat shield and housing) was available and they cost around $200 before shipping!   Using the model number, we found the specs for the original element (the wattage is important) and then found a generic replacement element on Amazon for $12.  

 

The tricky part here would be to get the correct length and wattage rating of the element for this dryer.  There may even be some service information and a parts list right here on the site in the Ephemera library.   I'm not a big collector of Montgomery Wards appliances (just one humble dishwasher) but I'll bet someone here knows more about these dryers.

 

Hope you can find something!! 

 

[vintagekitchen]

bump..

Anyone?

 

[rp2813]

Time to Sign Off?

You might very well be able to find a reliable replacement dryer for less than the cost of the repair kit, or even for free on CL.  That is, unless you're attached to the Signature dryer for one reason or another.  If so, then a generic element of appropriate wattage seems like the most economical repair, but keep your fingers crossed that the existing ceramic insulators you'll have to run it through aren't cracked, brittle or both.

 

[combo52]

Replacement Element For A Westinghouse Dryer

These generally came as a restring kit and you cut it the proper length then stretched to to the final correct length depending you voltage for your house.

You can also buy the hole assembly or take one from a much newer Frigidaire dryer.

Remember if the heater actually burned out try to figure out why, heater elements do not generally burn out in the life time of an electric dryer. So there are probably other problems such as bad front drum bearing and seal, bad blower housing seal, lint build-up in the blower housing and internal duct work [ area below lint filter ]. and of coerce the vent system going out side, WH dryers of this era do not do well with anything but an ideal vent setup. Also if you get a new WH-Frigidaire kit where they want you to cut the heater to length, LEAVE it at the full length this will slightly reduce the heat output and make the new element last longer under your older dryers less that ideal operating situation.

There are also many better- faster-faster dryers out there [ any 29" WP built dryer after 1967 ] for example. These older WH designed dryers with the heater directly behind the dryers drum were always problematic from a safety and protection of your clothing aspect. GE-Frigidaire is about the only making any of these any longer and they are now loaded with safety thermostats and thermal fuses and yet they still have more fires and clothing damage complaints than dryers where the heater is contained in a separate housing away from dry [ flammable ] clothing.

John L,