Replacing A Drive Belt

If you happen to put a load of clothes into your washer and it fills with water but doesn’t do anything else, there is a good chance that the drive belt is bad or broken and needs replacement. If the drive belt happens to be loose then the washer may make a high pitched, harrowing screech followed by the smell of something burning. Either way, it is time to replace the belt on your washing machine.

Before attempting repair on any electrical device it is necessary to unplug it from the outlet. Again, never attempt repairs on any device which uses electricity without disconnecting it from its power source.

You can get to the washing machine’s drive belt by first removing the machine’s access panel. If your machine does not have an access panel, then you will need to turn the washing machine over gently onto its side to get to the belt located on the bottom.

Before resorting to putting the machine on its side, remove the cover from the back of the washer. Once the cover has been removed, check to see if you can locate a belt, or a place where a belt should be. If there is no place for a drive belt and you can easily see your floor underneath the washer, then you can put the cover back on and call a repairman, because the type of washer you have happens to be a direct drive washing machine.

If you see a metal plate with the motor going through it, then you have a machine which has its drive belt located on the bottom. You will need to carefully put the washer on its side to gain access to the drive belt. Two words of caution here: get someone who can help you safely put the heavy washer on its side, and get ready to clean up the water that will surely stream out. Also, you will need to get some cardboard or a blanket to lay it over on to protect your flooring.

Now it is time to remove the old drive belt. There should be some clamps which hold a rubber coupling that is used to connect the water pump to the motor. You will be able to remove the belt after you unscrew these clamps and remove the rubber coupling. You may need to loosen the mounting bolts to get enough slack in the belt to remove it.

To put a new drive belt in, slip it first over the pulley on the transmission, then over the motor pulley. Replace the rubber coupling and tighten any bolts you loosened.

All that is left to do is replace the access cover, set the machine upright and test it to make sure it operates as it should. If the machine does not operate properly, it is time to consult a repair technician.