Samsung front loading dryer - drum not turning

[celticsoc]

My wife turned on the dryer thi morning, and the drum was not turning, but all else seems to be in order. It is, of course, out of warranty.

The background is that yesterday she heard something rattling in the dryer and assumed it was coins from a pocket or something like that. She shut it off, and forgot about it until this morning. When she turned it back on, she got everyting but the barrel rotation.

Suggestions? I've never repaired one of these, but if its something simple, I'd rather give it a shot than pay for a dervice call.

[Dan Espen]

Most likely the belt that goes around the drum broke or slipped off the pulleys.

The "trick" with dryers is getting them open. Usually you stick a flat bladed tool into the seam at 2 places and that pops the front off. Then you will be able to see what's going on.

Do some searches for your model for details.

[krw]

99% likely.

Yep. There are several parts sites that have repair instructions. While you're in there, replace all of the drum pads and guide hardware. It's all cheap stuff.

[DerbyDad03]

Sounds like either a broken belt, a broken guide roller or a broken belt tensioner.

Hard to say which of those would make the dryer "rattle" (all?) but any of them could cause the drum not to spin.

I had a broken guide wheel once which shifted the drum just enough that the belt just slipped as it spun since the drum moved enough to release the tension.

[hrhofmann]

Are you delusional? The OP never said anything about a door on the drum or give any indication that it was not a regular front-loading dryer.

[Robert Coyle]

I also agree it's the belt or the tension pulley that holds the belt in place. I've seen these pop off when people try to spin the drum by hand to get at a hard to reach sock.

[Jules Richardson]

Can you hear the motor running? If so then it's most likely the belt has failed - although it may have failed for a reason other than old age (particularly given the rattling sound you mentioned), such as something from a pocket jamming the drum, or one of the drum support wheels failing.

It shouldn't be difficult to take apart so you can look for obvious problems.

cheers

Jules

[celticsoc]

To clarify, I had in my mind that I had a front loading washer and matching dryer. In retrospect, I would have made the same assumption (that all dryers were front loading) had I read that. I would have assumed it was a belt, as was suggested, but for the rattling sound that did not abate when the dryer was emptied of clothes (before it stopped spinning). After it was taken apart, everything was fine except the belt, which had not sheered through but was frayed. Part of the belt had pulled away and was apparently slapping the internals and the drum, causing the sound, before it ultimately just stopped spinning.