Tumble Dryer Belt

[brian]

The belt on my tumble dryer Hotpoint FTCD 871 broke, noted the part number , got a replacement.

Youtube has videos of how to dismantle and replace the thing, I found one which was pretty close, and got the new one over the drum. However I'm stumped as to how to get the belt over the tension wheel and motor spindle. It looks to be 2" short ( 1" from the spindle). I checked the old one for length -same.

Some have motors on a spring to tension , but not mine..

More Youtube videos - this one addresses the problem

.

It looks roughly like mine except the cooling fan is on the other end and the compressor occupies the free space. This leaves no room for a lever.

Removing the compressor is an option , but not sure if I can do this without taking the drum out.

There's possibly some tool, or another trick Anyone got experience?

I experimented with heating the old belt to see if it makes it more pliable , but possibly not.

Brian

[newshound]

Belts are not custom-made, the machine will be designed to take a standard size. Often, they will be stamped with a code indicating the dimension. I forget for the moment whether this is the "inner circumference" or the "outer circumference" for a nominally flat belt. If there is no spring tensioner it is likely to be a fairly tight fit. I can only suggest a sort of "tyre lever" approach.

[brian]

In message , brian writes

/122231721212?hash=item1c75940cfc:g:djwAAOSwrrldw-nO

Maybe I can make one.

Brian

[TimW]

I did that job once. I remember thinking the belt was too small, but it wasn't. brute force required.

TW

[JohnP]

TimW wrote in news:rgm9oj$7dm$ [e-mail]:

/usual trick is with a rag looped throught he belt and pull it over to pulley to lead it on. If it is soo tight there is a risk to bearing and even the structure.

[newshound]

Right. Can't quite see how that works, but the length of the lever implies that some force is required!

As someone else has said, *running* with a tight belt will knacker the bearings. But they should take a much higher static load.

[JohnP]

Take care not to damage the flanks of the vee groove.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

Many years ago, I seem to remember an old Candy tumble drier had the tensioning pulley so it could be moved if a couple of bolts were taken out. The problem then was actually rotating the thing back under tension to get the bolts back in.That damn thing still squeaked after it got its new belt though.

Brian

[Harry Bloomfield]

brian explained :

Special tools are always expensive. I would manage with a pair of levers or long screwdrivers, put it on the small pulleys first, leave the larger one until last - then crank the large one around to work itself in to place.

[brian]

In message , Harry Bloomfield writes

I managed to get it on today. I was resigned to getting a "man" in , but decided one last go.

I used a variant of the video screwdriver technique. Instead of trying to get onto the tensioning pulley I opted to put it directly onto the motor spindle after leading it over the pulley . I used a big screwdriver at 90 deg to stretch the belt over the spindle then teased it on with the end of an open ended spanner. I had 3 goes, first one it ended on upside down and the second it wasn't in the centre of the pulley and it walked over the edge.

It was pretty straight forward once I sussed it.

Brian