What kind of bearing is in the idler pulley? How does it work? Does it spin on the shaft or does the bearing stay fixed on the shaft and spin inside itself?
Matt for Model Number maytag lde6914ace
ANSWER Hello Matt,
The idler pulley actually hasn't got a bearing in the true sense of a bearing. It is more accurately described as a bushing. The bushing is made of a material that actually lubricates itself as it wears so it requires no lubrication. Never lubricate it with a wet lubricant as lint will stick to the lubricant and will be drawn into the bushing and wear it out quicker than if it were not lubricated at all. The only way to lubricate it is with a dry lubricant such as baby powder or corn starch. Graphite cannot be used because if it gets into the wash, it will stain laundry. The bushing spins on the idler shaft. It remains stationary inside the pulley.
Answered by AppliancePartsPros.com | Tuesday, June 05, 2012