How to Troubleshoot & Replace Ge AP4379804 / WE12X10014 Dryer Drive Belt

First I moved the dryer out of its niche so I could easily get to the front and back. Then I removed screws holding the top to the front panel, having taken a photo of the wiring harness wires to the door light and switch and removing enough wires that I could prop the top up by laying it backward and leaning it on a nearby shelf. (I would not have just let the top hang.) Then I loosened the two screws on the bottom of the front panel and removed the two backward-facing screws on the upper inboard side to the left and the right. The front panel then swiveled to the right and leaned against the dryer. I took the time to remove the light to vacuum its socket and the chamber that holds the lint screen. On the backside, I removed the covers for the power cord, & the center bearing. I took off the power cord and the grounding strap for the bearing then removed the lower back access panel. I pulled the tensioner pulley in to remove the belt from around it and the motor pulley. (I did not take a picture of the belt, but recommend that for first-timers, because it's not always obvious how it goes.) Once the belt was loose I lifted out the drum pulling it with moderate difficulty through the front. Then I thoroughly inspected the heater coils and all the harness wires. I vacuumed out all the surfaces and the exhaust tube. Had it been really linty I would have opened and vacuumed out the impeller housing on the front of the motor. I replaced the glides on the front of the door (2 screws each on mine) and checked the felt ring around the drum. I found where a wire had rubbed against the frame until the insulation failed, which caused a short circuit and tripped the breaker. I took out 4 bolts to remove the bearing sleeve guide (rectangular) and its worn bushing. This was in the center of the heater coil panel. I took 3 screws out of the inside of the drum to remove the mandrel and that drum rotates on. It took two people to put the new one on, and it helps to mark the screw holes. Mine had 5 possible holes for 3 screws, and would only go on one way. Figure it out first. I could not find directions about greasing the center bearing, so I used white lithium grease. When I was throwing stuff out, I found two small tubes of grease in the packaging. The directions with the bearing were so badly translated that it was humorous. But don't be put off, it's not hard. If your old bearing was secured in the back with a C clamp, rejoice like I did that the new one has the bushing pre-installed and locked on with a pressure ring. A friend had replaced the center bearing about 5 years ago, and not replace the glides. That was a mistake. He did not level the dryer, so it leaned forward, that was a mistake. replace the glides and label your dryer left and right, and front to back. It's easy to tilt the dryer and turn the legs, then recheck the level. Re-assembly was the reverse of assembly. I observed that the side panel and top panels have metal tabs and slots to aid alignment. Sometimes I had to lean on the dryer to get everything to line up. It will. I did clean around the dryer's niche and vacuumed out the flexible exhaust tube. It runs like a dream! This took me 2+ hours, but I was working on a porch in over 95-degree weather with much humidity, so I took many cool down breaks. It was worth it. The "other" tools were a wire cutter/stripper to cut and splice the frayed wire, and a smartphone for taking pictures. 

I figured the problem was the drive belt so I ordered a new one. The simplest way to replace the belt is as follows (which took me hours to figure out). There were no instructions to follow until I realized I could ask on this web site. The instruction provided helped but was brief, so here is a detailed plan for you to finish in less than 30 minutes. Unplug the dryer. At the bottom-front of the dryer, release the lower front panel by removing the bolt next to each of the two support legs with a 5/16" socket. Open the door and under the upper lip are four screws. Use a star tool to remove. Now swing open the top of the dryer which then rests on it''s two rear hinges. Look down inside the front panel to find on either side two bolts holding the front assembly in place. Remove with 5/16" socket. Carefully pull away the front panel taking care to remove the friction-fit door switch sensor wires. Under the left side of the dryer as you face it from the front is a spring loaded pulley pushing on the drive belt. Remove the belt from the pulley. With tension released from the belt, slip the belt off the motor and lifting the dryer drum a little, slip the belt off the drum and out of the dryer. Dust on the drum may induce slipping of the drive belt. Remove all dust from the dryer drum using window cleaner and paper towel. Do not use soapy liquid or the belt will slip. Wipe what you can get to easily from the open top, then hand rotate the drum 90 degrees at a time to clean each section of the drum until all the dust is removed. Put the new belt in place lifting the drum a little to slide over the drum. Re-engage the spring loaded tension pulley. Replace front panel in reverse order. Make sure to reconnect the door-switch wires. 

First I ordered the necessary part from AppliancePartsPros.com then commenced to disassembly the dryer. This model is a top loader GE DDE9200GAL. Old but reliable. To remove the deck I first had to remove the four screws on the underside of the deck at the top of the dryer door opening. Next using a 3/8 ths hex I removed the TWO bolts on either side of the control panel in the back top part of the dryer. These are are the securing bolts for a quarter moon piece that is INSIDE to the back panel. Only remove these bolts until they are free. Other wise the 1/4 moons may fall into the unit. If you desire you can remove the pieces by holding the piece horizontal to the deck and turn to the middle of the unit. This releases the piece from the panel and it can be removed. The whole deck and control panel can now be tilted up and out of the way. Then remove the left and right screws\bolts on the sides of the inside front panel (one on each side). On this model I removed the wires from the light and door switch also. You then can lift the front panel off and put aside. Check that your replacement belt has the ribbed side on the inside and, lifting the drum slightly fit the belt over the drum and align it with previous track marks.n this model I looped the broken belt around the idler arm and routed it uner the duct and heater trough the bottom channel. I was then able to pull the idler arm down and tying off the blt Hold the arm down so I can work on getting the belt around the drive pulley, this is a one handed procedure at this point, and afirm that the belt has all the ribs facing inward by rotating the drum and watch the belt at the pulley. With the belt on the drive motor pulley you can then slowly slack off the retaing line till the idler is also engaging the belt. Again rotate the drum to ensure that the belt is routed properly. Then pull the retaing strap out by pulling on one side slowly and it will come out. Reassemby is the inverse of removal and pretty easy. Just make sure that the wiring to the door is securely held to the outside frame and away from the drum. You can then reassemble the unit and then crow to the other half that victory has been obtained and have a beer!!! Whole thing took about 45 minutes. 

First some history. From the time my parents got married in 1953 the way that my mother would dry cloths when she could not get them out on the line was that she would have them draped over the radiators, hanging from the shower curtain rod and hanging from pipes over the boiler, she did it that way for over 30 years. Sometime around 1985 give or take my father bought her a GE Heavy Duty dryer in almond, my cousin ran the gas line and the vent to the outside and that dryer has been in use ever since. The only problems we have had with it was the igniter going in 2016 and now the belt in 2017. A well built machine. For this job I needed a Torx T-10 screw driver to remove the top I also used a quarter inch drive socket for some of the other fasteners. I disconnected the wires that ran along the top of the right side by separating the connector and I labeled and disconnected 3 wires going to the light switch. The top tilted back and stayed in place and the front was removed from the machine. This gives you access to get the belt around the drum. ( I did watch several U-Tube videos before attempting this). At this stage I also opened the back access panel and was surprised to see a cement block strapped to it, I then vacuumed out the dust from around the motor and the bottom of the machine. The belt was indeed broken and I was surprised at how thin and narrow it was and yet it lasted for over 30 years. Then I went on line to Parts Pros with the model number which nothing came up for, but there was a model number that was the same minus the last two letters so I took a chance and ordered that belt. When the belt arrived a week later I saw it was the same belt as the old one. Installing the belt is just a matter of putting it around the tensioner the right way. With this machine it was easy because of the back access panel I could see what I was doing, with newer machines you have to stick your arms under the drum and do it by feel. Sometimes old is better! The dryer is working again. 

I replaced the drum bearing in the back and also the nylon sliders in the front. It rook some time but was not difficult. I took some extra time to thoroughly clean all the lint from the inside. 

After taking off the top and front panels to access the drum, it was easy to see what the problem was. The front drum support was worn through and the 3 drum support glides were gone. The rear drum bearing was also completely worn out. And while I had the dryer apart I also replaced the idler pulley and drive belt. The only hard part was putting the drive belt back on the motor shaft and idler pulley. The dryer is back to drying clothes like a new machine. 

I removed the drum unit and replaced the rear bearing and the front drum sliders. Since the dryer is 20 years old, I also replaced the drive belt and idler pulley. After 20 years of use they were worn. Also, I got enough lint out of the dryer housing to build a sofa cushion! 

Removed front and top with phillip screwdriver and 8mm socket. slid new belt over drum, had to remove an access panel at lower rear of dryer to thread the new belt over belt pulley and spindle. Put it all back together,and fortunately it worked properly. I'm not much of a handyman, and it took about 45 minutes. Make sure to put the ribbed side of new belt against drum. 

Purchased a new assembly. Do not buy just the coil and try to attach it. Spend the extra $$ and buy the complete assembly. Also, while you have it apart, replace the bearing and the belt....trust me I learned this the hard way. This website delivered the part within 2 days!!! 

Watched video on your site, helped alot finished within half hour.