How to Troubleshoot & Replace Ge AP4422015 / WE3M33 Dryer Drum Support Shaft And Bearing

I replaced the slide bearings a few years back. A few months later the rear bearing started to go so I replaced that one. Bad idea. Replace these two at the same time. The wobbling from the rear bearing failure caused accelerated wear on the slide bearings. Without the money to fix it I ran it as it was. Another bad idea. The drum not only chewed through the slide bearings, but eventually the assembly as well. I replaced the whole assembly and rear bearing at one time a couple days ago. It was really not that hard, though it did take a full day due to a stripped screw that eventually had to be drilled out. Would’ve only taken about an hour without that issue and now it runs smooth and quiet. 

I called an appliance repairman and he was booked for 2 weeks and I got the same response from a couple others. I had to YouTube on how to take apart my GE Dryer. It was confusing at times cause it did not match what the video showed. After taking apart the front I could tell the part that needed replacing was the top ring that the drum hung onto. I don't know if the back pivot point was bad but thought I might as well replace it if I am going this far. The site AppliancePartsPros.com was easy to see what parts I needed and ordered them with ease. I paid about $3 bucks more to get it faster and it arrived even faster than they said. While I had it all apart I cleaned it thoroughly. It is amazing how dirty a 4 year old dryer can get. I bought it new. Everything went together easier than it came apart. I even had some parts left over. Just kidding. Saved a bunch on money, probably $300, not sure and did not have to wait 3 weeks. 

A few months back I changed out the "Bearing Slides" on the front side of the drum thinking that would stop the annoying squeaking every time we use the dryer. They were very worn and one was missing. But to my dismay it only lessened it by about 10%. After doing a bit more research I discovered the "Rear Shaft Bracket Assembly" also needed replacement. The tip was worn way down and clearly the source of the noise. It was actually a very simple repair except for the fact that the key to the disassembly was a hidden screw behind the "Selector Knob" and the only hint I found was a poor quality video on YouTube that revealed this secret screw. After that it was a piece of cake. The hardest part of the repair is spreading the "Double Idler Wheels" to get the belt back on the motor pulley. Someone needs to make a pro video on these type machines. There are plenty of videos on the "White Box" type washer/dryers but these machines are a bit different, at least on getting them open. PS The whole family appreciates the "New" quiet dryer. 

Parts came super quick (2 days to Hawaii). I replaced the drum support shaft bearing, the front drum support and the slides on my GE electric dryer. I used the step by step video provided. The electrical panel on the top was different than the video but as suggested I took detailed pictures of it before I disconnected 20 or so individual wires to the control board. I couldn't take the entire top plate off the dryer because some of the wires were shared and spliced together from either side. I pushed through as many wires I could then took a tall chair beside the dryer to rest it on sideways off the back side of the dryer. Replacement was fairly easy. I would say the only hard part was getting the belt back on the drive and pulley. It is such a small opening and really need two people. One person needs to hold the drum up while the other tries to slip the belt back on. We ended up turning the dryer on its back in order keep the drum in the bearing slot while securing the belt back on the pulley. Put everything back together and works great! 

I bought a belt from APP, but it didn't fit. I fixed it with a generic Home Depot belt. It is tough to get on, so I had to remove the left side panel. The drum also wobbled, so I replaced the Dryer Drum Support Shaft. That is a two-person job, and the Drum Support Shaft did not come threaded, so I used the old one as a guide. I lined them up and threaded the screw through both with a power driver. To reduce wobble, I replaced the Felt Seal and flipped the felt guides over at the top of the drum guide. Overall, it took about 4 hours. This would have been a 5-star, but the wrong belt slowed things down, and I had to wait for my wife to assist with the Dryer Drum Support Shaft installation. 

Replaced rear drum bearing and front drum support. Replaced belt since I was in there already. Parts came quick and fit perfect. 

I ordered a rear bushing kit, a new belt, and a new front slide and support assembly. I watched videos on Youtube, but quickly just reverted to my own intuition. It took me 2-3 hours to finish because I spent a lot of time labeling wires to prevent any issue with reinstallation, glueing tabs back on the control panel that the Youtube guy said to just leave hanging, and cleaning (and cleaning) lint out of everything. Plus, it was tight quarters. If I had to do it again, it would take about an hour. 

Replaced drum bearing and carrier 

Replaced front drum support, drum glides, and support bearing/shaft 

Appliance Parts Pro offers genuine OEM parts for purchase and utilizes FedEx for shipping. I was able to resolve a knocking sound in my dryer—caused by an issue with the drum shaft and bearing assembly—and correct balance problems with my washer spring and shocks using their products. For customers who do not require expedited delivery, USPS Priority Mail is a more cost-effective shipping option compared to FedEx at $35.00. The most challenging aspect of repairing the washer shaft and bearing was the necessity to remove the entire drum assembly in order to replace a single, yet critical, component affecting the functionality of the drum. The design was suboptimal, and locating comprehensive GE-specific instructions for removal and replacement proved difficult, as most available resources pertained to other brands. SeaRay