Ge WE09X27634 Dryer Lower Drum Felt Seal OEM Part

Found the entire top bearing support plastic piece was completely worn through, the bearing slides had all disappeared some time ago. So it was obviously the problem. The felt trap duct (which is actually a drum seal along bottom front of drum so I don't know why they call it felt trap duct) had also disappeared, so a lot of lint was getting inside the front panel too. It's a very easy repair to change the bearing support; everything just pops out just like the video shows. Make sure you buy 2 of the gray slides (part #316) and 2 of the white slides (also part #316). These flat plastic pieces carry the actual weight of the drum and provide a hard plastic surface that can stand up to the heat and pressure as the drum turns with a load of wet clothes in it. The gray ones go on top of the bearing support and the white ones go along the lower sides of the support. There is a slight difference between the 2 types as the gray slides have a little notch on the end and will fit the 2 top positions when you replace them. The white slides won't fit those positions. For some reason the parts diagram shows part #316 as a single slide and then you have to figure out why the Appliance Parts Pros website tells you to buy 4 slides, but sells 2 types of part #316. The manufacturer (General Electric) should have labeled them as part 316a and part 316b to make it clear in the parts diagram but they did not. The dryer is now very quiet when it runs so I solved my problem for $48 total which is way cheaper than paying a repairman to come to the house!

I replaced the heater coil. When we moved into this house 10 yrs ago, the movers, setting up the dryer, did not properly connect the vent hose. Lint build up was significant and I was lucky there was no fire, but the inadequate air flow caused overheating on the coil resulting in failure of both coils. Disassembly went well following the video. During disassembly I noted the need for new bearing slides and the felt trap duct. I also replaced the dryer drum belt, as a precaution that probably was not needed. Reassembly was painful. My dryer is either older with far less clearance around the thermostats or the tech in the video is tiny with tiny hands. I eventually took photos of how the wires were connected to the video, disconnected the wires from the thermostats, reinstalled the thermostats and reconnected the wires. The only clarity I would have liked was when ordering the heater coil, the order came up with the "also ordered" components and I ordered the bearing slide. I wasn't clear that that meant only one slide, 4 are needed. That "also ordered" should be for 4 slides. In my youth, I was a test engineer and when one wearable part, like the bearing slide is needed, all should be replaced. I now must get around to order 3 more and take the dryer apart again. The heater coil came with 6 additional replacement insulators. 11 or so are needed for complete changeout. I really could have used 11 and would have ordered extra if I had found out how. My coil had failed due to overheat, which also oxidized the insulator metal holders and they were very brittle. Enough broke just taking out the old coil that I needed all six and as an ex test engineer would have preferred to replace all insulators due to the heat damage. It all works now though, thanks, the videos were a great help.

GE Has made various models of this same dryer for many years. I spent extra time removing all lint from the dryer, as this fix is the ideal time to do it. The dryer is in unheated space so dryer output condenses on steel duct and forms a dense coating with fine lint dust. A vacuum and brush are needed to remove. For fix tools, I needed a #2 Philips and a medium flat-blade screwdriver. If I had disconnected the front wiring harness I would have need long-nose pliers. I rested the front against my washer while I worked on it, as the washer is to the left of the dryer, so I did not disconnect the harness. I replaced four worn wear pads on the inside of the front that hold up the top front of the drum and the felt strip that seals the air leakage around the remainder of the front of the drum. Order 5 separate parts. 1) Unplug dryer. 2) Remove 4 screws at top back that hold the control panel on. 3) Swing top of control panel toward front and slide slightly to right side to release tabs at bottom. 4) Open door and remove two screws pointing straight up into top. 5) Remove top by sliding forward and lifting. 6) Remove two screws holding front from inside cabinet. 7) Lift front slightly and swing to left taking care of wires on left side. 8) Remove worn pads and felt strip. 9) Clean. 10) Replace 4 pads and felt strip. Hole in pad slips over plastic stud while other end slips into slot. The stud barely engages the pad. The felt strip has extra length to fold back and into slots on both ends. Work the strip in behind hooks around the perimeter of the door opening. Use a flat blade screwdriver to gently press felt strip into the outside of the channel. Felt strip goes to the outside of the front of the drum. 11) Swing front back into place lifting slightly to catch bottom, then lift the drum slightly to rest on the felt strip and push front onto drum. 12) Replace two screws to hold front. 13) Make certain drum can turn slightly by hand. 14) Replace top. 15) Replace control panel. 16) Plug in and test.

We disassembled the dryer and found three obvious things that needed fixing. The felt seal was wadded up and out of its track and old, the tension pulley was worn out and one edge missing and the rear bearing sleeve was worn thin and broken off inside the bearing race. The video's on appliancepartspros.com showing how to replace the parts was great. We had it half taken apart before we found this site but it helped a lot in reassembly. The parts we received were high quality parts as well. The only problems we struggled with were threading the holes in the parts that did not have threads already cut for the screws, trying to sandwich all the pieces together to install the rear bearing, and removing the keeper nut that's pushed onto the tension pulley shaft. (Keeps the pulley from coming off). The video makes it look easy but we had a hard time lining things up in our dryer drum. The chrome plate that goes inside the dryer drum with the outside bearing part. The video showed the tech using a nut driver to thread the screws into the parts but the screws provided were philips pan head screws. Be careful you don't jab a hole in your palm trying to put those screws in the first time. Make SURE you thread the screws in perfectly straight or you'll have a nightmare trying to get them started when you put the parts together later. Get your vacuum with hose attachment ready, now's the perfect time to completely clean all the lint out from around everything and prevent a fire. We used 2 sizes of philips screw drivers (medium and large), a medium flat screw driver, a torx driver, needle nosed plyers, rag, vacuum and a few drops of oil. They don't tell you to do this and some may say it's not a good idea but I put about three drops of oil on the tension pulley shaft to prevent wear on the pulley (it's plastic on metal). I also did the same with the plastic rear bearing sleeve (between the sleeve and the shaft the sleeve is permanently mounted on). Without that, I don't see how this would ever keep from wearing out the plastic. If you do the same, just use it sparingly on the rear bearing sleeve and don't get any on the heating coils. Any small amount of plastic-safe oil or light grease would go a long way to prevent you having to replace these parts again.

I followed the directions I found on YouTube for removing the front of the dryer. It was fairly easy, with two screws to remove the top and another two to remove the front. Just use a hand Phillips screwdriver, you will have difficulty using a typical power screwdriver due to space limitations. Watch the tabs on the top that engage with the control panel. Push the top to the left to disengage. I broke one of the three. One connector and two fastons needed to be disconnected on the front. The two fastons from the door switch were a slight challenge to figure out how to expose them to remove. Also, remove the dryer lamp and the felt strip sealing the drum on the bottom. Not too much trouble. I unsnapped the bearing from the front of the dryer, and replaced it with the new one. The only minor issue was that the old bearing was shot in white, while the new one was shot in gray. You don't really see it much so it is no big deal. To make the new bearing snap in place better, I bent the top flange of the dryer front at the two snap locations to better engage the new bearing. Watch the lamp wires so they do not get caught underneath the new support bearing, pushing it out of position. I replaced the two sets of glide slides on the top and sides with new ones. I bent the new glides at the retaining hole downward so that they engage with the retaining features on the new support bearing. I also removed the knockout in the new support bearing for the lamp. I put in the new felt, then I reassembled the front and top. The whole think took a little more than an hour. Cleaning up the dust took some time. It was thick in spots. Now the dryer is nice and quiet, no squeaks or catching of clothes in the broken bearing. I was pleased with the result. There is a slight noise from the new felt, but that will likely wear-in with a few loads.