Whirlpool WP8182650 Drive Pulley OEM Part

I pulled the unit away from the wall and noticed black dust on the floor. Unplugged the unit, turned off the water. Removed back panel (about 10 screws with Torx heads) and noticed the belt was off, the drive pulley was loose and wobbling on the shaft, black dust all over the inside. Belt was worn along one side. Some grooves/damage in the outer drum casing around the pulley where it appeared the belt had rubbed. Removed the lower crossbar (2 more screws) to get better access to the drive pulley and motor. Removed the nut from the old drive pulley with a 15/16" wrench (video said 24mm, but didn't have a metric wrench that big) using the handle of another wrench to brace the wheel and stop it turning. The center of the drive wheel was worn almost into a circle (instead of the oval shape of the keyed shaft) and the shaved aluminum was the likely source of the black dust. Vacuumed out the worst of the dust. After consulting online videos, I ordered a new belt and pulley. I also checked the drum bearings by manually rotating the drum and listening for noise. Thankfully I think they're OK. Parts arrived in less than 48 hours. Installed the new drive pulley on the shaft. It was a snug fit and needed a bit of persuasion from a hammer buffered with a block of wood just enough to get the nut on a couple of turns. Caution: Have someone else brace the inside of the drum from the front so the whole thing doesn't just shift away from you. (I didn't realize what was happening with the first few whacks. Fortunately, I was able to push the drum back from the other side, but I was worried I might have damaged the bearings.). Once it was on the shaft enough to get the nut on a couple of turns, I used the wrench to complete the job -- bracing the wheel again with the handle of another wrench placed between the spokes and into one of the 'pockets' of the molded drum casing. Installed the new belt following the technique in the videos. Took a few attempts -- the new belt was tight. Spun the drum manually to check for noise. Decided it might be a good idea to lubricate the bearings. Should have thought of this while the drive pulley was off! Thankfully I have a can of liquid grease (like WD-40) with a straw nozzle attachment and there was just enough room to squirt some lube into the space behind the pulley. Plugged the unit back in (with the back still off, to observe), reattached hoses and turned on the water. Ran it through a Drain+Spin cycle to observe the drum motion. It worked! Replaced the lower crossbar and back panel. Cleaned up the unit and work area. I moved it back against the wall and checked it for level. Job is done!

I first repaired the bearings in the unit then I replaced the dive pulley. The old bearings were very worn and rusted and took some time to disassemble the unit and get it back together. The drive pulley took about 10 minutes total to install.

Replaced pulley and belt.

At first I thought it was just a failed belt but I could feel the driven pulley seemed loose. The "flats" on the inside of the aluminum pulley where it mounts to the shaft were worn to an hour-glass shape. New pulley and belt went on fairly easily and everything is working great.

When I pulled the washer away from the wall, I saw a lot of black debris on the floor. I figured from that the belt broke. When I removed the back panel, the belt was off. The drive pulley was also very worn around the bolt, so I went ahead and replaced it as well. One of my shock absorbers was also broken, which is why my tub had been making loud noises recently and probably why the belt came off. I could not get the belt on myself. I used a trick from YouTube with a strong zip tie to hold it on the drive pulley while turning it, and it worked. Saved me from having to buy a new washed. Still going strong after 15 years.