Chosen Solution
My Kenmore He3 doesn’t have a heat problem, but it’s also super noisy. It’s quiet until it gets up to speed, and then it gets unbelievably loud - sort of a grating sound. I took my it apart today, replaced the belt & replaced the thermal fuse (I already knew that was bad), and reassembled it. Mine is still super noisy. I don’t see a fan in the back anywhere, although the drum rolls on four rubbery wheels. They’re soft, but not too soft. Could it be them? Is there a drum bearing somewhere I’m just not seeing. Sears sold me a new one, but I sure didn’t see where it went?
Cause 1 Drum Roller One or more of the drum rollers might be worn out. Many dryers have two drum support rollers on the rear of the drum, and some dryers have two more rollers supporting the front of the drum. When the drum rollers are worn out, they can cause the dryer to make a loud rumbling noise. To determine if the rollers are worn out, inspect the rollers. If one or more of the rollers are severely worn, we recommend replacing all of the rollers at the same time as a preventative measure. (The roller shaft can often be reused if it is in good condition. Clean the shaft thoroughly before installing the new rollers.) Cause 2 Drum Roller Axle One or more of the drum roller axles might be worn out. Most dryers have two drum support rollers on the rear of the drum, and some dryers have two more rollers supporting the front of the drum. Over time, the drum rollers and axles wear out, causing the dryer to make a loud rumbling noise. To determine if the drum roller axles are worn out, remove the belt from the dryer and try turning the drum by hand. If the drum does not rotate freely, check the support rollers for wear. If the rollers spin freely without wobbling, the axles do not need to be replaced. If a roller wobbles and/or does not spin freely, we recommend replacing all of the axles and rollers as a preventative measure.
After 22 years with my Kenmore Elite HE3T dryer, all those years of friction on some parts, it is time to replace. I pulled the tension pulley and wow, it was hard to turn. Felt the drum rollers and they barely would give an inch. Time to replace all these high friction parts. 22 years, that isn’t bad at all. New dryers are terrible quality by comparison. So far, the only other thing I’ve had to do on the dryer is the heater element went out twice. They stay hot once replace though, so do the job yourself and save BIG MONEY. Easy to do. The rollers will take work.
