Dryer: Why is my dryer making a rattling noise?

The blower fan blade is attached to the drive motor shaft. When the blower fan blade spins, it circulates air through the dryer. If the blower fan blade is damaged, it usually rattles or bangs. If the blower fan blade is broken or damaged, replace it.

If the drum sags or doesn't rotate smoothly, check the drum support rollers. You can sometimes repair the drum support rollers by adjusting the shaft or the fasteners. If the rollers are damaged, replace them.

The idler pulley keeps tension on the drive belt, creating the small amount of friction necessary for the belt to grip the motor and the drum. If the idler pulley squeaks or is damaged, replace it. Lubricating a squeaking motor pulley isn't recommended because the lubricant attracts lint.

The drum glide bearing is a plastic bearing on the front of the dryer drum. It allows the front of the drum to glide smoothly on the felt seal of the front panel when the drum is rotating. If the plastic bearing is worn out or broken, replace it.

The idler pulley connects to the base of the dryer drive motor. To determine if the idler pulley bracket needs replacement, unplug the dryer and then open the cabinet to examine the idler pulley bracket. If the idler pulley bracket is damaged, replace it.

The idler pulley tension spring fits onto the arm of the idler pulley and keeps tension in the drive belt that rotates the dryer drum. To determine if the spring is broken and requires replacement, unplug the dryer and then open the cabinet to examine the idler pulley tension spring.

The drive motor rotates the motor shaft, which in turn rotates the idler pulley, which rotates the drive belt that's wrapped around the dryer drum. The motion of these components causes the drum to rotate during the cycle. The drive motor also rotates the blower fan blade on most dryers.

A failing drive motor may shut off in the middle of a cycle. Some dryers will restart automatically when the motor cools, but others require that you restart them. Replace the drive motor if it overheats.

The wire harness connections on the motor can be repaired, but the internal components on the motor cannot. If the drive motor doesn't run when voltage is applied to it, replace the drive motor.

A felt seal around the front and the back of the dryer drum prevents warmed air from escaping while allowing the drum to glide smoothly across the contact surfaces on the rear bulkhead panel and the front panel in the dryer. You can physically inspect the seal from inside the dryer drum by unplugging the dryer and lifting the top panel to examine the felt seal more closely. If the felt seal is damaged, replace it.