Whirlpool WED8620 Dryer making an awful sound!

[acmartina]

We have a Whirlpool WED8620 Dryer. It has been working fine and then all of a sudden it started making a terrible noise - no warning, no easing up to it. Here is a recording of it. 

https://share.icloud.com/photos/090B1G8fsWO-Aqc0ospgngSMQ

It sounds awful! Any ideas on what is going on? Thank you.

Steve

[acmartina]

A better link to the video

 

 

[evaappliance]

It’s still a little hard to tell on the video but I would check two things , first make sure something from someone’s pocket hasn’t got in there and got stuck in the felt seals of the drum , second check the belt idler pulley.

[frunch]

I change the Idler Pulleys on these all the time. Usually a terrible screeching sound, no mistaking it when I hear it lol. Part number W10837240. Might want to change the belt while you have it apart, though it may not be necessary…could save you the headache of taking the dryer apart to change the belt in a couple years. Also plan on vacuuming out the dust/lint accumulated inside the dryer, it can occasionally cause a lint fire. At this point, when I get a call on a dryer with that idler pulley—I’ll usually focus on that first and work from there. Good luck!

[acmartina]

Thank you. I went back and thoroughly checked the felt seals. Turned it on again and it went about a half turn before resuming the sound. "Terrible screeching sound" is pretty accurate so I guess that's next. Thanks again.