Mystery part, Kenmore 417.80142 dryer

[coastside]

Oh enlightened masters of Appliantology:

 

This humble grasshopper is vexed by a novice question. Long meditation has not revealed the secret. I seek your guidance.

 

The troublesome appliance is a Kenmore 417.80142 electric dryer. This unit is apparently OEM Frigidaire rebadged by Sears. It's been a good dryer to date. But it has started to squeak. And fabrics are coming out with tough to remove brown rust colored marks. I gather that the marks are due to failing drum seals. I went ahead and ordered the "maintenance kit" which includes drum seals, belt, idler, and other such wear items.

 

Upon disassembly, I found that there is a worn part which is not included in the maintenance kit. The heating element assembly is a galvanized pan that holds the insulators and the heating coil itself. On the top of the heating element pan, as installed in the dryer frame, there is a thin pad of material that looks like chamois. It's rectangular, about two inches by eight inches. It's held on to the pan by a line of heavy duty staples (that thing must be a mongo sized stapler to punch through the metal of the pan).

 

That pad, whatever it is and whatever it does, is scorched from heat on the underside. Three of the four securing staples no longer hold it in place, because the material in those spots has deteriorated away from heat. I surmise it's there to protect in between the rotating rear rim of the drum and the stationary rim of the heating element pan. I figured I should go ahead and also order this part and replace it while I have the dryer disassembled. But... the part itself is a total mystery! I have followed the link for parts ordering from the Appliantology pages, but don't see this specific part anywhere. However, I *do* see it as an included piece of the replacement heater element, thus:

 

Heater element with mystery pad

 

That's it right there in the photo, attached to the heating element pan. This photo shows the pad on the left, but that's because the depicted element isn't shown as it is when installed in the dryer, in an upright position. The one shown is rotated.

 

Can anyone deliver true enlightenment to me as to how to proceed on this? Deep gratitude to any who may assist.

 

[Hiroshi]

Yes. The marks are being caused by the front drum glide being worn down, allowing clothes to get pinched in the gap, then yanked out- causing small 1-2 inch long streaks colored light brown. The 'mystery' pad is a felt piece designed to keep lint from falling on whatever is below it in the cabinet of the machine... some halo style heaters like this have a felt piece around the entire perimeter to direct airflow. Order and replace the glide for the drum and your problems are over...http://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Frigidaire-Dryer-Drum-Slide-Glide-Or-Pad/5303937139/343?ss=a8b2i2409&mr=0

Also, if your front glide is worn, you will need to add lubricant (or possibly replace) this part as well: http://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Kenmore-Dryer-Drum-Bearing/131825900/774936?modelNumber=417.80142000&ss=a8b6d698951&mr=1

[lvasquez11]

its part of the heating element 

 

Part number: 131553900

Part number: 5304461262