How to Replace a Dryer Blower Wheel, Step by Step Instructions
You can replace a dryer blower wheel yourself in 1 to 1.5 hours. Difficulty is moderate. A pro charges $120 to $250.
- 5 steps, 1 to 1.5 hours, moderate difficulty.
- Tools you need are nut driver, channel lock pliers, shop vac.
- Parts to buy are blower wheel (and clamp/retainer) for your model.
- Unplug the machine before you start.
Unplug the dryer. Some wheels thread onto the motor shaft with a LEFT hand thread, check your model’s service sheet before muscling it the wrong way.
Tools
- Nut driver
- Channel lock pliers
- Shop vac
Parts
- Blower wheel (and clamp/retainer) for your model
Step by step
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1 Confirm the wheel
Roaring or rattling from the blower housing, weak exhaust with a clean vent, or visible wobble when you reach in and wiggle the wheel (unplugged!) confirms it.
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2 Open the blower housing
Usually behind the lower front panel or accessible after removing the drum. The housing cover comes off with a ring of screws.
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3 Hold the shaft, free the wheel
Grip the motor shaft flats with pliers and turn the wheel per its thread direction (often clockwise to loosen, left hand thread), or release the clamp on clamp style hubs.
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4 Vacuum the housing
The lint mat you find behind the wheel is why airflow died. Clean the housing and the duct stub thoroughly.
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5 Fit the new wheel and test
Thread or clamp the new wheel on snug, spin it by hand for clearance, reassemble, and feel for strong airflow at the exhaust.
If the shaft is rusted into the old hub, penetrating oil and patience sometimes lose to reality, a pro can pull the motor and press the wheel off without collateral damage. If you'd rather skip it entirely, find a dryer repair pro near you
Sources
Where the safety, regulatory and warranty claims on this page come from. Repair costs are our own figures based on Arizona market rates and OEM parts pricing.
- Home Fires Involving Clothes Dryers and Washing Machines National Fire Protection Association Dryer fire incidence, and failure to clean as the leading contributing factor.
Step by step instructions for your exact model
The same repair, tailored with your machine's error codes, known quirks, and typical costs.
What this repair costs professionally
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