The belt in your washing machine fits between the motor and the drum pulley, this is the part that allows the drum to turn during the wash cycle. If you have noticed the drum is longer going round then it may be the belt. Firstly, just to check you are on the right path, here are some warning signs that indicate your belt needs to be replaced:
- When you start up your machine and it goes through a wash cycle - the drum doesn’t rotate properly or doesn’t spin at all
- When you manually rotate the drum there is no resistance and the drum is able to spin freely
If you need to replace the belt but are unsure where to start, there’s no need to panic. With our step by step guide and video, you will successfully replace the belt and have clean clothes again.
This video shows an example on how to remove or replace the part on a typical machine, some models may be different but the procedure should be similar.
What You Will Need
Step 1 - Safety First
Please make sure that you have switched your appliance off at the mains before starting your repair.
Step 2 - Gain Access to the Back Panel and Lid
You will need to gain access to the back of the machine and remove the back panel, on some models you will need to remove the lid to fit the belt as there may be not enough access through the back panel as shown in the video above. The video shows different techniques to replace the belt.
Step 3 - Remove The Old Drive Belt
When the back panel has been removed the belt should be visible, the belt wraps around the drum pulley and also the motor spindle. All you need to do is just pull the belt towards you, and then turn the pulley - and away it comes! But be aware that the belt may have broken and fallen into the machine, remove the belt before fitting the new one.
Step 4 - Fitting the New Drive Belt
You will have noticed that the belt has grooves on it and these will go around the motor spindle, then feed the belt around the near side of the pulley ensuring the belt stays on the motor spindle. Keep turning the drum pulley until the belt is secure and tight onto the pulley. Finish off by turning the drum a couple of turns so the belt is sitting correctly on the drum pulley ensuring it should not come off.
If you have limited access then try using a cable tie to secure the belt to the drum pulley from the top, this will allow you to fit the belt to the motor spindle and then feed it around without the fear of it coming off. When it is secure then just cut the cable tie and check it is sitting correctly.
Congratulations - you have now successfully been able to replace your washing machine belt! You can now get back to being able to wash your clothes again in no time, in the knowledge that you have fixed the belt all by yourself (with a little help from eSpares of course!)
Fancy Giving Your Washing Machine Some Loving Care & Attention?
Your washing machine no doubt works hard for you in getting your clothes nice and clean.
If you want to show it some TLC, then it is a great idea to protect it from the build-up of limescale & detergent that can happen over time in your machine. Introducing the eSpares Limescale & Detergent Remover - where by using this you can help protect from this, as well as removing bad odours and bacteria build-up.
*Not suitable for top loading appliances
Need To Locate The Correct Belt For Your Washing Machine?
As well as being one of the easiest DIY appliance fixes out there, fixing your washing machine belt yourself can save you a lot of money compared to booking a repair or buying a new washing machine. Here at eSpares, we have a wide-range of replacement washing machine belts for you to select from - so you can soon be on your way to repairing it yourself.
If you need any other help for your appliances you can find more videos from Mat and the team at eSpares, who are always on hand with appliance repair advice in your time of need.
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