Dryer Making Loud Noise

Grinding noises are likely the most alarming. Grinding means metal is touching metal or a bearing has failed.

• Likely culprits include the the drum glides, the felt seal, the drum support rollers and the drum bearing.
• The location of the sound can help you to know what to check first.
• To start, run through this test set on the Dryer Squeaking page to locate the sound and start the checks.
• Follow the steps on the Dryer Squeaking page according to noise location, and check each item.
• Grinding noises are important to fix as they can lead to motor overheating and burnout because of the increased friction.
• Check the items in Rumbling Noises as well.

Thumping noises likely indicate a shifting part or uneven wear. Some causes include:

• A loose drum baffle or lifter. It's the part inside the dryer that makes your clothes tumble. (Sound this part makes when loose can vary)
• A worn spot on the drive belt (a rhythmic sound that repeats about once each revolution of the drum).
• A flat spot on a drum roller (a steady rapid thump).
• A worn out drum roller or rollers. These bang and thump and even grind, and can sound like a pair of boots in the dryer. If you find one bad, replace all of them since they can just fail one after another.
• A worn out drum roller axle.
• To check the drum baffles or lifters you will want to reach inside the dryer drum and try to shake each one. Some may be made as part of the drum, but they are often plastic or metal attachments that can come loose. Tighten them or replace the fasteners if lost.
• Check each of the other listed parts, and make sure to do them all, there might be more than one problem. The dryer squeaking page will have helpful information on how to do this.

Loose parts or loose pulleys can contribute to rattling noises.

• Check the motor drive pulley; the sound will be heard best when the machine is running.
• Check the idler pulley, especially the type that uses a leaf spring.
• Coins or screws can get loose in the drum and make a racket. They can sometimes get under the dryer baffles (hollow plastic ones especially) and act like giant rattles.
• A loose door latch can allow the door to rattle, as can a worn door gasket.
• Parts of the cabinet or housing can be hit so that they come loose and will rattle. The tops and control consoles of many machines are held on by spring clips that can be loosened this way. Some people actually release them this way.
• Check that the motor mountings fasteners are tight.

• One cause of such is frequently the blower wheel with debris in it.
• The blower wheel may be contacting the blower housing. Check it at the same time, it may have come loose
• The motor mountings could also be loose.
• If you haven't already done so, check the items in the Grinding Noises section, especially drum rollers.