How to Replace a Belt on a Kenmore Dryer 80 Series

Have your dryer running again in no time.

Think back to when your dryer stopped working. If you heard a loud pop or bang, that was probably the sound of the belt snapping. Replacing the belt in your Kenmore 80 series dryer may be the key to fixing a drum that has suddenly stopped turning. Though the process sounds complicated, it's actually simple enough to be completed by the average do-it-yourselfer. With the right tools, you can replace the belt in your Kenmore 80 series dryer and have it working again in just a couple of hours.

1. Unplug your Kenmore 80 series dryer before disassembling it to replace the belt. Shut off all power to your dryer before you continue.

2. Open the top panel of your Kenmore 80 series dryer. Take the lint screen out of your dryer and remove the two screws that secure its housing. Insert a putty knife or flathead screwdriver between the front panel and the top of the dryer to apply pressure to the metal clips that hold the top panel down. Fold the top panel back to rest against a wall.

3. Locate two metal clips between the front of the dryer and the toe panel at the bottom front of the dryer. Push on the clips with the flathead screwdriver to free the toe panel. You will be able to see the bottom of your dryer's drum. Stack a couple of wood blocks underneath the drum to support it.

4. Loosen the two screws at the bottom of the front panel. Completely remove the corresponding screws at the top of the panel. This allows you to pull the top of the front panel towards you, providing easy access to the drum.

5. Install the replacement belt around the drum of your Kenmore 80 series dryer. Remove the old belt and move the replacement belt into the belt track on the drum. The belt will be a bit too large for the drum until threaded through the motor at the bottom right of the dryer. Move the idler pulley to the right and thread the belt through the center of it. The idler pulley looks somewhat like a stirrup, and the belt will pull through the "U" shape of the "stirrup." Hook the belt around the motor pulley that is located to the right of the idler pulley. Remove the wood blocks and test the belt threading by spinning the drum counterclockwise. If the drum spins freely, your belt replacement was successful.

6. Put your Kenmore 80 series dryer back together so that you can start using it again. Reattach the dryer's bottom toe panel by aligning it with the bottom of the dryer and applying pressure; the panel will snap back into place. Tighten the lower front panel screws. Replace the upper front panel screws and tighten them to secure the panel. Put down the top panel and push on it to snap it into place. Return the screws to the lint screen housing and screw them in. Replace the lint screen to complete your Kenmore 80 series dryer repair.