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How to Rebalance a Clothes Dryer

Emma Lee

Thanks to J. Ross Moore the dryer was invented in 1935. Mr. Moore built an oil-heated drum to spare his mother the chore of hanging laundry during the winters of North Dakota. Many revisions and improvements have been made since the first dryer. Dryers are expected to last for years and with proper care they will.

A dryer that is off balance is not only noisy but can wear out the machine faster. Parts and wires will rub against each other causing premature aging of the dryer. Balancing a dryer can be done in a matter of minutes.

Tip

A shim is a narrow, tapered piece of wood. Shims can be placed one at a time until the correct height is achieved.

  1. Tilt the back of the dryer forward to lift the machine several inches off the floor. Dryers with self leveling back legs will drop and adjust when the dryer is lowered to the floor.

  2. Place a level on the top of the dryer going from left to right. The bubble must be in the center of the display for the machine to be level. Adjust one or two of the four feet under the dryer until the bubble is centered in the display.

  3. Use pliers to adjust the feet on the dryer if they are stiff and cannot be moved with your hands.

  4. Use shims as a supplement if the feet on the dryer will not adjust to the needed height to balance the dryer. Add shims under the foot until the dryer stops rocking.

  5. Grab opposite corners of the top of the dryer and rock the machine. Do the same rocking motion with hands on opposite sides of the top. The dryer is stable when it will not rock.

The Drip Cap

  • Thanks to J.
  • Ross Moore the dryer was invented in 1935.
  • Parts and wires will rub against each other causing premature aging of the dryer.
  • Dryers with self leveling back legs will drop and adjust when the dryer is lowered to the floor.
  • Place a level on the top of the dryer going from left to right.