My Gibson dryer won't tumble. Where do I get to the belt and pulley mechanism on the machine?

Question

It's a 1992 model.

I need to know where on the machine itself, where are these things located. (e.g. side panel, back panel)

Answer 1

Go to pcappliancerepair.com, they have diagrams and help. Generally, you have to take the back of the machine off.

Answer 2

Gibson is made by wci and is the same parts as westinghouse and Frigidaire. Looking at it from the back side you access the motor and pulley through a small panel on the lower right side. You will be able to see the belt also if it isn't broken. To replace the belt you have to remove the front of the dryer also. To do that you will need a thin screw driver and a flash light. Shine the light through the thin opening between the dryer top and the top of the front panel. You will see a spring clip on either side. Place the tip of the screw driver at the front of the clip and push in firmly while lifting on the nearest corner of the top. Do the same on the other side. Lift and have someone hold the top up. You will see a yellow piece of plastic at the front center. Unless you need to remove the drum you can leave it in place. Raise the drum and slide the belt around it to the point you can see where the old belt was. Reassemble the front and top. Put the pulley around the idler pulley and the motor pulley. You will need to put spring tension on the belt by moving the pulley against the spring then loop the back side of the belt around the pulley.

Answer 3

I'm pretty sure Gibson has been made by Whirlpool for quite a number of years now, so the motor and idler pulley should be located about in the middle of the unit, front to back, and on the right side, as you're looking at the machine from the front. It's possible that the belt has just jumped off the pulley so I wouldn't run out and buy a new one before I found out if I really needed one. And, by the way, no hardware store I know of carries dryer belts. There are just too many of them and they must be matched up to the model of your machine to work properly. You'll have to find an appliance store that does service, or a parts supply store that will sell to you. You'll need to pop the top up from the base by inserting a flat, fairly stiff putty knife under the lid and pry up near the outside edges. Before you do that remove the lint trap in the top and remove the two screws located under the flap lid. Once you have the top up, there will be two screws on the sides of the frame that hold the front on. One on each side, probably a 5/16" hex head metal screw. Once you have those out you should be able to lift the front up and out away from the drum. Remove the wires to the door switch before you get the front completely off. The drum will be riding on a pair of rollers located in the back and may drop off and out towards you. If it does, catch it and slowly pull it out the front thru the slightly curved out places on the sides. The belt, if it's broken, will probably be laying in the bottom. If you can see the old numbers on it, use them to order a new one, or if not, take the belt along when you go shopping for one.

Answer 4

Remove the back of the unit. It will expose everything. You will not have to replace the pulley. Don't fall for that song and dance. Take a vaccume cleaner and give it a good cleaning. I did it with a unit that was left in the basement of the home I bought and I found $7 in quarters. The point is, a good cleaning is all that it probably needs. It only takes a little time to save a great expense.
If, by chance, the belt is worn. You will need the serial #, and the model #. Go to any service dept. any appliance store and pick one up. If they have to order it, it should only be a few days. If they can't find one, Have the store employee find one of the equivilant length. They are in lengths by the inch. It's not Rocket Science!!

Answer 5

You will have to pull it out from the wall and you can probably get to the belt from the back of the dryer. The belt might have just slipped off...

Answer 6

Most hardware stores carry replacement belt. The pulley may not need replacing. It is designed to come loose.

Answer 7

Try going to like a little local appliance store they sale and service appliances and they can get you stuff older than that or you could go on-lineto Gibson's site and maybe able to order from there.Good Luck!!!