I tried getting into a Kenmore large capacity dryer (with the lint screen up front) and discovered the back doesn't seem to come off even though it has screws in it. I was able to clean much of the lint out that had accumulated inside, but can anyone give me some tips on whether the back comes off? Also, what would you need to do to replace the motor?
Thanks,
John

Hi John,

That is a front serviceable dryer....those screws you see in the back keep the plenum at the rear of the drum in place. The motors do have a short life, it seems. You need to pivot the console up in order to remove the top. There is a screw at each side of the console. It's a bit involved. I can send you a few pages of the service manual that deals with getting to the motor and replacing it.

Some pics of the dryer.

This is actaully my friends dryer, it is electric but I have a gas dryer just about like it. You can see the lint is fried, it was about an inch think on top of the heating element case.

This was the flexable tubing. It connected to a metal smooth vent that went to the roof, only about 2 feet to the roof but the hood on top was smashed down, so not much airflow, and take a look at all that link!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the lint filter housing that goes to the blower.

I'm jsut saying in general:

Just remember ladies and germs, Bounce and other dryer sheets are WAX and scent on a carrier sheet, which functions as glue.......

As a firefighter/EMT, I can't tell you the amount of fires we've seen because of that flexible aluminum slinky ductwork. It gets crushed, collects lint, and fails miserably! I'm sure many here will agree with me that if you can use solid rigid galvanized ductwork, PLEASE make the investment. Just a friendly bit of advice.

Davy

I can't tell by the pics, is that a Frigidaire built dryer?

I totally agree with the above poster about investing in solid ductwork. I look to see most plastic and some foil type crap being outlawed in the next year or so. It's not a matter of safety but money for the chain stores that carry the unsafe stuff. I find it pretty hard to believe that most of the newer dryers post a comment on the back of the dryer telling the consumer not to use plastic duct but Wal Mart will gladly sell the plastic ones to unknowing little old ladies who burn thier homes down. How sad. I've seen it too Mr. Firefighter/EMT.

And what I find even more amazing is that even though the dryers are marked "Do Not Use Plastic Flex Hose With This Dryer" the dealers that sell the dryer use plastic flex hose when installing it in your home.

Which reminds me, it's been about 6 years since I last took ours apart for cleaning........

Sometimes there really is no other workable choice.

Oy Gevalt! This is a textbook case for rigid duct work. Thanks for sharing.

Oy Gevalt! This is a textbook case for rigid duct work. Thanks for sharing.

The ductwork has been replaced with rigid up to a point then I used the more sturdy flexible pipe (not like the kind shown) to join the rigid pipe with the rigid duct that goes to the roof hood (only about a 2 foot section). This actually belongs to a friend of mine. I have the same dryer at home except mine is gas. This is Kenmore dryer (extra large capacity - 7.0 cubic ft.)not a Frigidaire. What I found also, is that the exhaust hood on top of the roof was smashed down and clogged which I'm sure also led to the great accululation in the ductwork becuase there was hardly any airflow out. I just wonder how the hood got smashed. It wasn't that easy to pry back open, either someone had to do it or maybe kids kept throwing basketballs on it for target practice??? Who knows?
But, it's all cleaned out now. :-)