How to Replace a Maytag Felt Seal

Pull the dryer away from the wall to allow yourself access to the back of the unit. Disconnect the dryer's power cord from the wall outlet.

Remove the screws on the upper-rear corner of the dryer with a Phillips screwdriver. Stand behind the dryer and pull the panel toward you and up to remove it from the dryer's cabinet. Set the panel aside.

Reach into the upper front corners of the dryer's cabinet and depress each of the two control panel retaining clips. Pull the control panel forward, away from the dryer's cabinet, to release it from the dryer's front face. Disconnect the wiring harness behind the control panel to completely free it from the dryer. Set the panel aside.

Locate the circuit board bracket on the top of the dryer's cabinet. Remove the screws in the bracket with the screwdriver. Lift the forward-most side of the bracket and rotate it away from the top of the dryer. Allow the bracket to rest over the rear side of the dryer.

Remove the screws at the corners of the control bracket with the screwdriver. The bracket is situated at the upper-front side of the dryer, where the control panel was previously set. Pull the bracket straight up and then away from the dryer. Set the control bracket aside.

Remove the screws at the lower-front corners of the dryer's small front panel. Pull the panel away from the dryer and down to remove it. Set the small panel aside.

Locate the two wire harnesses inside the lower-right corner of the dryer. Disconnect the wiring harnesses and allow them to hang in place inside the dryer's cabinet. Your model may require that you pry a release clip open for each wiring harness connection prior to pulling the connectors apart. Use a flat screwdriver to release the clips.

Open the dryer's front door and remove the screws around the front opening with the Phillips screwdriver. Remove the screws at the corners of the main front panel with the Phillips screwdriver. Lift the panel then pull it away from the dryer's cabinet and set it aside.

Remove the screws at the lower right corner of the bulkhead and on the blower housing on the lower left side of the dryer. Loosen the two bulkhead screws at the top of the panel. Pull the bulkhead and blower housing panel from the front of the dryer's cabinet and set it aside.

Reach into the bottom of the dryer's cabinet to locate the idler pulley and motor shaft. Force the pulley toward the dryer's drum to release the tension on the belt. Remove the belt from the pulley and motor shaft and allow it to hang freely from the drum.

Grab the dryer's drum at the top of the front opening and grab the belt at the top of the drum. Lift the drum from the dryer's cabinet and place it on the floor with the front side of the opening facing upward.

Pry a section of the old seal from the dryer drum's rim with the flat screwdriver so that you are able to grasp it with your hand. Pull the seal from the drum's rim and dispose of it.

Remove the remaining felt and adhesive from the drum's rim by scraping the rim with a flat screwdriver or cleaning the rim with a scouring pad.

Apply a single line of high temperature adhesive to the outside of the drum's rim. Place a section of the new felt seal onto the rim and press firmly with your hands. Work your way around the rim, placing the seal onto the rim and pressing each section firmly until the new seal is completely fixed to the drum. Let the drum rest on the floor for at least 20 minutes to allow the adhesive to dry.

Replace the drum back into the dryer's cabinet. Press the idler pulley toward the drum and loop the belt back into place around the motor shaft and idler pulley. Release the pulley once the belt is in place.

Replace the front bulkhead panel onto the dryer and replace the bulkhead screws in the panel and blower housing.

Replace the main front panel and door onto the front of the dryer. Replace the screws at the bottom corners and around the front door opening. Tighten the two top corner screws. Reconnect the two wiring harnesses at the lower right corner of the dryer.

Replace the small panel at the bottom of the front of the dryer. Replace the two screws at the bottom corners of the panel.

Replace the control bracket to the upper-front side of the dryer and screw in the corner screws. Rotate the circuit board bracket back into place on top of the dryer's cabinet and replace the screws. Snap the control panel back into place on the front of the dryer and reconnect the wiring harness to the circuit board panel.

Slide the top panel into the slots on the control panel and lower the rear of the top panel onto the dryer's cabinet. Replace the screws at the top-rear edge of the top panel. Plug the dryer's power cord into the wall outlet and slide the unit back into place.