How to Replace the Front Bearing & Seal on a Whirlpool Gas Dryer

Slide the dryer away from the wall to reach the power cord and allow for room to rotate the top panel over the back of the unit. Disconnect the dryer's power cord from the wall outlet for safety.

Remove the lint filter screen from the top panel. Remove the two screws from the lint filter opening with a Phillips-head screwdriver.

Pry the two front corners of the dryer's top panel away from the main dryer cabinet with a putty knife. Rotate the top panel up and away from the top of the dryer's cabinet until it rests in place over the back of the unit.

Disconnect the door switch wiring harness connector by prying the connector's plastic clip with a small flat screwdriver.

Remove the two screws from the upper corners on the inside of the dryer's front panel with the Phillips-head screwdriver. Lift the front panel and pull it away from the dryer's cabinet. Set the panel aside.

Reach below the dryer's drum, on the right side of the dryer, and depress the idler pulley to relieve tension on the drum belt. Remove the belt from the pulley and motor shaft, allowing the belt to hang freely from the drum.

Lift the drum from the inside of the dryer's cabinet and set it on the floor with the rear opening facing upward.

Pry a section of the felt seal from the rim of the drum with a flat screwdriver. Grab the displaced section of felt with your fingers and remove the seal from the rim. Move along in a deliberate and steady pace to remove the seal in one piece, if possible.

Scrape the remaining pieces of felt from the drum's rim with the putty knife. Clean any stubborn felt pieces from the rim with soapy water and a scouring pad until the rim is clean. Dry the rim with a towel before replacing the seal.

Apply a line of high-temperature adhesive to the drum rim. Place the new seal onto the rim and work your hands around the rim. Press firmly once each section is in place on the rim until the entire rim is covered with the new seal.

Turn the drum over so the opposite side of the drum is now facing upward. Locate the bearing retaining clips along the drum's rim. Squeeze each set of clips and remove the adjacent section of the bearing from the inside of the rim. Move around the rim, removing each section of the bearing until both halves are free from the dryer drum.

Align the retaining clips on the two halves of the new bearing with the openings on the rim of the dryer's drum. Press firmly on the section of the bearing behind each clip until they are all snapped into place.

Allow the drum to set for at least 20 minutes from the time you replaced the felt seal before replacing it inside the dryer.

Lift the drum and set it back inside the dryer's cabinet. Rest the rear edge of the drum onto the guide rollers at the bottom of the dryer's rear panel.

Reach beneath the drum and depress the idler pulley. Loop the drum belt around the pulley and motor shaft, then release the pulley to return tension to the belt. Spin the drum with your hands to ensure a smooth rotation, indicating a proper installation.

Lift the dryer's front panel and align it with the front of the dryer's cabinet. Place the bottom edge of the panel into the slots on the bottom of the dryer's cabinet and press the top of the panel into place while lifting the drum so that the panel and front rim of the drum fit together.

Replace the two screws at the top corners of the inside of the front panel with the Phillips-head screwdriver. Reconnect the door switch wiring harness connector.

Rotate the top panel back onto the top of the dryer's cabinet. Press the two front corners down to snap the panel back into place. Replace the two screws in the lint filter compartment and slide the lint filter screen back into place.

Plug the dryer's power cord back into the wall outlet and return the dryer to the normal position in your laundry area.