Howto replace the belt on a Creda Simplicity 37761?

Thank you very very much.I have a Simplicity T520VW. I had an extra couple of screws to take out from behind the top palstic fascia and the timer Knob to take off my model to remove fascia before the front would lift, but if it hadnt been for your answer I would never have got there. I also had to soak the belt in hot water for 5 mins first as there wasnt any tensioners in my model and it was unbelievably tight.I also removed the short self tappers securing the motor and replaced them with 30mm self tappers which allowed me to slacken off a bit extra

J.S.
January 2010

Just to help anyone looking to find information on doing this job here is how i replaced the belt.

1 Unplug from the mains and remove the hose. Remove the top panel (3 screws at the back) then lay the machine on it's back
2 Remove the small panel at the front of the machine (under the door) push the 3 plastic lugs in to release
3 Undo the screws and remove the metal panel underneath
4 The whole front panel of the machine can now be pulled out from the bottom to give enough access to be able to get the new belt over the drum
5 At this stage , check the 2 jockey wheel tensioners to ensure that they are in good condition and run freelly, as they are a weak point of the machine, one of mine was broken (£7 each to replace)
6 Open the door, then feed the belt from the top, (line up with the lines on the drum left by old belt) an extra pair of hands is handy here to hold the belt in place around the drum.....then with strong hands and a lot of pressure, pull the belt over the motor spindle. ( it will help here if you undo the motor mounting screws to lessen the gap as it makes it easier to get the belt on, but do not take the screws right out) Leave the jockey wheels behind the belt at this stage.
7 Pull out one of the wheel tensioners and locate onto the belt
8 Do the same with the other ( quite strong hands needed again)
9 Check that the belt is correctly aligned around the drum, re-tighten the motor screws, then replace all screws and panels in reverse order of removal.
10 Replace hose and plug in and start up and sit down and relax in the knowlege that you have just saved yourself a lot of money.
btw I purchased my brand new, genuine Creda belt on good old ebay for under 6 quid including postage.

I hope this helps a few people out there.

Dave N
December 2007