How do I change the drive belt on my Hotpoint 9325W tumble drier?

Disconnect the power. Disconnect the vent hose by removing the three screws that secure the adpator to the back of the machine. Undo two screws securing the lid, and slide lid backwards to release and remove it. Undo the four screws which are found diagonally just outside the door gasket. They hold the heater assembly. Prise the gasket away from its lip all round and remove the gasket, noting its orientation for refitting. Depending on how it has been fitted, you may have to undo the two machine screws that hold the door hinge to the front casing. Remove the door by undoing the two coarse-threaded self tappers that hold the hinge to the door. Undo the three screws which are about 75mm from the floor on the front of the machine. Next the baffling bit, where you might have got stuck before. Turn the timer knob to zero (makes it easier to refit corrcetly) and pull off the knob. Undo the two screws which are about 5 and 11 o'clock securing the plastic fascia to the front metal panel. Then, from the inside using a round rod of about 5 mm diameter, push the two plastic pegs out of their split-ring clips. The fascia is thus released. Undo the three screws at the top of the front white metal panel. The panel can be swung away to the right without disconnecting the door interlock switch wiring to reveal, in a dusty interior, what you have been looking for. If the belt is worn but still in place, then release it from the grooved shaft of the drive motor by expanding the spring-loaded, tweezer-like assembly of a pair of pulleys, which will ease the tension on the belt. Bring the belt forward off the drum and meet the first obstacle. The single screw in the centre at 12 o'clock with respect to the drum, which now is the only thing supporting the heater assembly and front of drum, has to be undone CAREFULLY while supporting the drum with the other hand. The belt is passed through the gap and the screw reinstalled, all the time supporting the drum with your other hand. You then meet the second obstacle, which comprises three wires, blue, white and orange, which are fitted using spade terminals onto a leg of a thermostat and the heater asembly. Remove these, noting their locations and pass the belt through and reconnect the three wires. If you have read this, you will have guessed a lot about how to fit the new belt. It's as follows. Undo the blue, white and orange wires, pass the new belt through, refit wires. CAREFULLY undo the single screw holding the heater assembly while supporting the drum. Pass the belt through and refit the single screw. Pass the belt around the outside of the drum and with the pulley "tweezers" expanded, around the grooved motor drive shaft at a position where the two opposing pulleys can tension it when they are allowed to come closer together. Turn the drum by hand to make sure it rotates freely. This will also centre the belt on the drum. Hoover out the dust which has accumulated inside the machine and sparingly lubricate the moving parts around the pulley "tweezers, including where the "tweezers" are fitted to the base. This will reduce annoying squeaks during operation. Bring the white metal front panel back into position, checking that gasket material on the mating areas of the casing is in place. The white panel centres on a metal lip in the top centre and which is a tight fit in a cutout in the white panel. Fit all six securing screws. Refit door gasket, easing it over the lip all round and refit the four diagonal screws. Because of the belt tension, the holes have a tendency to move down and to right. Bring the heater assembly/drum into line and make sure all four screws go in straight. Refit door. Refit fascia. If you broke either of the plastic pegs removing the fascia, I think you can move the metal split-ring to a spare hole and use one of the two redundant pegs. Refit two screws inside the knob area, and refit knob in same orientaion as you took it off. Reconect power, and staying clear of any exposed wiring, turn knob to start machine. It should turn as designed. Disconnect power and refit lid, again making sure gasket material on mating areas of casing is in place. Refit vent and connect power. Go and have a cup of tea while the missus sings your praise. The gasket material which seals the lid and white front panel to the casing is important, because it has to form an airtight seal. The fan on the back of the motor creates a slight overpressure outside the drum and forces air into the drum past the (amazing how crude dryers are really) heater coils, into the drum and out the vent through the fluff filter. If the casing is not sealed properly, you won't get much overpressure.

Undaunted
March 2009