Whirlpool Dryer Won’t Spin or Has Spin Problems

Imagine you just finished washing your big weekly load of laundry. You go to put it in the dryer, but your dryer isn’t working properly. That can be frustrating, especially if you don’t have a drying rack or a clothesline.

If a Whirlpool dryer won’t spin or has other spin problems, something could be wrong with the drum or drum rollers. A broken belt or pulley can be the culprit, and it can cause an annoying noise. Luckily, each of these issues has a solution that can make the Whirlpool dryer work again.

Whether you’ve had your Whirlpool dryer for a few months or a few years, you want it to work properly. So when the dryer won’t spin or has other issues, it can be frustrating. Keep reading to learn about the causes and solutions for a few common spin problems.

Whirlpool Dryer Won’t Spin

If the main issue is that your Whirlpool dryer won’t spin, a few things can be at play. Here are a few things to check when inspecting your dryer for the cause.

Causes

The first thing that can cause your dryer not to spin is if something gets caught in the dryer drum. If you accidentally leave coins or other small objects in your clothes, they can get stuck in the dryer drum. And if the object is big enough, it can keep the drum from moving.

Another thing to check is the dryer drum rollers. The rollers support the drum as it spins, and they could keep the drum from spinning. When checking the drum rollers, you can also check the pulley. Both work together to help the dryer drum work correctly, and one or both could be an issue.

Along with the rollers and pulley, if the drive belt doesn’t work, that can keep your Whirlpool dryer from working properly. The drive belt helps power the dryer to move the drum, so you should check it if nothing else is the issue.

How to Fix

To fix your dryer, you need to figure out the cause. If something gets in your dryer drum, you can remove the obstruction. Make sure you turn the dryer off, and you can use a flashlight to check various angles. Then, you can remove whatever is causing the issue.

If the dryer drum rollers, pulley, or motor stops working, the repair is more complicated. You will need to replace the broken part, so you’ll need to take the dryer apart. Then, you’ll need to get a replacement part to use for the repair.

Make sure you unplug the dryer and disconnect the wiring so that you don’t risk any electrical issues. Then, you can disassemble the dryer and get to the problem part to fix it.

Whirlpool Dryer Heats but Won’t Spin

Sometimes, your Whirlpool dryer may heat your clothes, but it won’t spin. So you may do a load of laundry and find that your clothes get warm but not dry. Here are a few causes and the solutions for that.

Causes

The main cause of a dryer that heats up but won’t spin is a broken belt. If the rest of the dryer works, it won’t have a problem getting hot. But without the spin, it won’t dry your clothes effectively.

Odds are you don’t have to worry about a broken drum roller or motor. But you can check those things as well to make sure they aren’t also a problem.

How to Fix

To fix a broken belt, you’ll need to unplug the dryer and disconnect the wires. You’ll need to get a new dryer belt so that you don’t have to worry about repairing the old belt. Before you jump to repair, you can make sure the current belt has an issue.

If it does, you will remove the dryer drum so that you can get to the inside. To do that, you can take off the front of the dryer. Once you remove the drum, you can take out the old belt and put the new one in its place.

Whirlpool Dryer Won’t Spin and Motor Hums/Buzzes

If you notice a weird noise or hum and that your dryer won’t spin, you have a few potential causes. Here are a few things to check your dryer to determine the cause of the issue.

Causes

Depending on the extent of the noise, you could have something stuck in the dryer drum. If the small item isn’t quite secure enough to stay in place but big enough to get stuck, it could cause noise. You might also have a problem if multiple items get stuck in the dryer drum.

Another cause is if the dryer motor stops working. As it starts to burn out or fully stops, you might hear a strange sound coming from the dryer. The same can happen if you have bad rollers or a bad idler pulley.

How to Fix

If you find that multiple objects are stuck in your dryer drum, you can remove them. You can do the same thing as if your dryer isn’t making a weird noise. Use a flashlight to help see into the dryer and take out whatever got stuck.

But if your dryer motor is the cause, you’ll need to fix that. You can take out the dryer belt, check the dryer fan for a blockage, and move the motor shaft. If that doesn’t solve the issue, you may need to have a professional replace your dryer motor for it to work.

Whirlpool Dryer Makes Noise During Spin

If your dryer does spin but makes noises as it spins, that can be a sign of a problem. Check for these things when you notice your dryer making odd sounds.

Causes

You may have some bad rollers in your dryer, but they may not be as damaged. If your dryer can spin, the rollers still work, but they might have something on them. Or the outside might not be smooth, so the rollers won’t spin smoothly.

A bad idler pulley can be another cause of a dryer that makes noise as it spins. The pulley is likely the issue if your dryer makes a squeaking or roaring sound. Of course, there’s also a chance of both the rollers and the pulley being part of the problem.

How to Fix

The steps to fix this depend on what’s causing the issue. You can start by checking the rollers and pulley like you would for another dryer issue. Remove the dryer drum so that you can get a good look at the parts. Then, you can replace the broken roller or pulley.

If you aren’t comfortable replacing the parts yourself, you can hire someone. You can then make sure the repair is correct, and you won’t have to worry about the issue in the future.

Whirlpool Dryer Won’t Spin, but the Belt Isn’t Broken

Multiple things can cause your Whirlpool dryer not to spin. If the belt isn’t the problem, you have a few options to check.

Causes

The most common causes aside from a broken dryer belt are:

Obstructions in the dryer drum
Broken or bad rollers
Broken or bad pulley
Failing dryer motor

Consider if you have any other issues with your dryer to narrow down the issue. Or you can look inside the dryer to determine the cause.

Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on November 18, 2020.

How to Fix

Consider the cause of the dryer spin issue. Then, you can take the proper steps for the problem at hand. Whether you fix the dryer yourself or hire a professional, remember to be safe and careful so that you don’t further damage your dryer.

Final Thoughts

A Whirlpool dryer is an excellent appliance come laundry day. But if it won’t spin or has spin problems, your clothes won’t get dry. Keep these causes and solutions in mind if you find your dryer doesn’t work as well as it used to.