Why Is Frigidaire Dryer Not Spinning – Troubleshooting Guide

A Frigidaire dryer that generates heat but won’t spin is not very useful. After all, you need both the heat and the spinning motion to dry your laundry correctly. So, why isn’t your dryer spinning?

A Frigidaire dryer is not spinning if its drive belt is broken, one of its drum rollers is problematic, or its motor has failed. Unfortunately, these three components cannot be repaired, so you must troubleshoot them immediately and replace the one causing the problem. A belt replacement is pretty straightforward, though replacing the roller or motor can be time-consuming and challenging.

The following sections of this guide will help you understand how these affected components work, why they fail, and what you can do to get them fixed as soon as possible.

Related: Dryer Makes Noise When Tumbling – Troubleshooting Guide

What Would Cause A Dryer Not To Spin?

The most likely reason your Frigidaire dryer isn’t spinning is that its drive belt is broken, there’s a problem with the drum roller, or the dryer motor has failed.

Let’s take a closer look at each of those possibilities and what you can do about it.

Broken Drive Belt

A spinning dryer might seem like simple engineering on the surface. However, it’s a little bit more complicated. Your Frigidaire dryer is turned by a slender rubber belt that’s wrapped around the drum, known as a drive belt. 

When you open the dryer’s panels, you’ll see that the belt is connected to the dryer motor as well as pulleys and tensioners that help it turn smoothly.

When the dryer motor turns, it’ll turn the belt, which helps the dryer spin. Because of that, the drive belt is the way the motor transfers its energy towards turning the drum.

How it fails:

As you might imagine, the drive belt in your dryer experiences a lot of natural wear and tear. The belt will eventually wear down and break off even with regular usage. When that happens, the energy generated by the motor will have no way of spinning the drum.

How to fix it:

Unfortunately, the drive belt is an example of a dryer component that cannot be repaired. Instead, you’ll have to remove the broken belt and replace it with a new one.

• Firstly, you’ll have to open the dryer’s panels to access the inside. Once there, you’ll remove the broken belt pieces and ensure none are left inside.
• Then, you’ll depress the tensioner and wrap the belt around the drum, the motor, and any pulleys inside. The exact configuration or design of the dryer’s inside will differ between models, so be sure to refer to the user manual and technical sheet for your unit.
• Once that’s done, you can allow the tensioner back into place to keep the drive belt tense and wrapped firmly around all of those parts.
• Lastly, cover the dryer with the panels you removed earlier and secure them into place.

Problematic Drum Roller

The drum inside your Frigidaire dryer rests on anywhere from two to four rollers. These rollers ensure that the drum can spin safely and in perfect balance, even at the highest speeds possible.

When you open the dryer’s panels, you’ll find at least two rollers supporting the dryer drum towards the rear. Some models might have another pair of rollers supporting the front as well.

Related: Top Reasons Why Frigidaire Dryer Is Squeaking

Seeing how the number of rollers and their configuration can be different between Frigidaire models, always refer to the user manual and technical sheet that applies to your unit in particular.

How it fails:

The smooth turning of your dryer drum is only possible if the rollers can turn smoothly as well. So, if any of those rollers become worn out or damaged, that will affect the dryer’s overall ability to turn.

How to fix it:

Remember: each of those rollers experiences the same level of wear as the others. So, if one is already worn out, then there’s a strong likelihood that the others are on their way towards wearing out as well.

• Firstly, you must inspect all of the rollers inside your Frigidaire dryer. Even if only one of them is worn out, it’s still an excellent idea to replace all of them simultaneously.
• The replacement process will depend on where the rollers are located. For the front rollers, you’ll have to take off the dryer’s front panel to access them. However, you’ll need to remove the drum entirely to reach the rollers in the back.
• Once you access the roller you want to replace, start by removing the tri-ring that holds the roller in place. When that ring is removed, all you have to do is slide the roller off its shaft and replace it with the new one.

Failed Dryer Motor

The dryer motor is the heart of the entire appliance. It’s responsible for generating the energy needed to rotate and spin the drum, based on the signals it receives from the dryer’s main control board.

How it fails:

The dryer motor can fail from excess wear or an electrical fault. For example, the motor will be overworked if the dryer is often overloaded with too many items and can eventually fail.

Besides that, electrical damage like a power surge or short circuit can also cause the motor to fail.

Regardless of the cause, a failed motor can’t turn the drum even if the other parts of the dryer are working correctly.

Related: Why Your Dryer Gets Hot When Not Running

How to fix it:

A failed dryer motor must be replaced with a new one. To do that, start by removing the appliance’s top and front panels. 

• After unthreading the screws on any panel, be sure to remove it slowly as there might be electrical wires attached to it. If you see any of those wires, be sure to disconnect them as well.
• Next, open the rear panel so you can remove the drive belt that’s wrapped around the motor. Next, you’ll need to depress the belt tensioner the way described above in the “Broken Drive Belt” section.
• Once you’ve freed the drive belt, you can then remove the drum from the dryer frame. This step is necessary to gain access to the motor underneath it.
• Then, detach the wire harness and blower wheel attached to the motor. That will make it possible for you to unmount the motor and remove it entirely.
• After that, you can mount the new motor in place. From that point, you’ll be working backward by reattaching the wire harness and blower wheel, then replacing the drum, and wrapping the drive belt around the new motor.
• Finally, replace all the panels you removed at the beginning of this repair.

This process can be challenging to do as a DIY task at home. So, be sure to keep your user manual and technical sheet nearby for quick reference.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about Frigidaire dryers that stop spinning.

How Do You Know If Your Dryer Belt Is Broken?

Fortunately, a broken dryer belt is pretty straightforward to diagnose. Firstly, empty your dryer of any clothing items and open the door. Then, use your hand to rotate the drum manually.

Suppose you find that the drum turns with little resistance. If that’s the case, that means your dryer belt is broken.

As we’ve seen earlier, the drive belt is kept under tension around the motor and drum at all times. So, you shouldn’t be able to turn the drum by hand.

However, if you do, that means the belt is no longer holding the drum firmly in place.

How Much Does It Cost To Replace A Belt On A Dryer?

The average cost to replace the belt on a Frigidaire dryer can be anywhere from $150 to $250. That cost includes the price of the drive belt and the labor charge for a technician to install it for you. So, the final price can differ depending on your agreement with the technician.

However, it’s also possible to buy the belt yourself. Frigidaire dryer belts can cost anywhere from $13.99 to $45.99 or more, depending on your dryer model and the type of belt you choose.

Is It Easy To Replace A Dryer Belt?

Yes, compared to some other dryer repairs, a belt replacement is pretty straightforward with little possibility of making a mistake. However, this repair can still be challenging to people who aren’t familiar with DIY dryer repairs.

So, if you don’t feel confident about performing the repair yourself, be sure to get a qualified technician to do it for you. Sure, there is an added cost involved. 

However, a technician has the skills, knowledge, and tools to get the job done quickly while providing you with peace of mind.