Debate: Should we actually replace belts on every dryer call? Here's my experience

I used to skip belt replacements if the old one looked fine, but after 3 callbacks in one month on a Whirlpool from 2018 I started swapping them every time. But now I'm wondering if I'm just wasting customer money on parts that are still good. What do you guys do - replace belts no matter what or check first?

3 comments

3 Comments

mason.paige1mo ago

Whoa, are we really acting like a belt swap is life or death now? I mean yeah callbacks suck but three in a month sounds like you were rushing or not checking the drum rollers and idler pulley too. A belt going bad that fast usually means something else is dragging it down, not just age. I check belts and only swap if theyre actually glazed or cracked, otherwise a five year old belt with no wear is still fine. Feels like everyone gets scared by one bad week and then treats every dryer like it's a ticking time bomb.

theawest1mo ago

Right there with you, belts don't just die that quick unless something else is dragging.

ivan_hayes291mo ago

Stop overthinking it man. 3 callbacks on one machine taught you something. Belts are cheap, your time aint. I check them but if the machine is over 5 years old and the belt has any cracking or glazing I swap it without asking the customer. They'll bitch about a $12 belt now but they'll really bitch when their clothes are stuck wet and they gotta pay for another service call next week. You're not wasting money, you're buying peace of mind.