i have got the belt, took the side off cant see how to get the belt on without taking the whole unit appart

shaun, August 2009

Just replaced the belt no problems.
I got the belt, ordered from http://www.hotpoint-spares.co.uk and they sent it out very quickly.
The replacement was much wider than the old one (which is great).

1.Took the top off (two screws at rear/top), slide to rear.
2.Took the front panel off (two screws on top, plus clips along the bottom of it). Left wires connected.
3.Took the kick board off (carefully unclipped from bottom)
4.Took right-handside panel off. (four screws on rear, 1 screw on top edge behind front panel, 1 screw behind kick plate and 1 on bottom at front). Slide to back to genitally remove.
5.Clear out fluff.
6.Get belt around drum. Carefully slip the belt between front edge of drum and the felt (you'll get a gap as you pull the front panel forward). Take your time and don't pull the panel too far as it's holding the drum up, you can rotate the drum around, also open the door and gradually get it in place (groves down). Slide it over to where the old one was - shiny strip, line it up all the way around.
7. Stretching the belt to the motor...to do this I used a hair dryer to warm it up (the drum holds the heat well) & rotating the drum around to keep it even. Next I placed a single round object, such as screwdrivers, medicine bottles, jars between the belt and drum, swapping them and building up the size and continued to heat it. Again take your time. Then once it was stretched enough, transferred it to the motor spindle, ensuring everything was lined up etc.
8. Put everything back together!

TC, May 2010

I accomplished this feat last night after hours of Googling. The way I managed this was by switching off the electric supply, taking the top off (push the top firmly backwards & remove screws). I then removed the front of the machine & right side panel (dryer facing you). I placed the belt in boiling water for a few minutes, then stretched it as hard as I could & thoroughly dried it. I then got a sponge & put some soapy washing up liquid over the drum taking care not to saturate it. This helped to ease the belt onto the drum as this can be really tricky. I then placed a copper pipe about 2ft long alongside the drum and over the spindle. I placed the belt over the pipe and then over the drum & managed to ease it into the correct position. There should be a black mark on the drum where the previous belt was. Once in the correct position, I removed the pipe & put side panel on. When putting the front panel on, be sure the tubular vent is in the correct position. This can also be fiddly. After roughly 40 mins and several lacerations to my arms, my dryer is again working fine. I'm sure there is a better and easier way to replace a belt, but this way worked out fine for me.... oh, and I'm a woman!

Tina, August 2009

hiya
my partner has just replaced the rear bearing and also the belt had snapped too. he basically stripped the machine down, took the drum out to put the belt around, then he stretched the belt to go over the motor. the only way he could get to it was to take the side off the machine.... but for twenty eight pound my dryer is now up and running and hopefully will last quite a while, certainly cheaper than calling somebody out.

Claire, August 2009