You hear it first. That rhythmic thump-thump-thump that suddenly turns into a ghostly silence while the motor keeps humming. Or maybe you press start and hear the motor spinning, but the drum stays dead still. It sucks. You’ve got a mountain of wet laundry, and your Samsung dryer just decided to quit on you. Honestly, a broken drive belt is one of the most common failures in these machines, but people freak out because they think they need a new $900 appliance. You don’t.
Replacing a Samsung dryer belt is a tedious job, but it isn’t exactly rocket science. It's mostly just unscrewing a dozen things and remembering where they go. Most Samsung models, from the older front-loaders to the newer smart-dial versions, use a very similar internal architecture. The belt (typically part number 6602-001655) is a long, thin loop of rubber that wraps around the entire drum, over an idler pulley, and onto the motor shaft. When it snaps, the tension is gone, and the drum won't turn.
Why did your Samsung belt snap in the first place?
Belts don't usually just "die" for no reason. Usually, it's heat or friction. If you overload your dryer constantly, that belt has to work ten times harder to pull that heavy, sodden mass of towels. Over time, the rubber frays.
Sometimes the idler pulley is the real villain. This is the small wheel that keeps tension on the belt. If the bearings in that pulley seize up, the belt is basically being dragged over a stationary piece of plastic. It gets hot. It melts. It snaps. If you're going to samsung dryer replace belt, you’d be a fool not to check that pulley while you’re in there. If it doesn't spin freely with a flick of your finger, replace it too. They usually come in a kit anyway.
Another culprit? The rear drum rollers. If they get gummed up with hair and lint, the drum becomes hard to turn. The motor tries its best, the belt slips, and pop. You’re back to air-drying your jeans on the shower curtain rod.
The "Oh Crap" moment: Getting inside the cabinet
Safety first—unplug the thing. Seriously. Dryers run on 240 volts in the US, and that is more than enough to ruin your day permanently.
You’ll need a Phillips head screwdriver, maybe a putty knife, and definitely a pair of work gloves because the sheet metal inside these things is razor-sharp. I’ve seen enough "DIY gone wrong" scars to know that Samsung doesn't deburr their internal edges.
✨ Don't miss: Electronics Mystery Boxes: Why You Probably Won’t Find an iPhone 16 Pro Max
- The Top Panel: Remove the screws at the back, slide the top back, and lift it off.
- The Control Panel: There are usually screws holding the logic board/display in place. Unplug the wire harnesses carefully. Don't yank them.
- The Front Bulkhead: This is the big metal plate holding the door. You’ll have to disconnect the door switch wire and the moisture sensor wire (usually at the bottom right).
- The Manifold: There's often a long plastic piece (the lint duct) that needs to come out so you can reach the bottom.
Once that bulkhead is gone, the drum is just sitting there. It’s heavy. It’s awkward. Support it with your knee or a block of wood so it doesn't drop and bend the heater housing.
The "Blind Reach" trick for the belt and pulley
This is where everyone loses their mind. You can't see the motor and pulley while the drum is in place. You have to do it by feel.
First, loop the new belt around the drum. Make sure the ribbed side of the belt is facing the drum. If you put the flat side down, it won't have the grip to turn the load, and you'll be doing this all over again in three days.
Now, reach under the drum. You’re looking for the motor shaft (metal, grooved) and the idler pulley (plastic wheel on a spring-loaded arm). You have to push the idler arm to the right to create slack, loop the belt under the pulley, and then over the motor shaft. It looks like a "zig-zag" or a weird "S" shape. If you’ve done it right, the tension will be tight. Give the drum a manual spin. If the motor turns with it, you nailed it.
Common mistakes during the install
- Twisted Belts: If the belt has a single twist in it, it will vibrate like crazy and snap within a month. Run your hand all the way around the drum to ensure it’s flat.
- Misaligned Grooves: The belt must sit perfectly in the grooves of the motor pulley.
- Lint Overload: Since you have the dryer open, for the love of everything holy, vacuum it out. A huge percentage of dryer fires start because lint bypasses the filter and sits right next to the heating element.
Testing your work before you seal it up
Don't put every single screw back in before you test it. Put the bulkhead and door back on just enough to trigger the door switch. Plug it in, hit start, and watch. Does the drum spin smoothly? Is it quiet? If you hear a squealing sound, your belt might be misaligned or your idler pulley is crying for help.
👉 See also: Why Every Ad and Pop Up Blocker Actually Makes the Internet Better
If it works, finish the reassembly. Be careful with the control panel wires. It’s easy to pinch them between the metal frames, which can short out your expensive main PCB. That turns a $20 belt repair into a $300 nightmare real quick.
Actionable steps for a long-lasting dryer
Once you've managed to samsung dryer replace belt, you want to make sure you never have to do it again.
- Buy the OEM Belt: Don't buy the $8 "universal" belt on a random auction site. They are often made of inferior rubber that stretches under heat. Spend the extra $15 for the genuine Samsung part.
- Replace the "Big Three": If the dryer is more than five years old, buy a "tune-up kit." It includes the belt, the idler pulley, and all four drum rollers. If one failed, the others are close behind.
- Clean the Vent: Not just the lint trap. The actual silver foil pipe going to the wall. If air can't escape, the dryer gets too hot, which softens the belt rubber and leads to premature failure.
- Check the Drum Seals: While the drum is out, look at the felt gaskets on the front and back. If they are torn, they create friction. Friction kills belts.
Your Samsung dryer is actually a pretty tank-like machine if you maintain the moving parts. This repair usually takes a first-timer about 90 minutes. A pro can do it in 20. Take your time, take photos of the wiring before you unplug it, and keep your screws organized in a magnetic tray or an egg carton. You've got this.