How to Replace Your Whirlpool Washer’s Drive Belt

If your Whirlpool washer pumps water but it doesn’t spin, your drive belt needs to be replaced. The same broken part could be causing your agitator to not work. Order a drive belt, part #WP21352320, and follow these steps to make it start working again.

Even though this repair procedure doesn’t directly involve electrical components, unplug the power source before you get started. This is an essential first step for every repair to keep yourself safe from electrical hazards.

If you have a confined laundry room and you need to pull the washer away from the wall to get access to it, also turn off the water supply lines and unhook the drain hose so water doesn’t spill.

The drive pulley is outside of the machine, so no disassembly is required. But it is at the bottom of the machine. Tilt it back against its rear edge at a forty-five-degree angle, and either have someone hold it or rest it against a secure surface.

There are three pulleys at the bottom of the washer: the larger transmission pulley, and the smaller pump and motor pulleys. The belt is pulled into the shape of a triangle with a pulley at each corner.

Slowly pull the drive belt away from the transmission pulley by rotating the part counterclockwise. Once it slips free, pull the belt away from the other two pulleys.

To install the new belt, perform the previous step in reverse. Loop the belt around the pump and motor pulleys. Then slowly work the belt into place around the transmission pulley by placing part of the belt in the groove and rotating the pulley clockwise.

Once the drive belt is firmly in the groove of all three pulleys, slowly tilt the machine back upright. Then you can plug it in and turn on a cycle to ensure the agitator is spinning.

Go to A to Z Appliance Repair for more appliance repair procedures.