I am trying to open the front panel of my Kenmore / Whirlpool 29" dryer
to service the rollers, idler pulley, and drive belt.

I have the top open and am trying to disconnect the door switch before
unscrewing the front panel. The door switch has two wires leading to it
and there is a convenient connector (3 conductor, only 2 are used) a few
inches away from the switch. I've tried pulling at that connector as
hard as I dare to unplug it, but no luck. It looks like there may be
two tiny tabs to press, but I have no way to press tabs that tiny while
pulling and trying to prevent damaging the wires. Does anyone have any
suggestions?

The door switch connector part number is Whirlpool # 3936144.

(Yes, I could remove the entire switch, but was trying to avoid that.)

Thanks for any help!

"John Taylor" wrote in message
...
I am trying to open the front panel of my Kenmore / Whirlpool 29" dryer to
service the rollers, idler pulley, and drive belt.

I have the top open and am trying to disconnect the door switch before
unscrewing the front panel. The door switch has two wires leading to it
and there is a convenient connector (3 conductor, only 2 are used) a few
inches away from the switch. I've tried pulling at that connector as hard
as I dare to unplug it, but no luck. It looks like there may be two tiny
tabs to press, but I have no way to press tabs that tiny while pulling and
trying to prevent damaging the wires. Does anyone have any suggestions?

The door switch connector part number is Whirlpool # 3936144.

(Yes, I could remove the entire switch, but was trying to avoid that.)

Thanks for any help!


Can you compress the 2 tiny tabs with a pair of pliers / needle-nose pliers
/ vise grip so as to allow you then to gently unplug the plug?

Smarty wrote:
"John Taylor" wrote in message
...
I am trying to open the front panel of my Kenmore / Whirlpool 29"
dryer to service the rollers, idler pulley, and drive belt.

I have the top open and am trying to disconnect the door switch before
unscrewing the front panel. The door switch has two wires leading to
it and there is a convenient connector (3 conductor, only 2 are used)
a few inches away from the switch. I've tried pulling at that
connector as hard as I dare to unplug it, but no luck. It looks like
there may be two tiny tabs to press, but I have no way to press tabs
that tiny while pulling and trying to prevent damaging the wires.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

The door switch connector part number is Whirlpool # 3936144.

(Yes, I could remove the entire switch, but was trying to avoid that.)

Thanks for any help!


Can you compress the 2 tiny tabs with a pair of pliers / needle-nose
pliers / vise grip so as to allow you then to gently unplug the plug?

I did try that but no luck. If I had small needle nose pliers that bent
in at the end like tongs that might work, but I don't have such a
tool, if one exists. Curse the clowns that designed this connector!

"John Taylor" wrote in message
...
Smarty wrote:
"John Taylor" wrote in message
...
I am trying to open the front panel of my Kenmore / Whirlpool 29" dryer
to service the rollers, idler pulley, and drive belt.

I have the top open and am trying to disconnect the door switch before
unscrewing the front panel. The door switch has two wires leading to it
and there is a convenient connector (3 conductor, only 2 are used) a few
inches away from the switch. I've tried pulling at that connector as
hard as I dare to unplug it, but no luck. It looks like there may be
two tiny tabs to press, but I have no way to press tabs that tiny while
pulling and trying to prevent damaging the wires. Does anyone have any
suggestions?

The door switch connector part number is Whirlpool # 3936144.

(Yes, I could remove the entire switch, but was trying to avoid that.)

Thanks for any help!


Can you compress the 2 tiny tabs with a pair of pliers / needle-nose
pliers / vise grip so as to allow you then to gently unplug the plug?

I did try that but no luck. If I had small needle nose pliers that bent
in at the end like tongs that might work, but I don't have such a tool, if
one exists. Curse the clowns that designed this connector!


Radio Shack, among other places, sells hemostats which are tong-style needle
nosed pliers which I have used to compress tabs on small and delicate
connectors. You may want to get a pair and try them. Yanking on a connector
which is still mated can easily lead to broken connector or wire problems.

"Smarty" wrote in message
...
"John Taylor" wrote in message
...
Smarty wrote:
"John Taylor" wrote in message
...
I am trying to open the front panel of my Kenmore / Whirlpool 29" dryer
to service the rollers, idler pulley, and drive belt.

I have the top open and am trying to disconnect the door switch before
unscrewing the front panel. The door switch has two wires leading to
it and there is a convenient connector (3 conductor, only 2 are used) a
few inches away from the switch. I've tried pulling at that connector
as hard as I dare to unplug it, but no luck. It looks like there may
be two tiny tabs to press, but I have no way to press tabs that tiny
while pulling and trying to prevent damaging the wires. Does anyone
have any suggestions?

The door switch connector part number is Whirlpool # 3936144.

(Yes, I could remove the entire switch, but was trying to avoid that.)

Thanks for any help!


Can you compress the 2 tiny tabs with a pair of pliers / needle-nose
pliers / vise grip so as to allow you then to gently unplug the plug?

I did try that but no luck. If I had small needle nose pliers that bent
in at the end like tongs that might work, but I don't have such a tool,
if one exists. Curse the clowns that designed this connector!


Radio Shack, among other places, sells hemostats which are tong-style
needle nosed pliers which I have used to compress tabs on small and
delicate connectors. You may want to get a pair and try them. Yanking on a
connector which is still mated can easily lead to broken connector or wire
problems.


Could not find the Radio Shack item on their website but here is a cheap
Harbor Freight alternative.....
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38034

Stick the corner of a putty knife slightly under the edge of the
middle of the female side of the connector, and pry up while pulling
on the male end. If it doesn't come out, then turn it over and do the
same to the other side.