The belt on my tumble dryer Hotpoint FTCD 871 broke, noted the part
number , got a replacement.

Youtube has videos of how to dismantle and replace the thing, I found
one which was pretty close, and got the new one over the drum. However
I'm stumped as to how to get the belt over the tension wheel and motor
spindle. It looks to be 2" short ( 1" from the spindle). I checked the
old one for length -same.

Some have motors on a spring to tension , but not mine..

More Youtube videos - this one addresses the problem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxlptmP121M .

It looks roughly like mine except the cooling fan is on the other end
and the compressor occupies the free space. This leaves no room for a
lever.

Removing the compressor is an option , but not sure if I can do this
without taking the drum out.

There's possibly some tool, or another trick Anyone got experience?

I experimented with heating the old belt to see if it makes it more
pliable , but possibly not.

Brian
--
Brian Howie

On 08/08/2020 11:09, brian wrote:
The belt on my tumble dryerÂ* Hotpoint FTCD 871Â* broke, noted the part
number , got a replacement.

Youtube has videos of how to dismantle andÂ* replace theÂ* thing, I found
one which was pretty close, and got the new one over the drum. However
I'm stumped as to how to get the belt over the tension wheel and motor
spindle. It looks to be 2" short ( 1" from the spindle). I checked the
old one for length -same.

Some have motors on a springÂ* to tension , but not mine..

More Youtube videos - this one addresses the problem

Â*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxlptmP121M .

It looks roughly like mine except the cooling fan is on the other end
and the compressor occupies the free space. This leaves no room for a
lever.

Removing the compressor is an option , but not sure if I can do this
without takingÂ* the drum out.

There's possibly some tool, or another trick Anyone got experience?

I experimented with heating the old belt to see if it makes it more
pliable , but possibly not.

Brian

Belts are not custom-made, the machine will be designed to take a
standard size. Often, they will be stamped with a code indicating the
dimension. I forget for the moment whether this is the "inner
circumference" or the "outer circumference" for a nominally flat belt.
If there is no spring tensioner it is likely to be a fairly tight fit. I
can only suggest a sort of "tyre lever" approach.

In message , brian
writes

There's possibly some tool, or another trick Anyone got experience?

Https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-I...t-Fitting-Tool
/122231721212?hash=item1c75940cfc:g:djwAAOSwrrldw-nO

Maybe I can make one.

Brian
--
Brian Howie

On 08/08/2020 11:09, brian wrote:
The belt on my tumble dryerÂ* Hotpoint FTCD 871Â* broke, noted the part
number , got a replacement.

Youtube has videos of how to dismantle andÂ* replace theÂ* thing, I found
one which was pretty close, and got the new one over the drum. However
I'm stumped as to how to get the belt over the tension wheel and motor
spindle. It looks to be 2" short ( 1" from the spindle). I checked the
old one for length -same.

Some have motors on a springÂ* to tension , but not mine..

More Youtube videos - this one addresses the problem

Â*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxlptmP121M .

It looks roughly like mine except the cooling fan is on the other end
and the compressor occupies the free space. This leaves no room for a
lever.

Removing the compressor is an option , but not sure if I can do this
without takingÂ* the drum out.

There's possibly some tool, or another trick Anyone got experience?

I experimented with heating the old belt to see if it makes it more
pliable , but possibly not.


I did that job once. I remember thinking the belt was too small, but it
wasn't. brute force required.

TW

TimW wrote in :

On 08/08/2020 11:09, brian wrote:
The belt on my tumble dryerÂ* Hotpoint FTCD 871Â* broke, noted the
part number , got a replacement.

Youtube has videos of how to dismantle andÂ* replace theÂ* thing, I
found one which was pretty close, and got the new one over the drum.
However I'm stumped as to how to get the belt over the tension wheel
and motor spindle. It looks to be 2" short ( 1" from the spindle). I
checked the old one for length -same.

Some have motors on a springÂ* to tension , but not mine..

More Youtube videos - this one addresses the problem

Â*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxlptmP121M .

It looks roughly like mine except the cooling fan is on the other end
and the compressor occupies the free space. This leaves no room for a
lever.

Removing the compressor is an option , but not sure if I can do this
without takingÂ* the drum out.

There's possibly some tool, or another trick Anyone got experience?

I experimented with heating the old belt to see if it makes it more
pliable , but possibly not.


I did that job once. I remember thinking the belt was too small, but
it wasn't. brute force required.

TW


/usual trick is with a rag looped throught he belt and pull it over to
pulley to lead it on. If it is soo tight there is a risk to bearing and
even the structure.

On 08/08/2020 11:30, brian wrote:
In message , brian
writes

There's possibly some tool, or another trick Anyone got experience?

Https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-I...t-Fitting-Tool
/122231721212?hash=item1c75940cfc:g:djwAAOSwrrldw-nO

Maybe I can make one.

Brian

Right. Can't quite see how that works, but the length of the lever
implies that some force is required!

As someone else has said, *running* with a tight belt will knacker the
bearings. But they should take a much higher static load.

Take care not to damage the flanks of the vee groove.

Many years ago, I seem to remember an old Candy tumble drier had the
tensioning pulley so it could be moved if a couple of bolts were taken out.
The problem then was actually rotating the thing back under tension to get
the bolts back in.That damn thing still squeaked after it got its new belt
though.

Brian

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"newshound" wrote in message
o.uk...
On 08/08/2020 11:09, brian wrote:
The belt on my tumble dryer Hotpoint FTCD 871 broke, noted the part
number , got a replacement.

Youtube has videos of how to dismantle and replace the thing, I found one
which was pretty close, and got the new one over the drum. However I'm
stumped as to how to get the belt over the tension wheel and motor
spindle. It looks to be 2" short ( 1" from the spindle). I checked the
old one for length -same.

Some have motors on a spring to tension , but not mine..

More Youtube videos - this one addresses the problem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxlptmP121M .

It looks roughly like mine except the cooling fan is on the other end and
the compressor occupies the free space. This leaves no room for a lever.

Removing the compressor is an option , but not sure if I can do this
without taking the drum out.

There's possibly some tool, or another trick Anyone got experience?

I experimented with heating the old belt to see if it makes it more
pliable , but possibly not.

Brian

Belts are not custom-made, the machine will be designed to take a standard
size. Often, they will be stamped with a code indicating the dimension. I
forget for the moment whether this is the "inner circumference" or the
"outer circumference" for a nominally flat belt. If there is no spring
tensioner it is likely to be a fairly tight fit. I can only suggest a sort
of "tyre lever" approach.

brian explained :
Maybe I can make one.

Special tools are always expensive. I would manage with a pair of
levers or long screwdrivers, put it on the small pulleys first, leave
the larger one until last - then crank the large one around to work
itself in to place.

In message , Harry Bloomfield
writes
brian explained :
Maybe I can make one.

Special tools are always expensive. I would manage with a pair of
levers or long screwdrivers, put it on the small pulleys first, leave
the larger one until last - then crank the large one around to work
itself in to place.

I managed to get it on today. I was resigned to getting a "man" in , but
decided one last go.

I used a variant of the video screwdriver technique. Instead of trying
to get onto the tensioning pulley I opted to put it directly onto the
motor spindle after leading it over the pulley . I used a big
screwdriver at 90 deg to stretch the belt over the spindle then teased
it on with the end of an open ended spanner. I had 3 goes, first one it
ended on upside down and the second it wasn't in the centre of the
pulley and it walked over the edge.

It was pretty straight forward once I sussed it.

Brian
--
Brian Howie