Whirlpool Dryer Hums But Won't Spin? Here's Your WED5000DW Belt Fix

You hit start, the motor hums like it's ready to work — but the drum just sits there doing absolutely nothing. Bro, that's a broken dryer drum belt, and you can fix it yourself this afternoon.

What's Actually Going On

When your Whirlpool dryer motor hums but the drum doesn't turn, the culprit is almost always the drum belt. The belt is a long, thin rubber loop that wraps around the drum, goes under a tension idler pulley, and hooks onto the motor pulley. When it's intact, the motor spins the belt, the belt spins the drum — simple physics. When it snaps, the motor just keeps humming away spinning nothing, and your wet clothes sit there getting wrinkled and judging you.

This is one of the most common dryer drum not turning situations we see, and the WED5000DW is no stranger to it. These belts don't last forever — heat, load size, and just plain age wear them down. Most snap clean in two, but sometimes they fray and slip off the idler pulley before fully breaking. Either way, the diagnosis and the fix are the same.

The good news? This is a legit DIY repair. You don't need to be an appliance tech. You need a Torx T-20 screwdriver, maybe a putty knife, about an hour, and the right part — which is Whirlpool drum belt 661570V. This is the OEM-spec replacement belt for the WED5000DW and a whole family of Whirlpool/Maytag dryers. Don't buy some sketchy off-brand — a cheap belt will stretch and slip within a few months.

The Fix

Here's your step-by-step Whirlpool dryer belt replacement for the WED5000DW:

1. Unplug the dryer. Seriously, don't skip this. Unplug it.
2. Remove the lint screen and the two screws underneath it in the top panel.
3. Slide a putty knife along the front corners of the top panel to release the spring clips, then lift the top up — it hinges toward the back.
4. Disconnect the door switch wire harness (just squeeze the tab and pull).
5. Remove the two screws at the top inside corners of the front panel, then lift the front panel off and set it aside.
6. Reach under the drum and locate the idler pulley and motor pulley — you'll probably see the old snapped belt just lying there in the bottom of the cabinet like a sad little rubber worm.
7. Lift the drum out of the cabinet. It's not bolted in — it just rests on support rollers in the back.
8. Loop the new 661570V belt around the drum — the ribbed side faces the drum, and the belt sits in the groove about a third of the way back from the front edge.
9. Lower the drum back in, then reach underneath and thread the belt around the idler pulley and motor pulley in a zigzag configuration. The idler pulley creates tension by pushing against the belt.
10. Reassemble in reverse order, reconnect the door switch harness, and plug it back in.
11. Run a quick test cycle — if that drum is spinning, you won.

Replacement belt 661570V typically runs around $15–$25 depending on where you grab it. That's a fraction of what a service call costs.

When to Call YAP vs. DIY

DIY this one. If you're at all handy and comfortable removing a few screws, this is one of the most approachable dryer repairs out there. The belt replacement on the WED5000DW is designed to be accessed without pulling the whole machine apart.

Call YAP if you've swapped the belt and the drum still won't turn — at that point you might be looking at a failed idler pulley, worn drum rollers, or a motor issue, and we can help you figure out what to order next.

We stock belt 661570V right here at the shop in Piedmont. Swing by and we'll pull it off the shelf for you, or text us at 405-876-8100 and we'll have it ready to grab same day. No waiting on shipping, no mystery off-brand parts — just the right belt so you can get back to actually drying your clothes.