The short answer
A new noise from the Arctic Wind AED dryer is usually a wear part in the drum support or something that was never meant to be in the machine. The character of the noise - thump, squeal, scrape or rattle - points at which, and it does so reliably.
What you see on the AED line
- A thump once per drum revolution — Worst at the start of a cycle and felt through the drum when you turn it by hand.
- A continuous squeal that rises with drum speed — Belt or idler rather than anything in the drum.
- A hard scrape that gets worse with a heavy load — The front drum support rather than the rear.
- NEAR MISS - noise with a drum that will not turn at all — A seized drum or a broken belt is a will-not-start fault and a different page.
Ranked for the AED line
- Coins, buttons or a wire in the drum or blower — Most likely here: Small items pass the drum seal and land in the blower housing, where they are thrown round at speed and sound far more serious than they are. This line carries the letter Arctic Wind uses for its electric-heat designation, and the companion line runs the same numbering with that letter changed - so confirm at the data plate which you have before anything in the heat circuit is touched, because the ranking below is written for the electric side.
- Drum support rollers worn or flat-spotted — Second: They are a wear item rather than a failure, and they are replaced with the cabinet open, which is not owner work.
- Blower wheel loose or clogged — Third: A wheel packed with lint is out of balance and drums against its housing, which sounds like something far more serious than it is.
Check in this order, and why
- First - Empty the drum, check the lint trap housing, and listen as the machine coasts to a stop — A rattle that continues after the drum stops is in the blower rather than the drum. That is the order the roster on this page dictates, not a generic sequence.
- Second - With the power off, turn the drum by hand and feel for a bump or resistance — A regular bump once per turn, felt through the drum, names the support rather than the load.
- Third - Note whether the noise changes character as the machine coasts down — A note that changes pitch smoothly as the drum slows is on the motor shaft rather than in the drum.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before reaching into the drum, the lint housing or any panel - a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off and a dryer drum can coast for some time after the door is opened. On a gas machine close the appliance valve before anything is moved, and if you ever smell gas, do not switch anything on or off: leave the building and call the gas utility or your local emergency number from outside. Never run the machine with a panel off to locate a noise.
Models in the AED family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| AED67 | arctic-wind:dryer:aed |
| AED70 | arctic-wind:dryer:aed |
When to call a technician
Call when the noise survives an empty drum, a clear blower housing, a level cabinet and proper clearance all round, because what is left - rollers, glides, belt, idler, blower wheel - is inside the cabinet and under tension. Call before the next cycle if there is any scorch mark on a load or any smell of hot rubber, since a drum running on a failed support can damage what is in it.
Nearest pages of this class
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
