The short answer
On an IPSO dryer, a new noise from a machine that still runs is usually loose debris in the drum or blower rather than a failed rear drum bearing. Second, and worth checking in the same hour, is a dry or worn idler pulley. Work the order below -- cheap causes first, the one that is not an owner fix last.
What you are looking at
- A rattle like a stone in a can — It comes from the fan side rather than the drum.
- A sharp regular tick on every rotation — It follows the drum rather than the cycle.
- A heavy rumble that rises with speed — Worst with a load in the drum.
- NEAR MISS -- a thump only when the load shifts — Wet heavy items falling in the drum are normal.
Causes, most likely first on this kind of unit
- Something is loose in the drum or blower — Coins, buttons and zip pulls fall out of pockets and end up in the drum seam or the blower housing. Ranked first: on an IPSO commercial machine running cycle after cycle, on a well-used machine this is the commonest noise of all, and it is free to find.
- The idler pulley is dry or worn — The pulley that tensions the belt squeals or chirps, loudest at start-up and when cold. Placed here: a squeal that is worst at start-up and eases when warm is the idler.
- The blower wheel is fouled or loose — Lint packed on the blower, or a wheel loose on its shaft, gives a whirr, a rattle or a sound like a stone in a can. This rank, because a noise that tracks airflow rather than the drum points at the blower.
- The rear drum bearing — A dry rear bearing roars or grinds and rises with speed. Last, and that is the point of the order: it is last because every cheaper sound above has to be eliminated first.
Check in this order, and why
- Empty the drum and turn it slowly by hand — Listen for something sliding in the seam, and check the lint housing while you are there.
- Listen at start-up from cold — A squeal or chirp in the first minute that fades as the machine warms is the idler.
- Only after the checks above are clean — A roar that rises with drum speed, with an empty clean drum and a level machine, is a service call.
What an owner can safely check
- Empty the drum and turn it slowly by hand — Listen for anything sliding in the seam, and feel for roughness.
Tools: flashlightAbout 15 min
- Check the drum seam and the lint housing for coins — Reach into the filter housing with the machine unplugged.
About 15 min
- Set the feet and open the gap to the neighbouring machine — Cabinet contact is free to fix and it removes the most common false alarm.
Tools: levelAbout 15 min
- STOP HERE -- do not open the cabinet — Rollers, pulleys, belts, blowers and bearings are technician work.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the dryer or switch off its breaker before any panel comes off.
When to call a technician
Call once the lint filter, the full vent run and the door switch are ruled out.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page covers the IPSO dryer as a class, not one family or model line. Where a family- or model-specific page exists for your unit it is the more specific answer -- go there first if your model is named. Deliberately not here: roller kits, pulley part numbers, belt sizes and the panel-removal order, all of which differ by family.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
