In short
On a Koolmore dryer, a new noise is most often feet that have dropped, leaving the machine rocking. Run the machine empty for a minute first: if the noise disappears, it was the load, and no repair is needed at all.
What you are seeing
- A deep rumble that gets worse over months — Support rollers wearing, which is a gradual and entirely normal end-of-life for that part.
- A squeal that rises as the machine warms up — Classic belt or idler-pulley noise; it often fades as things expand and then returns cold.
- The noise stops when the machine is empty — A load-related noise, which means nothing inside the machine has failed.
- NEAR MISS — the drum will not turn at all — Noise with no rotation is a no-start fault. The belt and the motor are the suspects, and another page ranks them.
Causes on a Koolmore dryer, likeliest first
- Feet that have dropped, leaving the machine rocking — A dryer vibrates constantly. Standing level and clear, that vibration is quiet; rocking on one foot or touching the machine beside it, the same vibration becomes a drumming that fills the room. It heads the list because it is the failure this class shows first, and the one an owner can settle without opening anything. This is equipment built for a commercial duty cycle: it is run harder, loaded heavier and cleaned more often than a home unit, and the ranking follows what that duty reaches first.
- Something from a pocket rattling in the air path — Anything small enough to leave a pocket ends up either in the drum seam or drawn into the blower housing, where it rattles against the wheel every revolution. It sounds exactly like a failing part and costs nothing to fix. Next in order: it explains a smaller share of these faults but is quick to confirm once the first is clean.
- Worn drum glides at the front — The drum turns on small support rollers, and those rollers are a designed wear item. As they wear they go out of round, and the drum then thumps once per revolution — the most recognisable dryer noise there is. Third in the order: less common than what precedes it, and more work to confirm.
- Idler bearing dry and squealing — A squeal that changes with temperature is characteristic: bearings expand as they warm, so the noise fades during a cycle and returns at the start of the next one. It ranks last on the evidence rather than on its importance: when it is the answer, it is unmistakable.
Where to look, and in what order
- Push each top corner in turn and see whether the machine rocks — Any movement means a foot is not taking its share, and the cabinet is free to drum. First, because it separates the top two causes in under a minute.
- Run the machine empty for a minute and listen — A noise that disappears with an empty drum is the load or an object, not a worn component. Second, once the first check is clean.
- Turn the drum by hand with the power off and feel for a catch or a thump — A roller with a flat spot can be felt through the drum as a regular resistance. Third, and the last thing worth doing before the phone comes out.
Owner-side checks, in order
- Ease the machine forward so nothing touches the wall or the machine beside it — Leave enough room that the duct is not crushed when it goes back.
About 20 min
- Check pockets and fasten zips before loading in future — It is the only preventive measure on this page and it works.
About 5 min
- Note how the noise has changed over the last few months — Gradual worsening is wear; a sudden arrival is an object or a belt.
About 10 min
- STOP once the checks above are clean and the fault remains — A clean sweep of the owner-side causes is itself a useful result: it tells the technician where not to look.
The safety part
Safety
Power off at the breaker first; the heating circuit in an electric dryer runs at a voltage that does not forgive mistakes. Move the machine with two people rather than walking it on its feet, and check the duct is not crushed when it goes back.
The line between a fix and a call
Call when the noise survives an empty drum, a level check and a clear duct — at that point it is rollers, a belt or a blower wheel, and all three mean a panel off. None of them is expensive, and all get worse if left.
Nearby pages
Generalized information
What you are reading is written for the class, not for one Koolmore model. A family- or model-specific page, where one exists, carries what this page cannot: the exact part numbers, the board layout and the disassembly order for that line. Go there first if your model is named.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
