Dryer Drum Support Roller (27″ Platform) (Whirlpool OEM)

Description

Genuine Whirlpool OEM Dryer Drum Support Roller (27″ Platform) – Part WPW10314173

Part Number: WPW10314173

Replaces: AP6019303, W10314171, W10314173, 8536974, 3388342, 3389902, WPW10314173VP, PS11752609

Always verify compatibility using your appliance model number before ordering.

Whirlpool Dryer Drum Support Roller (Part # WPW10314173)

Eliminate loud, disruptive noises from your laundry room with this Genuine OEM Whirlpool Dryer Drum Support Roller. This factory-certified replacement wheel (Part # WPW10314173, which directly replaces older part numbers like W10314173, W10314171, 2311145, and AH3494747) serves as a heavy-duty structural foundation for your appliance.

Positioned on a fixed metal shaft assembly against the rear bulkhead (and the front bulkhead on select models), these rubber-rimmed wheels keep the large dryer drum perfectly centered, balanced, and tracking smoothly as it tumbles at high speeds under the weight of heavy, wet clothes.

If your dryer emits a loud rumbling, thumping, squeaking, or high-pitched squealing sound while running, the internal bushings inside your current rollers have worn out, causing the wheel to wobble, seize, or grind directly against its mounting axle.

Quick Info:

• Compatibility: Precision engineered for Whirlpool, Maytag, Kenmore, Amana, Roper, Estate, KitchenAid, and Crosley gas and electric dryers (including both traditional top-load matching platforms and high-efficiency front-load duets).

• Self-Lubricating Hub: Built with an advanced sintered metal inner core impregnated with a oil-less composition designed to run completely dry.

• Fixes Common Issues: Resolves loud squeaking, continuous metal-on-metal grinding, structural rumbling or vibrating, a drum that struggles to rotate, or a dryer that cuts out mid-cycle because the motor is straining against a seized roller.

• Difficulty: Intermediate. Requires removing the front cabinet panels and lifting the drum barrel out to access the rear bulkhead tracks.

Critical Maintenance Warning: Never apply grease, WD-40, oil, or any other liquid lubricant to the roller shaft or the wheel hub. These support rollers are engineered with dry, self-lubricating porous metal bearings. If you spray them with grease or oil, it will temporarily quiet the noise, but it acts as a magnet for floating laundry lint and dust. Within a few weeks, that airborne lint will mix with the wet oil to form a thick, abrasive grinding paste that will seize the wheel solid, chew directly through the metal axle shaft, and potentially create a fire hazard. Keep the shaft and hub completely dry and clean!

Replacement Strategy: As noted in the manufacturer guidelines, always replace your support rollers in pairs (or sets of 4 if your model utilizes them on both the front and rear bulkheads). If one roller has worn out and started squeaking, the remaining wheels have spun the exact same number of lifetimes and are likely on the verge of failure. Overhauling them all at once saves you from having to tear down the entire machine a second time.

Step-by-Step Replacement Guidelines:

1. Safety Power Isolation: You must completely unplug the dryer’s heavy 240V power cord or shut off the main dual-pole house circuit breaker to eliminate all shock hazards before beginning disassembly.

2. Dismantle the Cabinet Shroud: Use a multi-screwdriver to remove the top lid panel, tilt back or disconnect the electronic control console, and unclamp the wire harness leading to the door switch. Unbolt the front door bulkhead assembly and lift it out of the way.

3. Extract the Drum Barrel: Release the drive belt from the lower motor pulley and idler tension arm. Use the belt as a makeshift sling handle to lift the large cylinder drum straight forward and completely out of the cabinet frame.

4. Swap the Rollers: Locate the worn wheels mounted on the rear bulkhead plate. Use a small flat-blade screwdriver or pliers to pop off the triangular plastic snap rings (included in the package) holding the wheel to the shaft. Slide the old wheel off, clean the bare metal shaft with a dry cloth to remove loose debris, slide the new genuine roller on, and snap the new retaining ring securely back into its groove slot.

Are you dealing with a high-pitched metal squeaking noise that goes away after a few minutes, or is your dryer making a continuous, heavy thumping sound throughout the entire cycle?