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I have owned a GE dryer for about 5 years, and just last week this tab/tag stuck out of the gap near the dryer door and is starting to snag on clothing. I tried pushing it back in but it just came back out again. Does anyone know what it is/how I can fix it?

Thanks!

Edit: I added two close up shots from inside the dryer of where the tab is.

Close up of tab with flash

Close up of tab

Picture of tag that is sticking out Close up of tag

Eluchel
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    Have you tried pulling it out? Almost 50/50 it came from clothes than the dryer after 5 years. Do not force pull if it is stuck in there. – crip659 Mar 05 '23 at 01:13
  • There is more of the plastic at the bottom of this picture. take another photo confirm – Ruskes Mar 05 '23 at 01:26
  • @crip659 I have tried to pull it out, but it wouldn't come so I didn't try to force it – Eluchel Mar 05 '23 at 01:57
  • @Ruskes I took two more pictures of that plastic tab. The plastic you can see at the bottom is a different thing that is a part of the door side of the dryer. – Eluchel Mar 05 '23 at 02:03
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    Specific model number of this dryer? GE has made dozens if not hundreds of different models over the years. With that, you can look up a parts diagram and see if it matches anything they admit to in there. Most likely you'll have to partially disassemble to get it out, or put it back where it should be. How to do that is also dependent on the exact model, and can often be found from parts suppliers, sometimes even with video tutorials. – Ecnerwal Mar 05 '23 at 02:04
  • That's a pretty hefty chunk of plastic, as seen in the close up view. I'll bet it's on the parts list, and a screw or nut vibrated loose over 5 years time. – Ecnerwal Mar 05 '23 at 02:12
  • @Ecnerwal I just looked at it. the model number is GTD65EBPL0DG – Eluchel Mar 05 '23 at 02:30

1 Answers1

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Appears most likely (lacking information) to be a teflon dryer drum bearing slide. I found a set of 4 for sale as replacements, though they may not be the exact ones for your dryer. It appears that they clip in rather than having a screw to come loose. You should identify your model and probably order a new set and replace them all, if one has come loose. Running without bearings tends to lead to worse damage as things that should not touch start grinding each other.

set of four teflon drum bearing slides - image from Amazon

Images from some random Amazon seller - no affiliation, and I doubt these are even the exact match for the unknown dryer in the question.

dryer drum bearing slide installation - image from Amazon

Ecnerwal
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  • That looks like that is likely the answer. Thanks, @Ecnerwal! As soon as I can confirm if that this it or not I will come back here and mark this answer as correct :) – Eluchel Mar 05 '23 at 02:27
  • I just found the correct model's assembly diagram and it is one of those dryer drum bearing slide. Thanks again for your help! – Eluchel Mar 05 '23 at 02:32
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    You might want to consider preventative maintenance (replace things not yet broken) since getting at these will likely require a good deal of disassembly, at which point things like belt and rollers (if applicable to this model) are not hard to do as well, since most of the agony is in dis- and re-assembly for each of those bits. You may find an attractively priced kit of multiple parts (for mine it was $2 more than *just* the rollers to get rollers, new belt, and new belt tensioner, for example.) – Ecnerwal Mar 05 '23 at 02:33
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    That is a really good idea. Thanks for that idea! :) – Eluchel Mar 05 '23 at 02:35
  • This is my first thought, too. And agreed with Ecnerwal's comment above that you should replace the pieces if it is possible and "worth it" depending on the cost of replacing the machine and so on. If two or more of these slides comes loose, which is more likely after the first one, the drum will be damaged quickly. – Conrado Mar 09 '23 at 20:22