GE dryer timer shaft stripped? Read this

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If your dryer’s timer shaft becomes stripped, it can prevent your dryer from running a dry cycle.

And if you turn the shaft without the knob, it becomes easy to lose track of which cycle you have selected, meaning that this may end up damaging your clothes if you choose the wrong cycle.

Now, if your GE dryer timer is stripped, you want to read this article to the end- we shall look at how you can fix (improvise) a stripped timer shaft before your GE dryer timer shaft replacement arrives.

The best part? Fixing a stripped timer shaft is pretty easy and straightforward.

Let’s dive in….

Table of Contents

GE dryer timer shaft stripped – What we recommend

When it comes to the timer shaft, there are two problems that you may face.

The first is a stripped timer shaft while the other is a faulty timer shaft knob.

And since a faulty timer knob is the most common problem you may experience with your GE dryer timer, it is only fair we first have a look at the knob.

If you are having problems specific to the timer shaft alone, you might want to jump to the part on GE dryer timer stripped below.

GE dryer timer shaft knob

If your dryer knob is not turning the timer shaft or the knob has come off, chances are that the knob is cracked.

Now, you do not necessarily have to replace the knob – you can always fix it.

Here’s how…

First, tightly strap some fishing line around the knob shaft – but not too tight to crack the plastic.

Next, hold it in place using glue – preferably hot glue or epoxy adhesive

If unsure how to go about this, do not worry as I will link you to a great instructional YouTube video near the end of this article.

Be sure to let the glue dry completely before re-inserting the knob- Failure to do this can result in the knob getting permanently attached to the shaft.

And this could make it difficult to ever replace the knob on its own if it develops problems in the future.

Now, the knob should now hold nice and tight on the timer shaft.

So you can re-insert your knob on the timer shaft.

Moving on…

You may notice that your knob is not cracked – it just worked itself loose.

That is pretty normal and the good thing is that you can still easily fix this without getting a timer replacement – which is a bit costlier.

Now, to fix a loose knob, you will need some aluminum strips.

Just tightly tie them around the dryer shaft and follow this by inserting your timer knob-Your knob should now have a nice and tight hold.

Quick tip: we do not recommend using aluminum foil – it does not provide a strong hold as the strip does- you can always cut some strips from a soda or beer can, if necessary.

Keep in mind that if you note that your knob is damaged beyond repair, you will want to get a knob replacement – they are pretty cheap out there anyway.

Now, when getting a new GE dryer timer knob replacement, we recommend you get one that has a metal ring on the outside of the plastic.

Why?

These not only have greater holding strength but also do not crack, unlike the older knobs.

Speaking of which, this is the GE dryer timer knob with metal ring we recommend…

Something else:

You may be tempted to use pliers to rotate the timer shaft before your new knob arrives.

However, we strongly discourage this.

The reason?

You see, if you use pliers to move the timer shaft, you’ll likely end up stripping the shaft.

And once you strip the shaft, no knob would work on it.

Consequently, you might have to replace the timer which is much pricier than just waiting for the knob to arrive.

Moreover, if you use pliers, you will not know which setting you are choosing and this might again end up ruining your clothes (if you choose an incorrect setting).

Now, if the knob is not the cause of the timer shaft problems, it typically means that the shaft is itself bad.

So let therefore look at your options here….

GE dryer timer stripped – your best options

We have just seen how the timer shaft might become stripped by pliers.

The truth is the timer shaft might get stripped from normal wear and tear.

Now, since you cannot replace the timer shaft on its own, you will need to replace the timer control as a whole.

To do that, you will want to get a replacement part that is compatible with GE dryers.

With that in mind, we recommend the upgraded GE dryer timer control

Question: But how exactly do you know if it is the timer shaft that is broken or if it is the timer knob?

Well, here’s how to pinpoint the problematic part…

How to know if it is timer shaft or timer knob that is faulty

Try and pull off the timer knob and inspect if it is cracked.

If it is, then, your knob is in all likelihood damaged- you already know what to do.

On the other hand, if it is not cracked, it frequently points to a troubled timer shaft.

Here you can first try to tie some aluminum strips around the shaft –remember the knob could have worked itself loose.

Otherwise, if this does not fix the timer shaft, chances are the shaft is completely stripped so your best bet is changing out the timer.

Finally, if when turning the knob, you do not hear clicking sounds, it usually means that the knob is not holding tightly on the shaft- we suggest you inspect both parts.