Appliance Spares
Quick answer: The most common faults on the Simpson 39S500M and 39P500M vented dryers are a worn rear drum bearing ($8.65 for the bearing alone, $24.45 with the support kit), a snapped or slipping drum belt ($12.29), and a broken door catch ($10.39). All are in-stock parts that ship from Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Not sure which one fits? Match your model number or check the sticker inside the door.
Rear Drum Bearing — $8.65 ·
Rear Drum Bearing & Support Kit — $24.45 ·
Drum Belt — $12.29 ·
Door Catch & Striker — $10.39 ·
Wall Mount Bracket Kit — $18.95 ·
Not sure which part? Use the Part Finder
Common faults on the Simpson 39S500M and 39P500M
The Simpson 39S500M and 39P500M are vented dryers from one of the most widely owned dryer families in Australia. Simpson is part of the Electrolux group, and these machines share their drive platform with the Electrolux vented dryers — which is good news for parts availability. Being vented machines, the faults are mechanical and predictable: the rear drum bearing wears out and rumbles, the drum belt stretches and eventually snaps, and the plastic door catch gives up after years of the door being pushed shut with a hip.
Before ordering parts, confirm your exact model from the model sticker — usually found around the door opening or on the rear panel. The parts on this page suit both the 39S500M and 39P500M, and most also fit the 39P400M and 39S600M from the same family. Always match the fitment list on the product page to your model number, including any suffix after the model.
| Part | Symptom | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
 Rear drum bearing | Rumbling or grinding from the back of the dryer; noise gets worse with a heavy wet load; drum feels gritty when turned by hand | $8.65 | Buy rear drum bearing |
 Rear drum bearing & support kit | Same rumble plus a drum that sits low or scrapes at the rear — the support the bearing rides in has worn as well | $24.45 | Buy bearing & support kit |
 Drum belt | Drum not turning while the motor hums; clothes still wet at the end of a cycle; belt debris under the drum | $12.29 | Buy drum belt |
 Door catch & striker | Door won’t stay shut; door pops open mid-cycle and the dryer stops; catch visibly cracked or missing its spring tension | $10.39 | Buy door catch & striker |
 Wall mount bracket kit | Mounting the dryer upside down on the laundry wall; replacing brackets lost or bent in a move | $18.95 | Buy wall mount kit |
Diagnosis guide – Simpson 39S500M / 39P500M
- Spin the drum by hand with the door open. Free-spinning with no resistance means the belt has snapped or come off. A gritty, notchy feel or an audible rumble means the rear drum bearing is worn. This single check tells you which of the two most common parts you need.
- Locate the noise. A rumble from the rear of the cabinet under load is the rear bearing. On these Simpson dryers the bearing is a cheap part — the decision is whether to fit the bearing alone or the bearing-and-support kit. If the drum also sits low or scrapes at the back, the support has worn too: fit the kit.
- Check the door latch action. If the door will not click shut, or pops open once the drum starts tumbling, the catch and striker assembly has worn. The dryer will stop whenever the door opens, so a worn catch often shows up as a dryer that “randomly stops mid-cycle”. Our Simpson dryer door won’t latch guide covers this fault in detail.
- Inspect the belt before it fails. If you have the machine open for a bearing job, check the belt for glazing, cracks, or fraying along one edge. A belt at this price is worth replacing while the cabinet is already open.
- Rule out airflow last. Long dry times with no unusual noise are usually lint, not parts — clean the filter and check the vent path before ordering anything.
Fitting the parts yourself
This Simpson family is one of the easiest dryer platforms in the country to repair, which is a big part of why so many are still running after decades. The door catch is a five-minute job with a screwdriver. The rear drum bearing requires removing the cabinet panels and sliding the drum out, but there is no pressing or special tooling — allow about an hour, and take a photo of the belt routing around the motor and idler before you disturb anything.
If the bearing has been rumbling for a long time, fit the bearing-and-support kit rather than the bearing alone — a worn support will eat the new bearing. For the full teardown sequence, our Simpson dryer drum bearing noise guide and the Simpson, Westinghouse and Electrolux vented dryer repair hub walk through the whole job. If you would rather refresh every wear item in one pass, see the Simpson dryer full service kit guide.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Simpson 39S500M rumbling at the back?
That is the rear drum bearing — the most common fault on this family. The drum rides on a small bearing at the rear of the cabinet, and after years of hot, linty service it wears and rumbles, getting louder with heavier loads. Replace the bearing, or the bearing-and-support kit if the drum also sits low.
The motor hums but the drum won’t turn — which part?
A snapped or dislodged drum belt. Spin the drum by hand: no resistance confirms it. The drum belt listed above suits the 39S500M — check the fitment list on the product page against your model sticker, and if in doubt use our which dryer belt fits my model guide before ordering.
Do Electrolux dryer parts fit my Simpson?
Often, yes. Simpson is part of the Electrolux group and these vented dryers share their drive platform with the Electrolux vented family, so several parts — including the drum belt and rear bearing — are listed for both makes. The fitment list on each product page is the source of truth: match it to your model number.
Why does my dryer stop mid-cycle?
If it stops and the door has popped open, the door catch and striker have worn — the drum tumbling against the door is enough to push a tired catch open. It is a $10.39 part and a five-minute fix.
Is a dryer this old worth repairing?
Yes — this family is famously simple and durable, and every common wear part is under $25. A new bearing, belt, and door catch together cost less than a fraction of any new machine, and the platform is easy enough that most owners do the work themselves.
Related
- Simpson dryer drum bearing noise — diagnosis and fix
- Simpson dryer full service kit — renew every wear part in one job
- Simpson dryer door won’t latch
- Simpson, Westinghouse & Electrolux vented dryer repair hub
- Which dryer belt fits my model?
- Electrolux EDV5552 & EDV6051 dryer parts — same drive platform
- Browse all 39S500M parts
- Browse all 39P500M parts
Ready to fix it?
- Confirm your model from the model sticker — check around the door opening or on the rear panel.
- Spin the drum by hand and note the symptom: free-spinning drum, rumble, or a door that won’t stay shut.
- Select the matching part from the table above, or use the Part Finder if you’re unsure.
- Add to cart at ozappliancespares.com.au — orders placed before the daily cut-off ship same day from Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Disclaimer: this article is general information only and is provided without warranty of any kind. Appliance designs vary between models and production runs — always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, switch off and unplug the appliance before starting any work, and confirm parts against the model number on your appliance’s model sticker. Any repair is undertaken at your own risk and Oz Appliance Spares accepts no liability for injury, loss or damage arising from work performed after reading this guide, to the maximum extent permitted by law. If in doubt, use a qualified technician.
